Career Chat // Disclosure - what you do and don't have to tell // Friday, 15 July

Good morning to you and thank you for your introduction @NikNik

To disclose or not to disclose ... the law is very clear in that disclosure is entirely a personal preference. But the decision either way brings with it it's own related issues.

If you choose not to disclose your mental illness then when you do have intermittent cycles of mental health issues, you will receive no support from your employer or work environment.

But the decision to disclose your mental issue may also attract a variety of responses ... the response can range from strong support bordering on potentially patronising attitudes, to out right stigma.

On the weekend I met up with a friend of mine and discussed this topic with her. She is a lecturer at a University and recently she disclosed openly that she had been having some mental health issues due to personal circumstances. Her comments to me were "I wish I had never disclosed. I think one of the other lecturers is saying things about me and completely undermining my capacity... Mind you I've been in the role for seven years. It's obvious to me that this recent disclosure has brought my ability into question..."

Needless to say I was horrified, but the research shows this is very typical.

On the other side of the desk are other friends from the human resources sector and they strongly affirm their position that disclosure is the way to go.

According to one friend, if you are able to disclose in a private and confidential and setting with a plan in place then your employer is better able to serve your needs. That idea is a pleasant and encouraging one but my question is how often does that happen in the real world ??

Maybe it does if so I would love to hear about it.

To be fair within the mental health employer sector there are also many employees with mental health issues and indeed the employer is aware and understanding. But is this insightful attitude only available within the mental health employer sector?

We know from countless research that one of the key barriers to obtaining employment is employer stigma.

One article published in 2014 which discussed mental health issues and employment for young people stated that ...

employer stigma 'typically consists of negative beliefs about people with mental illness and their employability.Employer stigma often leads to unfair discrimination in recruitment. For instance, if a person discloses on a job application that the have schizophrenia, they are most unlikely to be selected for an interview'.

The research has some interesting suggestions namely around creating individual mental health support plans regarding disclosure and nondisclosure ... maybe we can explore that further bit later on.

In the meantime I open the forum up to those who want to express themselves in regards to this topic as @NikNik said in the introduction it's such an important subject please feel free to contribute

A quick look at what's out there ... reveals this from headspace.com

Pros ... Reasons to tell

• Discussing your condition gives you and your employer an opportunity to talk about any support or changes you might need to help you stay at work and/or assist your recovery.
• Making adjustments to your schedule or workload can reduce the number of sick days you need and help you be more productive when you're at work.
• By sharing your experiences, you're helping to change people's attitudes.
• Being open with your colleagues can help to avoid rumours or gossip.
• If your performance or productivity has changed, telling your colleagues means they're more likely to be understanding.
• If you need to make a formal disability discrimination complaint at a later date, telling your employer helps to protect your rights.

Cons ...Reasons not to tell

• Your depression and/or anxiety may not affect your ability to do your job.
• You might not need any adjustments to your workload or schedule at the moment.
• You might be worried about potential discrimination, harassment or reduced opportunities for career progression.
• For some people, the depression and/or anxiety may pass but the label and associated stigma can be permanent.
• Some employers fail to provide the legal level of support or follow legislative requirements.
• You might already have adequate support networks outside the workplace and feel there's not much to gain by talking about your condition.

and also ...

What are your rights?

The right to protection from discrimination

If you have a mental health condition, certain laws protect you against discrimination in the workplace.

The Australia-wide Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory laws make it unlawful to discriminate against, harass or victimise people with disabilities – including in an employment context.

The term 'disability' is broadly defined and includes mental health conditions:

• whether temporary or permanent
• whether past, present or future
• whether actual or just assumed.
• In a workplace setting, this discrimination could occur:
• during the recruitment processes, in advertising, interviewing and selecting candidates
• when determining terms and conditions of employment such as pay rates, work hours and leave
• in selecting or rejecting employees for promotion, transfer and training
• through dismissal, demotion or retrenchment.

Employers are obligated by law to provide a safe and healthy workplace

The Act defines 'discrimination' to include both direct and indirect discrimination. This means an employer's failure to make reasonable adjustments for a worker with a mental health condition may constitute discrimination, even when on the face of it no 'direct' discrimination has occurred. Visit Heads Up for an explanation of reasonable adjustments.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has developed a brief guide to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth). Visit Australian Human Rights Commission for this guide.

I wonder, does anyone have any personal experience with the pros and cons suggested above?

Obviously my friend has disclosed in an unsecured envirnoment - she did it openly - however it may have turned out differently if she had done it privately.

What are the implications either way?

Love to hear your feedback.

Good morning @Renstar and @NikNik

I recently disclosed to my manager in confidence that I am struggling with acute mental health issues. I've been in the role for many years, but have not been able to perform and contribute as I usually do, mainly due to reduced working hours. I would be very disappointed if he discloses this to other parties as I have asked him to keep it to himself. I felt it was time to disclose as they have been very flexible to accommodate sick leave without asking for explanations. So far I have felt sympathy and understanding that I may require more support in the upcoming future. But it is early days.

I am not sure if I would disclose this if I was looking for a job. I feel that people would judge that my capability of making judgements and decision would be impaired which is a key part of my responsibility. I would be afraid that people would doubt that I can continuously function at a high level. I am still able to function at a very high level, but I need more rest periods and cannot work the "normal 60hrs work week".

If I look at the amount of travelling time and even with normal working hours, people in general spend much more time outside than in their homes and with the pressure to have a social life, professional network, kids commitments... Topping this off with the pressure we are facing in every part of business nowadays, I am surprised there is not more people that break down.

Just talking now about the young adult program where a formal plan is put into place for disclosing mental illness ...

Resarch surrounded the idea that young people with mental illness experience high levels of unemployment, which can be related to stigma and discrimination as a result from poor choices in disclosing personal information, such as their mental illness diagnosis, in the workplace.

The research investigated how well a formal plan to manage personal information (PMPI) during the early stages of supported employment, worked out.

The main aim of the research was to ask ...does the use of a brief structured PMPI lead to more employment outcomes for young people with a mental illness?

The results showed importantly that a formal plan has promising results with respect to job seekers who were keen to self-disclosure. Further research is needed to examine other properties of this decision-making tool.

Meaning that perhaps a planned disclosure, where you are making informed, well thought out decisions about what to say, to whom and when is an option.

Of course the stigma which your employer holds will also be a factor ...but, if the plan can include information and focus on de-stigmatising what you're experiencing then ... therer might be some validity.

What do you think?

Hi @Former-Member great to hear from you ... wow ... you're really on the front foot with your mental health issues and I am so impressed by your resolve!

And yes it is early days but your method was very clever as he is now bound by confidentiality ... I would not like to be in his shoes if you found out that he had disclosed personal information about you!!!

'I am not sure if I would disclose this if I was looking for a job. I feel that people would judge that my capability of making judgements and decision would be impaired which is a key part of my responsibility. I would be afraid that people would doubt that I can continuously function at a high level. I am still able to function at a very high level, but I need more rest periods and cannot work the "normal 60hrs work week"'.

... this is so true .. and this is where it becomes very difficult. To disclose at interview is a hairy one and we're looking at potentially creating plans based on research this is having positive effects.

Would you consider a plan if you were now re-applying for work?

Hi @Renstar

What do you mean by "plan"? I don't understand that.

Hi @Former-Member thanks for responding ....

By plan I mean the one discussed in the research I was reviewing - a PMPI (Plan to Manage Personal Information).

Bearing in mind it's for people looking for work (young people in this case) ... the areas of focus are:

1. Vocational jobs goals or employers of interest

2. Personal strengths/qualifications/transferable skills

3. Sensitive information including Diagnosis (i.e. Psychosis)

4. Associated barriers or work restrictions (i.e. Memory loss, anxiety)

5. Agreed terms to describe said restrictions in both formal and informal work situations (i.e May have difficulty concentrating when working for extended periods of time)

6. Terms for use by client and employer (i.e. client, specialist, supervisor)

7. Workplace assistance or accommodations that may be needed (i.e. set one task at a time to counter memory issues).

The plan was used in interviews with employers and younger people and the results proved very promising.

It was deemed that the plan was specific, tailored and informative and therefore reduced stigma since it identified in specific terms what the possible issues could be (rather than leaving it up to the assumption of the employer).

Ultimately it provides clarity for both employer and the person with the mental health issues. thus reducing stigma and allowing for maximum support.

Thanks for responding @Former-Member! I hope that's a bit clearer....

I have discovered an excellent article regarding strategies and ideas for disclosure in interviews for people with disabiilites including mental health issues ...

It's worth a read if this is something that's been an issue in the past or if you're interested or just know someone in this situation ( I plan on photocopying and distributing the results to my clients).

In their article 'Getting Hired: Successfully Employed People with Disabilities Offer Advice on Disclosure, Interviewing, and Job Search' Lita H. Jans, H. Stephen Kaye and Erica C. Jones have this information to offer ...

• Although the participants often disagreed about the need for and timing of disability disclosure, it was clear from their discussions that disclosure or acknowledgement of disability involves complex personal decisions.
  
  
• Many participants felt that it was important to develop a well-thought-out ‘‘narrative’’ about their disability that emphasizes what they can contribute.
  
  
• Participants generally recommended discussion of disability with employers, especially when accommodations were needed.
  
  
• They noted that some people may avoid a frank discussion with a potential employer because they erroneously believe their disabilities are ‘‘hidden’’ but the employer might dismiss the applicant as different or not fitting in.
  
  
• People’s opinions about disclosure were strongly influenced by the nature of their disabilities, including visibility, stigma associated with the disability, and number of disabilities. They also made decisions about disclosure based on the type of organization and their perceptions about the ‘‘disability-friendliness’’ of the culture.
  
  
• In general, people with more visible disabilities, including those who used wheelchairs, white canes, or other assistive devices, thought it was important to discuss their disability early in the employment process, usually during the job interview.
  
  
• People with hidden disabilities characterized disability disclosure as a personal choice. Some of them openly disclosed their hidden disability in the job interview just like those with visible disabilities, using the interview as a chance to explain how they would do the job with a disability.
  
  
• Those who revealed their non-visible disability in job interviews were also generally open with coworkers, and they thought that revealing their disability and requesting accommodations made it easier to get promotions.
  
  
• However, others with hidden disabilities said they would never reveal their disability in an interview, fearing it would jeopardize their chances of even being considered for the job.
  
  
• Some respondents cautioned against disclosing a disability before a job offer is at hand; others specifically recommended mentioning the disability upon receipt of the offer, for example, to begin a dialogue about workplace accommodations.
  
  
• A few respondents recommended waiting until after working at the job for a period of time. One reason was to demonstrate their abilities on the job before discussing the disability; another was to reduce the likelihood of discrimination by waiting until the probationary period is over.
  
  
• However, other participants pointed out that deciding not to disclose during the probationary period could backfire by negatively affecting performance
  
  
• People who advocated disability discussion in the initial employment interview stressed the importance of a simple, straightforward disclosure that focused on job performance and stayed away from details of the disability that were not relevant to the job
  
  

Advice ...

• IF you are planning to discuss your disabilities develop ahead of time some concise statements about how you will handle the disability on the job (maybe use a PMPI plan from previous post ..)
  
  
• Try practicing before the interview and getting feedback from others so that you can comfortably choose which statements to share, depending on the situation
  
  
• Try to address possible employer concerns about productivity, costs such as health insurance or accommodations, disruptions to routines, co-worker attitudes, or customer attitudes.
  
  
• Regarding job performance, ask a prior employer serving as a reference to reassure the potential employer that the person can do the job and to try to ease any fears about hiring a person with a disability
  
  

Recommendations for successfully navigating a job interview:

• Appear self-confident and enthusiastic, and show a positive attitude;
• Work on people skills and demonstrate them during the interview; and
• Practice and prepare for the interview.

Overall if you're going to disclose be prepared and specific, don't assume the employer understands, give only relevant information about yourself and emphasise your successful previous work and abilities.

I really love this article! I'm going to share more soon ...

Re your comment

@Former-Member.. "If I look at the amount of travelling time and even with normal working hours, people in general spend much more time outside than in their homes and with the pressure to have a social life, professional network, kids commitments... Topping this off with the pressure we are facing in every part of business nowadays, I am surprised there is not more people that break down."

You are absolutely correct - mental health is a huge concern for the workplace and not just for those of us with pre-existing conditions!

You can't afford to leave your home without your toolbox for mental health!
Thanks for sharing