People with a disability or chronic illness often find it difficult to apply for a job or be successful in life. There are actually different ways to go looking for a job with a handicap.

People with Disability

The United Nations Organization notes that about 10% of the world’s population (approximately 650 million people) lives with a disability. They constitute the largest minority in the world, this figure is increasing due to population growth, advances in medicine and the aging process, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

In most of the countries that belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), it is reported that women have a higher incidence of disabilities than men. That means that women with disabilities experience multiple disadvantages, being subject to social, political, labor exclusion among others due to their gender and disability.

The World Bank estimates that 20% of the world’s poorest people have disabilities and tend to be considered within their own communities as disadvantaged people. It is estimated that some 386 million people of working age are disabled (ILO). Unemployment reaches up to 80% in some countries. Employers often assume that people with disabilities cannot work. It is shocking as in the 21st century many people continue to exclude others just because they are different. Remember that being different lies in being not in doing. Disability support is the need of this time, and we must ensure inclusion.

A change in the mentality of society is essential to achieve the inclusion of people with some type of disability. Inclusion is a condition and horizon of democracy and an indicator of development, and not just a politically correct issue.

It is not always easy to survive in a high-performance society: Many people find it difficult to work faster and more effectively, especially those with special physical and mental requirements. According to the Federal Statistical Office, roughly every eleventh person is considered to be severely disabled, of whom millions are currently employed. Disability is no longer an exception and is not necessarily a reason for not being able to do a job properly. Nevertheless, people with disabilities or chronic illnesses are often unsure of how to behave in application situations.

Companies with at least 20 jobs are legally obliged to fill five percent of their positions with disabled people. If they do not do this, a monthly compensation fee is due for each vacant mandatory position. But what does that mean for the applicant? Should he better mention his handicap, maybe even hope that the legal situation will bring him advantages? Or would you prefer not to mention what you don’t want to be reduced to?

Specify disability when applying? Not necessarily.

There is no general answer to this question. Ultimately, everyone has to decide for themselves whether they prefer to keep themselves covered or speak openly. If you have an obvious disability, it is often a good idea, to be honest right from the start. Also, to be open to countering uncertainties on the part of the employer. However, many disabilities are not apparent at first glance.

In any case, the effects of the illness on the job must be taken into account. In general, you can assume that no one applies for a job whose requirements they are unable to meet due to their health. In this respect, disability or chronic illness does not have to be specified when applying. However, if the disease affects work, it is better to mention it at the beginning.”

The applicant must then hope that the openness will not be interpreted to his disadvantage. Because despite the legal situation, it is often still difficult for disabled people to find a job. According to a study, the unemployment rate for the severely disabled is more than twice that of other employees. The study is intended to help measure progress in the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labor market.

The high level of unemployment also has to do with the fact that many employers, especially small and medium-sized companies, do not meet the statutory quota.

Tips for applying with a disability:

Anyone who decides to mention the disability in the application should make sure to be brief and not to focus too much on the topic. It’s best to name the illness briefly, but correctly, without getting lost in incomprehensible technical terms.

If it should come up in a personal conversation that the applicant addresses his disability, it is best to do so during the meeting. It is inconvenient to fall directly into the house with the door. Or to address a disease only when you have already left the room. This looks as if the applicant himself is unsure about the situation.

If you do not know how the company deals with the issue, you can contact the equal opportunities officer, who is available in most larger companies, before you apply. In this way, the potential employee also finds out whether an application to the company makes any sense at all.

Many applicants prefer to keep their disability to themselves for the time being. If the disability is not obvious at first glance, very few applicants mention it initially. However, things look different after the trial period. Anyone who then feels safe in their employment relationship will inform the employer about the situation. Because that also has advantages. For example, special requirements apply to the disabled, such as special protection against dismissal and the right to additional paid leave.

Disabled applicants have the right to lie

But it is not always easy to bypass the conversation about an illness first. What to do if the employer suddenly wants to know in the interview whether there is a disability? If the employer asks about illness during the interview, the applicant has the right to lie in some regions. Because that is to be seen as an interference with the applicant’s right to personality. The lawyer also evaluates how to deal with a chronic illness. When it comes to workability, the boundaries between chronic illness and disability can blur.

The question behind the complex topic: Is there a legitimate interest of the employer in providing information about a disability? Could he be allowed to ask? Some say yes because it happens that an employer employs severely disabled people and – because he is not informed about the disability – still pays the compensation levy. In such a case, however, I would still say that the applicant’s personality right is above these interests. Here’s something about the successful life of a blind girl.

Conclusion

These tips can help you find a suitable job for yourself and ace ahead to reach your goals. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to say anything. However, applicants should be careful not to get caught up in lies with the employer. Because when they blow up, it becomes uncomfortable for everyone involved.