Since I wrote about whether to reveal your disability at work or not, I have received an incredible amount of mail. I love hearing from the readers of Parkinson's hopeDIGEST.com as it helps me know which topics interest you most. Thanks for writing and letting me know what you topics you would like to see covered.
I thought it would be helpful to elaborate on your rights as an employee and as a potential employee. In the last column, I mentioned that if you are interviewing for a job and feel comfortable revealing your Parkinson’s diagnosis, then by all means, do so. However, most people who wrote me felt anxious about revealing their Parkinson’s to their employer. This was due to a lack of accommodations (due to a specialized job) or a fear that their employer may treat them differently by finding out about their health condition.
If you feel that your Parkinson’s may affect your job performance in any way, reveal your condition to your employer. Remember, you have rights through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA makes it unlawful to discriminate in all employment practices such as:
- Recruitment
- Firing
- Hiring
- Training
- Job assignments
- Promotions
- Pay
- Benefits
- Lay off
- Leave
- All other employment related activities.
It is also unlawful for an employer to retaliate against you for asserting your rights under the ADA. The Act also protects you if you are a victim of discrimination because of your family, business, social, or other relationship or association with an individual with a disability. To learn more about your rights as an employee or potential employee access this site.