myHR Partner® President and CEO Tina Hamilton, PHR, SHRM-CP, was quoted this week in a U.S. News & World Report article discussing the pros and cons some autistic job applicants face if they decide to disclose their autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with a prospective employer.
While the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from discriminating against people with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), and it requires employers with 15 or more workers to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee with a disability, autistic job applicants still find this disclosure to be a very personal decision. Each individual must carefully weigh the pros and cons as they apply to their unique situation. Trust, Hamilton says, is an important factor.
From the article:
Tina Hamilton, chief executive officer of myHR Partner, a human resources outsourcing firm with clients in 27 states, agrees. If an employee or prospective worker feels he or she is 100 percent capable of doing the work without any accommodations for his or her ASD, there may not be any reason to disclose, she says. “Trust also plays a (role) – can the individual trust the company that they work for or are seeking employment from?” Hamilton says. Companies that have managers who have educated themselves about the capabilities and potential of people with ASD can help prospective employees and workers feel comfortable about disclosing their condition, she says.
You can read the full story here.
