Self Identify as disabled with employer?

[Unregistered]

I have Osteoarthritis bad enough to qualify for a letter from the doctor to get a handicapped parking permit.

My employer asks you to voluntarily self-identify as disabled. I cannot get a straight answer what that does, if anything. One thing it says is the employer might make reasonable accommodations for the employee.

Is there a downside to self-identifying?

Is it really only for EEOC reporting?

Is it a potential shield of sorts for the employee?

 

[TMetzinger]

Um - one potential gotcha, and it may not even be an issue. DO NOT claim any sort of "status" based on a medical condition unless that condition is reported on your FAA medical. Some folks recently lost all their certificates when a cross-check between the FAA and other agencies showed that they were receiving some sort of benefits for conditions not reported to the FAA.

Aviation matters aside - I'm not sure, but I've had enough experience with the HR policies at large employers to be profoundly suspicious when they ask you to voluntarily provide health-related information they are not legally allowed to demand that you provide. But maybe I just need my tinfoil hat adjusted.

 

[bbchien]

"NONE of yer darned business...."

 

[poadeleted20]

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to make "reasonable" accommodations for employees with disabilities. One of the issues involved is how to identify those employees' disabilities so the employer can make those accommodations. I suspect that if you read the fine print, there's something in there about understanding that the employer cannot make those accommodations unless you tell them about the disability. If you tell them you have no disability even though you do, there could be issues later if you need such accommodations. OTOH, if you tell them you do have a disability, but don't report it to the FAA, you could lose all your FAA certificates. If you already have a handicapped permit, that suggests that you should have already reported this to the FAA.

I suggest taking the request to a labor lawyer who works ADA issues for consultation as to how to work with the employer, and an aviation attorney to find out about what you should do about the FAA, especially if you have not yet reported this condition to them.