According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 22% of employees in the workforce in 2023 were disabled — a spike from previous years. Whether that rise is explained by increased support and accommodations in the workplace or a rise in diagnoses, the fact remains that more disabled people are in the workforce than ever before.
With this diversification of the workforce comes a need for support, and that includes support for individuals with invisible disabilities as well. While the stigma surrounding mental health conditions has been slowly decreasing, it’s still present in many people’s lives, including at work.
Regardless of whether your disability is easily recognizable or not, you are entitled to accommodations at work.
Workers with non-visible disabilities like depression can get workplace accommodations at their jobs.
Regardless of profession, employees with disabilities have a range of protections they are entitled to, including the right to request reasonable accommodation from their employers. Whether you have a physically “visible” disability or a less obvious one, like depression or anxiety, you have the right to request accommodations to make work equally accessible to you.
A neurodivergent advocate on TikTok named Kristin explained, “A reasonable accommodation could be, ‘I need to be accommodated to get treatment for my depression,’ or ‘I deal with intense fatigue, so my work hours need to be altered slightly.” Adding, “You might need access to a private space to recover from a panic attack.”
Although required, not all employers make it easy for workers with mental health-related disabilities to request accommodation.
Despite labor protections that ensure “reasonable accommodations” aren’t causing unnecessary burdens to employers, many companies still use toxic loopholes to invalidate “invisible” disabilities like depression or PTSD and forgo providing safe and appropriate accommodations to their teams.
A 2013 survey from Absence Soft found that over 50% of employees with disabilities seeking accommodation have encountered some kind of pushback or difficulty from their employer.
This highlights the ever-present stigma employees with mental health conditions and disabilities have to overcome just to feel accepted in the workplace.
Whether it’s additional breaks, unique scheduling, or equipment, there’s a number of unique accommodations employers are required to provide.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”), employers are required to support employees with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations when requested.
However, despite providing traditional accommodations for physical disabilities with little pushback, many employers admit they’re blissfully unaware of the expectations for colleagues with mental health conditions or disabilities.
For “qualified employees” seeking accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, there are a number of ways employers can ensure you get the support you need.
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Often requiring a doctor’s note detailing what accommodations are necessary to avoid major disruptions at work, employers can then work with disabled employees to craft the perfect plan.
So, even if you’ve struggled through school or your career without asking for accommodation, it’s never too late to try it out. Especially if you struggle with daily tasks, constantly feel anxious or overwhelmed, or can’t seem to “find your groove” at work — it might just be a sign that you need some extra support.
Employees should fiercely protect their right to accommodations by keeping a detailed paper trail of conversations, doctor’s notes, and pay.
Especially for situations like requesting accommodations, that tend to be grossly misunderstood and mishandled at the corporate level, documentation should take precedence over conversation — every single time.
While you might be tempted to give a “heads up” to your boss before requesting an accommodation, employment lawyers suggest you don’t. “It’s illegal to fire you for this, but there are tricks employers will use to get away with it,” attorney Ryan Stygar shared on TikTok.
“Federal law prohibits employers from firing you because you’re disabled and requested accommodation,” he added.
“That’s called retaliation, and it’s illegal in all 50 states.” Despite being illegal, many employers use loopholes to avoid spending resources and time accommodating their employees — whether they’re an average worker or their most productive ones.
So, now that you’re aware of the accommodations available to you, whether your disability is visible or not, make sure you advocate for yourself in the workplace and take proper precautions to safeguard your job stability and livelihood.
Your comfort, safety, and health are important, and your job should never take precedence over them, no matter how “urgent” or “necessary” a project is.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories
