Finding Work With Cerebral Palsy
Lottie is a freelance writer who contributes to a number of websites, writing about topics that are close to her heart. When she’s not sitting in front of her laptop, she enjoys spending time exploring the great outdoors with her husband, two daughters, and their German Shepherd.
Finding Work With Cerebral Palsy
People with disabilities typically face a unique set of challenges in the pursuit of gainful employment. In 2020, 17.9% of people with a disability were employed in the United States, down from 19.3% in 2019, new data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. cerebral palsy, in particular, is a group of lifelong disorders affecting movement and balance. It’s the most common of all childhood disabilities, with roughly 746,000 children and adults currently diagnosed. Fortunately, people with disabilities, including cerebral palsy, are protected from job discrimination by the Americans With Disabilities Act of 2008 (ADA), and can connect with employers through the Schedule A non-competitive hiring scheme.
Understanding your rights
Before applying for a job, it’s important that people with cerebral palsy learn about the specific rights they have under the law. The ADA makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Under the ADA, you’re classified as having a disability if you have a mental or physical impairment that substantially restricts a major life activity, such as seeing, talking, hearing, breathing, walking, learning, working, performing manual tasks, or caring for yourself. Additionally, you need to be qualified to perform the main responsibilities of the job, either with or without reasonable accommodation. As such, you must be adequately qualified for the job — either owing to education, skills, past work experience, or licenses. An employer cannot choose to not hire you because your disabilities means you can’t fulfil responsibilities unessential to the job.
As a person with a disability, you’ll find there are a number of things the ADA prevents a potential employer from asking or requesting from you. In particular, an employer is not permitted to directly ask you about your disability or ask you to undergo medical examinations to evaluate your condition and abilities until after you’ve been offered conditional employment. This rule is in place to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the same employment opportunities as people without disabilities. Employers are therefore required to judge your qualifications for the job without factoring in your disability. However, although a potential employer is prevented from asking you specific questions concerning your disability, it’s acceptable for them to ask questions about your ability to perform certain responsibilities. For example, an employer may need to check whether you can safely lift a set amount of weight as needed by the job. Employers are also allowed to ask about how you would be able to perform specific job duties.
Fortunately, countless adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy go on to live full and independent lives and find long-term gainful employment.
LOTTIE WESTFIELD
Disclosing your disability
Disclosing your cerebral palsy to your employer is ultimately a personal choice. Some people prefer to be open about their disability and how it impacts their life, while others are naturally more private. You may be unsure about how much of your disability to disclose to your employer, as well as when and how to do so during the job application process. Above all, it’s essential to disclose information relating to your need for accommodations (if any) on the job. The ADA means that reasonable accommodation can be requested and made in the workplace if it gets rid of any barrier that prevents you from performing your work. For example, you may need changes made to the work environment, such as having a wheelchair ramp installed or a comfortable office chair provided. Alternatively, reasonable accommodations may include switching to a part-time or modified work schedule, being provided with readers or interpreters, or changes made to training materials or policies.
In all cases, employers are legally required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities — unless they’re able to prove the accommodation would constitute an undue hardship, which means it would result in significant difficulty or expense. Keep in mind: you only need to disclose information specifically related to the accommodation. There’s no need for you to tell your employer you have cerebral palsy, just that you need an accommodation for a medical condition.
Applying with the Federal Government
Federal agencies are legally required to ensure the existence of equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Moreover, the Federal Government actively recruits and hires people with disabilities such as cerebral palsy. Although you’re welcome to apply for open positions through the usual competitive process, you’re also able to apply for such jobs through Schedule A, a special, non-competitive hiring authority. Schedule A hiring is intended to open up opportunities for people with either a targeted disability or a significant intellectual, physical, neurological or psychiatric disability. To qualify for Schedule A, you must provide written proof of your cerebral palsy from a qualified medical professional, vocational rehabilitation specialist, or government agency that provides disability benefits. You must also meet the Office of Personnel Management’s qualification standards for the federal position.
The next step in the Schedule A process involves a hiring manager, Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC), or a Disability Program Manager (DPM) getting in touch with human resources in order to get you on board. Next, human resources meets with the manager and/or the SPPC/DPM to determine the specific role to give to you. You’ll then receive a conditional offer of employment contingent upon submitting the necessary Schedule A qualifying documentation. If you perform the job satisfactorily for two years, it’s possible a permanent position will be offered to you.
Support for families
Fortunately, countless adults diagnosed with cerebral palsy go on to live full and independent lives and find long-term gainful employment. Affecting movement, coordination, muscle tone, motor skills, and a number of other bodily functions, cerebral palsy manifests in each individual differently. It’s important to take advantage of the dedicated help that exists to aid individuals with the condition: CP Family Network provides families affected by cerebral palsy with the resources and comprehensive support needed to care for their loved ones, and also provide resources on employment.
For people with a disability like cerebral palsy, finding work can be more of a challenging task. Thanks to the ADA and Schedule A hiring, however, individuals with cerebral palsy can more easily connect with employers, find suitable work, and ultimately thrive in the workplace.
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