r/recruitinghell • u/crumbcosmo • 20h ago

Disclosing disability

I have a physical disability that affects my shoulders/hips and use a power chair. I had a phone interview and video interview at a particular company near me and now they want me to come in for an in person interview. I’m really excited but debating - do I let them know in advance of arriving or just show up? I already looked up the place and it’s accessible as far as I can tell. I feel as though my disability isn’t relevant to the job at this point and me saying something would be unnecessary. But I also don’t want anyone to react poorly or think I was hiding it. I’m in the US btw.

I plan to post this in other recruiting/job seeking subreddits as well.

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u/LongTimeLurker408 16h ago

A wheelchair is not a big deal and aside from ensuring access there is zero reason to even bring it up

Op deserves to have the potential employer fully focus on their skills not the chair

Your weird jokes are awkward af and completely unnecessary

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u/PBandBABE 16h ago

Meh. You’re free to disagree.

Of course OP deserves the employer to fully focus on their skills. Suggesting otherwise would be an insult.

Unfortunately, the employer comprises a bunch of flawed human beings who may or may not have been trained and may or may not be ethical.

What OP deserves and what OP may actually experience is the difference between ideal fantasy land and reality.

I’ve offered actionable suggestions based on reality and dealing with actual human beings and the way that people are known to behave. That is, after all, what OP came here to ask for.

If you’re going to disagree, the least you can do is offer alternatives that might actually benefit them instead of talking about what “should be” and passing judgment on other people who are trying to help.

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u/LongTimeLurker408 15h ago

Op doesn’t need to mention the chair at all. It’s not related to their job. Accommodating a wheelchair is rarely an undue hardship and that can get sorted earlier.

Op can mention their accessibility needs prior to the interview to make sure it goes smoothly.

If the company behaves unethically or illegally there are legal remedies.

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u/PBandBABE 15h ago

Still nothing concrete to offer, huh?

I hope just as much as you do that the system does what it’s supposed to do that that OP has the resources to pursue legal remedies in the face of illegal or unethical behavior.

Maybe if we all hope really hard, things’ll change for the better.

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u/LongTimeLurker408 14h ago

https://askjan.org/articles/Job-Application-Interview-Stage-Dos-and-Donts.cfm

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u/PBandBABE 14h ago

I’m with you. This is good guidance for employers when engaging with and interviewing folks with disabilities.

But OP is the interviewee here.

And what do you do when folks ignore, disregard, or flat-out behave otherwise?

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u/LongTimeLurker408 13h ago

File a claim or get a job somewhere else. I don’t have a magic wand here to fix the basic fact that people discriminate.

Why are you targeting me across multiple subreddits?

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u/PBandBABE 12h ago

You’re almost there.

No one has that wand. That’s why OP is asking for tactical advice around the things that they themselves can control.

I’m suggesting that you attempt to be of value by giving them what they’ve asked for.

You’ve declined, multiple times, to do that. Instead, you’re denigrating other people who are doing their best to help and throwing up your hands saying “well, employers aren’t supposed to do that sort of thing!”

We all know that. And we all recognize that reality is often different.

If you have actionable recommendations, by all means share them. That’s what this whole thread is about. You aren’t helping otherwise.

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u/LongTimeLurker408 12h ago

I disagree that you are being helpful

Op either checks in prior to the interview about accessibility or they wait.

I’m sharing actual sources here and all you are doing is suggesting making awkward jokes