CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
STUDENTS WITH
DisABILITIES
SPONSORED BY SHELL
Overview
Americans with Disabilities Act
Reasonable Accommodation
Flexible Interactive Process
Disclosing a Disability
Creative Job Hunting
Employer Fears
Resources
Americans with Disabilities Act
Makes it illegal for employers with 15 or
more employees to discriminate against
qualified individuals who have a disability
Gives you the right to reasonable
accommodation, such as interpreters for
people who are deaf, readers for people
who are blind, modification of a work
station, or provision of paid travel assistants
for essential travel
The ADA does not
Guarantee you a job
Give you a competitive edge
Guarantee that you wont be
discriminated against
Make the job search easy
Americans with Disabilities Act
Application Tests Must be given in a
manner that does not require use of
your impaired skill, unless the test is
designed to measure that skill as an
essential component of the job
Inquiries About Your Disability
According to the ADA, it is not legal
for employers to inquire about
disabilities unless the applicant has
disclosed this information.
Contact: Southwest ADA Center
800-949-4232 or 713-520-0232 v/tty
Medical Tests
Can only be required after an offer of
employment, and must be required of
everyone
If a medical examination reveals a
disability, the employer can only
withdraw the job offer if it can be shown
that you are unable to perform the
essential functions of the job with or
without reasonable accommodation, or
that you pose a significant risk of causing
substantial harm to yourself or others.
Qualified Individual
Meets legitimate skill, experience,
education and other job
requirements
Can do the essential job functions
with or without reasonable
accommodation
Essential Job Functions
Primary responsibilities or duties the
employee must be able to perform
How are they determined?
Is it a primary responsibility on the job
description?
Does the position exist to perform the
function?
Are other employees available to
perform the function
Reasonable Accommodation
One that meets your needs
Requires negotiation between you and the
employer
Undue hardship Too expensive/difficult
Employers have the right to request medical
documentation of your disability and the
need for the accommodation
Only responsible for known disability
Reasonable Accommodation
Once an accommodation has been
requested, employers have the
responsibility to:
Acknowledge the request and act on it
Identify an appropriate accommodation
that meets the ADA criteria for a
reasonable accommodation
Pay for the accommodation
Flexible Interactive Process
Request a meeting (orally or in writing)
Discuss disability, limitations, reasonable
accommodation options
Take notes
Write a follow-up letter
Disclosing a Disability
Focus on your skills and abilities
Describe how you will do the job
Be positive
Avoid using heavy medical terminology
Script and rehearse your disclosure
Dont go into excessive detail
Know what accommodations you will
need to perform the essential functions of
the job
When to Disclose a Disability
Resumes, Cover Letters, and Applications
Only when the employer will see the disability as a positive
If you want to let the employer decide if it is an issue
Before the Interview
Only when an accommodation is needed for the interview
To eliminate surprise
Interview (When visible disability exists)
Even if employer does not bring it up, educate and put them
at ease with your comfort dealing openly with the issue, focus
on abilities, eliminate distraction
When to Disclose a Disability
Interview (Pre-Offer)
If an essential component is impacted by your
disability and you are unsure if an
accommodation can be made
If you have an invisible disability that may
require accommodation during the interview
Interview (Post-Offer)
If you have a disability which affects a job-
related function
To eliminate surprises when you begin work
If you are prone to seizures or have some other
health condition that might require medical
assistance
The Truth About Job Hunting
Traditional job searches can work
against
People who dont look good on paper
People who dont interview well
People who dont have the required
education or years of experience
People who have employment gaps
Creative Job-Hunting
Uncover the hidden job market
Get leads from people you already know
Contact employers directly
Utilize employment services and job fairs
Spend additional time per week job
seeking
Actively go out and look for openings
Market yourself through employment web
sites and/or social media
Increase Your Odds of Success:
Know your skills
Know what kind of work you want to do
Talk to the people who are doing it
Find out how they like the work and how they
found their job
Do some research on organizations that
interest you
Identify the person who actually has the
power to hire you
Use your contacts to get in to see them, then
impress them
Dont worry about openings
Employer Fears
I dont exactly understand what this persons
disability is, and Im afraid to ask.
Will this person be absent frequently?
Will this person be able to do the job?
What if this person has a medical emergency on
the job?
Will my insurance go up if I hire this person?
How much will accommodations cost me?
What if this person doesnt work out, Ill be
accused of firing them because of their disability?
Resources: Job Accommodation Network
(JAN) http://www.jan.wvu.edu/
Searchable Online Accommodation
Resource (SOAR)
Free telephone counseling service-- within
24 hours they will call you back or e-mail
you
Will assist with applications, pre-
employment testing, and other
employment-related services
Additional Resources (University Career
Services):
Handouts:
Resume Writing
Interviewing
Job Search
Information Interviewing and Networking
Workshops:
Resume Writing
Interviewing
Job Search and Networking
Website:
Campus Recruitment
JOBank and JOBank Archives
Career Counseling
Resume Critique
Mock Interview
Job Search/Networking Assistance
Additional Resources (Internet):
Resume Databases
National Business and Disability Council:
(Resume Database):
http://www.viscardicenter.org/services/nbdc/
Department of Assistive & Rehabilitative
Services (DARS) http://www.dars.state.tx.us
Texas Workforce Commission
www.twc.state.tx.us
Equal Opportunity Publications Online Resume
Database
www.eop.com
Contacts at the University of Houston
Main Campus
Center for Students with DisABILITIES (CSD)
Cheryl Amoruso/Director
Justin Dart, Jr. Center for Students with DisABILITIES
CSD Building, Room 100, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3022
Phone: 713-743-5400; Fax: 713-743-5396
E-mail:
[email protected] Website: http://www.uh.edu/csd
University Career Services (UCS)
Helen Godfrey/Associate Director
106 Student Service Center 1, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-3022
Phone: 713-743-5100; 713-743-5111
Email:
[email protected] or
[email protected] ; Website: www.uh.edu/ucs
