Author
John Nguyen
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Author
John Nguyen
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Employment opportunities are everywhere. After the pandemic hit, many companies were left scrounging to find more employees to work with the rapidly changing economy. Many new types of skills have popped up that companies deemed useful in recent years. Despite that, getting your foot in the door can be quite troublesome, especially if you have a disability. Fortunately, there are “Equal Employment Opportunities” out there that announce that they do not discriminate based on the ADA, which includes sex, age, race, religion, and disability.
EEO’s Awkward Form
Finding an “Equal Employment Opportunity” can be a bit troublesome since job search websites do not have the best search filters. For the ones that you do find, sometimes the EEO form can give the sense of anxiety of what’s to come. This form simply provides terms and conditions and then asks if you have a disability. I don’t know how many times I thought to myself “What if this form is being used to filter me out because of my disability?” The idea of EEO is supposed to be beneficial by attempting to create a company made up of diversity and inclusivity. However, sometimes it feels like companies have a quota of people with disabilities, then they move on to the more “normal folk.” Whether that is true or not is something that I cannot confirm, nor deny.
Say Yes to Equal Employment Opportunity
So, what should you answer on the EEO form? If you have a disability, you should definitely select “Yes.” By doing so, if you manage to get a position, the employer is required by the ADA to accommodate based on your needs. This can include purchasing equipment to suit the needs of the individual, to even installing accessible pathways. This might sound expensive, but very few people with disabilities even require equipment accommodations, and for the ones that do, the cost is only less than $500 in most cases. That said, this unfortunate stigma could be one of the reasons that a company is hesitant to hire someone with a disability.
There’s People that can Help
For those that are still having difficulties finding a job because of a disability, there are services out there that can assist in finding jobs with you, like with our Employment Services. These people work closely with employers to find jobs that fit your skillset, while also are accommodating to whichever disability you are facing. The ones at The Whole Person even help you improve your resume to increase your chances of finding a position that matters.
Conclusion
Equal Employment Opportunities are there to help you. You do not need to disclose what type of disability you have, nor do you need to tell each individual co-worker about it. Getting a job can be quite tough in this day and age, but fortunately, EEO lets you apply without the fear of discrimination.
