Am I misusing the Disability Confident Scheme?

[Castlespring]

I have a disability but dont consider myself disabled. You could argue that my disability does affect my day to day, mainly memory and hearing but I manage it (mostly) without problems so if I'm honest I'd say it doesnt. People cant really tell. I could provide evidence if asked (but they wont).

My employer offers a Disability Confident Scheme. That means that if you meet the minimum standard in your job application, you get an interview. It does not mean you get the job over someone who performs better in the interview.

I have zero concerns that declaring my disability would be problematic.

My question is... there is a job I want and could do. My application should be enough to get to interview BUT it's a very desirable job and I know a lot of people will be applying for it throughout the organisation.

If I go down the DCS route could potentially take the place of someone who wrote a better application. They are very strict about the numbers they interview so they wont just create additional interview slots for DCS candidates.

I wouldnt have an issue using it if I considered myself disabled, but I dont. So am I misusing it even though on paper I'm eligible to use it?

It's due in my lunchtime tomorrow and I'm hovering over the box.

YANBU - you are eligible so use it
YABU - You are not using it in the spirit it was intended and are abusing it.

Thanks everyone. I particularly struggle with talking about my hearing loss because it's not "typical" and previous bosses havent believed me because "I dont act like the other Deaf/deaf person in the office". It's caused by my bones fusing together so my hearing range is unusual eg I can actually hearing better in nosy places because people change their tone/pitch.

So I do get worried people dont believe me especially when I don't wear my hearing aids.

It's to remove barriers to employment, and help ensure that a workforce reflects their customers.
Just because someone's career has been ok, doesn't mean it hasn't been limited or affected by disability. It would be nice if we could promote the idea that people with disabilities can and should be employed at all levels, not just expected to be grateful for entry level jobs and not being unemployed.

OK, what if a candidate is marked down/discounted because they don't have experience of answering telephone queries (despite the fact that the current system is by email instead)? They're missing something that they couldn't have done because of their hearing loss, but are being disadvantaged as a result (especially if applications are screened by AI looking for it). They could have answered queries in person perfectly well, dealt with thousands that way, but they don't have the expected experience in telephone calls that somebody without hearing loss could have.

Where companies don't actually use it as a means for discounting applications ('you do not meet the specified skills list' - when you've literally been doing that job for five years and didn't just have the skills but trained other people in those skills, so it was most definitely on the application with all the keywords - see the particular medical charity that chucked back mine), it prevents such discrimination.

If someone is disadvantaged because of their disability then they should tick the box. Not sure why you're replying as if I said anything different.

I'm a bit confused by your example as why would a company want someone to have experience in telephone queries if that wasn't necessary for the job? And if it was necessary, then unfortunately the person can't do that job.

Yes but my point is that if their disability hasn't been a barrier to employment (or career advancement) then they shouldn't tick the box.

I didn’t say disabled people should be grateful for entry level jobs.

How does someone know objectively that it hasn't?

I had to leave a career I loved because the stress was making me more and more unwell and I hadn't even had a diagnosis then.

I'm currently WFH which has been life changing for managing my entire life around migraine as I can control the lighting, temperature, perfumes, noise and have immediate access to meds and no risk of having to try to get home before I collapse or vomit. But it's definitely affecting my current ability to get promotion....

I can only say from the hearing aspect as something within my experience. Everyone is different but probably impacted more than you think. Adapting with hearing issues probably takes more concentration than you think. I didn’t think I had a hearing issue as I could hear somethings really clearly. Looking back I realise I adapted and compensated for the sound frequencies I couldn’t hear.

Your disability may not impact the end result e.g the quality of work you do. However, I suspect you may need to put more effort in.

To me DC is to level the field as much as possible. The candidate still needs to be able to be able to do the job. If you don’t tick the DC they may not be aware of reasonable adjustments you may need.

If you have a disability (not just a diagnosis label) then it's pretty much guaranteed to be a barrier to gaining and sustaining employment in comparison to equally qualified and experienced peers.

I was about to say would uou need to let a new employer about your disability when I saw it was epilepsy and increasing hearing loss.
I think its very important they know about the epilepsy in order to ensure people are aware. I worked with someone who hadn't had an epileptic fit for years, fully controlled and then had one out of the blue. She had to be taken to be checked out and info such as meds etc were required.
Hearing loss is also something they may need to give accommodations to so Id say you are more than within your rights to use it!

Because that's what employers do. Fail to take account of specifics (like that there is no need to require experience in telephone queries when everything is done in person or by email), whether reading in person or by relying upon a generic AI scan that doesn't take it into account - or deliberately making it up as an excuse in order to not employ the d/Deaf or hard of hearing person (or other disability).

I ticked the box. I think I probably would have got an interview anyway but my epilepsy and forgetfulness does mean I have to write everything down or I struggle to remember.
We can take notes into the interview (if I get one).

I was actually told by the EDI Lead for my employer (NHS Trust) not to tick the 'two ticks/disability confident' box on applications as it could stop them from interviewing me. My disabilities are several MH conditions which wouldn't be obvious to anyone unless I told them - I'm an expert at masking. (Despite being told I've just used MH issues as an insult rather than stating a fact)

You don’t have to divulge your diagnosis, you would only need to make them aware of any reasonable adjustments that you may need.

Anyone can ask for the reasonable adjustments I have as they come under flexible working... what I meant was our own EDI lead told me that I'd be less likely to be interviewed if I'd identified my disability at application!

Ticking the box means you can ask for reasonable adjustments for the interview.
Also I'm not sure how reasonable adjustments would be covered by flexible working - WFH or diary flexibility perhaps, but for many people reasonable adjustments includes things like specialist software or equipment.

No, ticking the box means that you are guaranteed an interview if you meet the minimum criteria for a job. Disability Confident replaces Two Ticks positive action scheme | Disabled Police Association

In my case reasonable adjustments are working 4 long days instead of 5 - instated when I couldn't bear five days in the office, and WFH if I need to, which most people do now due to Covid. Both would be covered by flexible working

I think you're taking it a bit literally there @DontTellMeToTakeInIroning

If the OP didn't declare a disability on the app she would have no grounds to ask for reasonable adjustments at the interview stage and could be disadvantaged. Also it's great that your reasonable adjustments are straightforward but they aren't for many people