To ask what you think if “Disability” box ticked on a job app

[Unsure2022]

A year ago I was diagnosed with a fairly serious disability
I receive PIP and also LCWRA.

I am desperate to work. Pre disability I was in a professional role in finance earning £65k. Full time out of the question and needs to be local... and I have found some positions that tick the box perfectly. One as office manager at a school for example.

My work coach has said that I should tick the disability box as it will only “work on my favour”. Really? Is that to meet certain requirements on employer disabled people? I don’t want to tick the box because my disability doesn’t require any adjustments to be made and I worry that some employers may think “oh goodness, no way do I want the hassle of a disable person and they’ll probably have loads of time off anyway” (my disability doesn’t cause hassle in the slightest and no more likely of being off sick as a non disabled person)

Please could someone in HR or indeed an employer give me some insight please?

It will work in your favour due to the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you meet all the essential requirements of the person spec, you will be interviewed. This is a great advantage in the public sector.

If you’re appointed then the employer will work with you to make any reasonable adjustments needed to enable you to carry out the role.

Go for it. I snagged my best ever team member through the GIS.

Oh that is such a relief!
Although I suspect probably different when small family owned business for example?

I’m not in HR or employment law, just an experienced public sector manager, so I’m not sure if there’s anything equivalent in the private sector. But I’m sure someone else who knows will be along shortly to advise! Good luck with it all.

I’ve just done this on a school app - I could demonstrate all of the Essentials and all but one of the Desirables - didn’t get an interview. I’m new to disability.

In not in hr but as an interviewer I assume they consider themselves to have a disability. Then I worry if it will be a mobility related disability as we have no lift! My problem, not theirs to resolve. After that, I give it no more thought.

I would see it as meaning we would have to make reasonable adjustments if we offered you the job

I struggle with the guaranteed interview bit, if I'm being honest. If you meet the criteria on the person spec you should get an interview.

If there are too many suitable candidate to interview everyone, why should some be guaranteed an interview while others miss out.

My guess is it will work in your favour in large or public sector organisations where they either genuinely care about diversity or have targets to meet. My suspicion would be that it could work against you in smaller organisations where they might be worried about the costs of accommodating a disabled person or just unsure what to do.

@StealthPolarBear

In not in hr but as an interviewer I assume they consider themselves to have a disability. Then I worry if it will be a mobility related disability as we have no lift! My problem, not theirs to resolve. After that, I give it no more thought.

But surely that is a very significant consideration if it were a mobility disability? And if you were a small company, would put you off?

No experience OP but I get your concern

Hmm. It wouldn't bother me in the slightest, for the right candidate we'd make it work. But I work for a huge organisation. Who just happens to have one if its offices in a small, crappy building. If a smaller employer - I'd presumably have to make adjustments.

I would imagine the application, and if you are offered an interview, then the interview itself, would be changes to show all your skills etc. You should not be judged on your disability in any way assuming you can do the job and are quailed for it. Good luck.

chances not changes!

May I say to anyone in management, that if you are concerned about employees with disabilities having access issues, there are government grants available for you to adapt your workplace.

My husband qualifies under the guarantee interview scheme b

He travelled 200 miles/overnight stay for an interview with the NHS.

They were 30 mins late (no apology) for an interview that then lasted 15 mins.

They couldn’t have been more pissed off at having to interview him...

I disclose mine. I figure it increases the likelihood of me getting an interview. I sometimes ask for a “reasonable adjustment”, I often ask if I can have a copy of the interview questions because my short term memory is poor and it helps to see them written down. Also if they don’t provide it, it makes me think about what kind of employers they would be if they don’t provide basics like this at interview.

@eurochick

My guess is it will work in your favour in large or public sector organisations where they either genuinely care about diversity or have targets to meet. My suspicion would be that it could work against you in smaller organisations where they might be worried about the costs of accommodating a disabled person or just unsure what to do.

I don't work in HR, but @eurochick's comment rings true to me

If you don't actually require any adjustments, it's highly unlikely the technical person interviewing you will even know you have a disability. It will however potentially get you past the initial screening process with HR.

Since ticking that box I’ve ‘failed to meet’ criteria of every job I’ve applied for, when more than qualified for the job in question. Always ‘no feedback available’. I’m now very hesitant.

why should some be guaranteed an interview while others miss out.

Because it is harder for disabled people to find employment and measures like this help level the playing field, a quick Google will show you that disabled people are more likely to be unemployed than non-disabled people. Having a guaranteed interview gives them a chance to demonstrate their skills and suitability at interview.

The person interviewing you may not know, depending on your specific disability.

I interviewed, and gave the job to, a lady whose eyesight was so poor she needed a lot of additional support.

The interview room was set up by HR, teaching space by someone not involved with the interview and my Line Manager and myself were not told.

She is a bloody great English teacher!

Dsis got ‘guaranteed’ interviews. These didn’t readily transfer to jobs - and at more than one interview it was made patently obvious that they felt she shouldn’t be there. She’d rather not have wasted her time in these cases.

In fairness, her disability (spinal cord damage) did impact on her ability to do the job (physiotherapist), but she had already researched ways to overcome problems, e.g., funding was available for a physio assistant.

Even when she got a job, the doctor doing her medical explicitly said that in his view they should not be employing a disabled person.

But it’s still worth ticking the box. Dsis eventually got her dream job - the very job she went into physio to do.

Hmm well I have ticked that box on my last last two (as in successful and I took the role offered) job applications. I don’t then also tick the ‘guaranteed interview’ box as my personal disability does not stop me doing the work I am applying for and they can judge me on my application form etc.

First one was a large finance company. The info on my disability never made it to the interviewer or my eventual manager who was then surprised to have to find me some adapted items. However all easily sorted. My current massive public sector employer interviewers/line managers didn’t know anything either until COVID came around and I had to discuss shielding with them.

The way I look at it is that I may need time off if I become ill/something happens and if I have declared this up front. This has never actually happened but just in case.

I would only see it as an indicator on the guaranteed interview scheme - literally a small tick box on our application forms that we get from HR.

Good luck with your job hunt!

I’d tick the box, and apply, if you meet the criteria. I interview nurses for a specialist role, as part of my job. I wouldn’t give it a thought if I saw that on an application.

If you’re concerned that a potential employer may have unreasonable preconceived notions about your disability, I’d try and include some balance on the application....for example, if you’re able to move around freely, instead of saying that baldly, perhaps say you enjoy walking with friends, or home decorating. Focus on things you do well, and sound interested and enthusiastic. When I’m shortlisting, if the potential candidates are on a level playing field with regard to essentials, it’s the ones with something different, unusual, with a bit of zing that catch my attention. Good luck 🤞🏻.

I was until recently in a large public sector organisation as a manager and did recruitment.
It wouldn't have bothered me. We had a very modern building that was already adapted for people with disabilities. We had a very comprehensive policy on how to help and support employees. I had several team members over the years with requirements that needed adjustment.
Because of the nature of the organisation and the modern facilities we had it was really easy to help.
My advice would be to consider targeting employers with similar cultures.
We would be aware that a disability had been indicated on the application but no details of what it was unless they needed adjustments in interview.
We would ask if any adjustments were needed in the interview but the person was not obligated to tell us exactly what their disability was.
Good luck with your job hunt op.

My boyfriend ticks the box, at first he wasn’t and he wasn’t fully qualified, not being fully qualified understandably put some employers off and he wasn’t getting interviews. When he started ticking the box he was successful and gained the second job he interviewed for, completed his qualification six weeks later and recieved a bonus that was higher than some team mates with more experience, plus their bonus was based on 12 months work, his was on 6 months.