Informational Essay

Olivia Burd

Dr. Fusilier

Principles of Professional Writing

29 September 2024

Accommodating Invisible Disabilities in Creating Accessible Workplaces

It wasn’t until July 26, 1990, that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. “The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications” (ada.gov). Though this benefitted the disabled community there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of making sure that all forms of disabilities, both visible and invisible, are recognized as a part of this act. Business owners must learn more about the various invisible disabilities so they can better support their workers with appropriate accommodations.

Most laws and regulations regarding accessibility for disabled individuals are based on the disabilities that we can see with our own eyes; for example, someone using a wheelchair. Wheelchair accessibility is important but, “74% of Americans who live with a severe disability do not use such devices” (IDA). The laws tend to ignore the ones that we can’t see, which are also known as invisible disabilities. The Invisible Disabilities Association (IDA) describes these as, “not always obvious to the onlooker, but can sometimes or always limit daily activities, range from mild challenges to severe limitations, and vary from person to person” (IDA). Some individuals with a disability might not disclose their medical information to their employers. In situations like this, it can be helpful if a workplace already has accommodations in place to ensure everyone has the same accessibility.

Invisible disabilities can be mental health-related, though there are still plenty of other disabilities. Mental health disabilities include things like depression and anxiety. In fact, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine, “approximately 9.5% of American adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness” and “about 18% of people ages 18 - 54 in a given year, have an anxiety disorder” (Carolan). Everyone knows someone who is struggling with anxiety, depression, ADHD, dyslexia, or another form of an invisible disability. Due to the high percentage of people who are diagnosed with a mental health struggle, it is crucial that the ADA and businesses themselves make, and require adjustments in the workplace to ensure that these individuals have equal opportunity.

One of the most common accommodations for those with mental health disabilities is a service animal. However, many are unaware that the ADA has very specific guidelines for what is considered a service animal; those that don't fit their guidelines are considered to just be a pet and are not required to be allowed in a business. To qualify it’s important “that the animal is trained to respond to the individual’s needs. The process must have two steps: recognition and response” (ADA). This does not cover all invisible disabilities, but it does make a workplace more accessible to some, particularly those with PTSD and psychiatric episodes. It states that “if a service animal senses that a person is about to have a psychiatric episode and it is trained to respond, by nudging or removing the individual, then the animal has indeed performed a task or done work on behalf of the individual, as opposed to just sensing the event” (ADA).

While accommodations are still necessary for those who use devices created to assist someone with a severe disability, we must also remember that “a disability cannot be determined solely by whether or not a person uses assistive equipment” (IDA). For businesses, it’s important to be aware of all of the disabilities that don’t require assistive equipment, but do still require accommodations to ensure equal accessibility to those without visible disabilities. Invisible disabilities should not be ignored when it comes to workplace accessibility.

Works Cited

Carolan, Alexandria. “Mental Health Disorder Statistics.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 1 Feb. 2023, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health... to Disability Rights Laws.” ADA.Gov, 19 Aug. 2024, www.ada.gov/resources/disabili... Is an Invisible Disability?” Invisible Disabilities® Association, 4 May 2024, invisibledisabilities.org/what-is-an-invisible-disability/#:~:text=Invisible%20disabilities%20are%20such%20symptoms,injuries%20that%20can%20be%20debilitating.