NEW VIDEO: The Importance of Self-Identifying

It isn’t easy self-identifying, or telling your employer, that you have a disability. What if they do not treat you the same way afterward, or do not continue to give you the same responsibilities?

The important thing to remember is that any information you provide to an employer about a disability cannot be used against you, and cannot be shared with supervisors or co-workers.

Self-identifying helps ensure equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the country. A new government rule, called Section 503, requires that companies that do business with the government increase their efforts to recruit and hire qualified people with disabilities. This means more jobs for people with disabilities.

To better understand why self-identifying to an employer could be a good thing, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the Department of Labor (DOL) have created a video titled "Disability Inclusion Starts with You." Watch the video to learn more about self-identifying in the workplace.

One chance where you can self-identify to employers looking to hire people with disabilities is at the first Ticket to Work Virtual Job Fairon November 18 and 19. Read more about how you can participate in this event.

To learn how Ticket to Work can help you, contact the Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Representatives are standing by Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-8 pm. ET.

_{*Image above is unchanged via the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.}