Programme seminar on Work Inclusion

Transcription

1 13..MARS 2017 Programme seminar on Work Inclusion Disclosure in Supported Employment Blanka Støren-Vaczy PhD

2 "Work is... nature`s doctor... essential to human happiness (Claudius Galen )

3 90% of employers would hire a person with physical disability, but only 20% would like to hire a person with mental illness (McFarlin DB, Song, J. Sonntang, M. (1991) Integrated the disable into the workplace: A survey of Fortune 500 company attitudes and practice. Employee repons. Right J 4 (2) : ) precious positive experience with person a mental health disability, being in the government sector, being a female employer, processing a higher level of education and receiving on-site training form the supportive agency (Graffam, J. Shinkfield A, Smith, K.,Polzin, U.(2002) Factors that influences employer decision in hiring retaining an employee with a disability.) Receiving on-site training To receive on-site training/support is essential and it indicates that employer, co-workers know at least somewhat- about people s health condition. It means that the disclosure of a mental disorder in the workplace is an important issue related to work accommodation.

4 What is that mean disclosure? The action of making new or secret information known A fact, especially a secret, that is made known.

5 There are different type of disclosure* Full disclosure Selective disclosure Strategically timed disclosure Non- disclosure Inadvertent disclosure Force disclosure K.L. MacDonald-Wilson et al. (2011) p In: A Schultz, & E.S Rogers (Eds.) Work Accommodation and Retention and Mental Health (pp )New York, NY: Springer Science, Business Media).

6 , research suggests that visibility of the disability, phase of recovery, past experience with stigma, and disclosure, confidence in disclosing, independence of the person in acquiring and maintaining a job, and supportiveness of the work environment should all be take into account when deciding whether and when to disclosure. (K.L. MacDonald-Wilson et al. (2011) p.196in: A Schultz, & E.S Rogers (Eds.) Work Accommodation and Retention and Mental Health (pp )New York, NY: Springer Science, Business Media). Ellison et. at (2003) and her collages found: that people who not involved with VR/ IPS services may be more hesitant to disclose, especially in the hiring process and may opt to disclose only they have been on the job some time and are known to the employer (Ellison ML, Russinova Z, MacDonald -Wilson KL, Lyass A (2002). Patterns and correlates of work disclosure among professionals and managers with psychiatric condition J Vocational Rehabil. DC18:3-13) Job specialist task is to help people to consider disclosure of a disability to employers. preparation stage implementation phase

7 .preparation stage Examples for reasons to disclose* To request accommodation To explain gaps in work history and optionally past accommodation received To make sure co-workers have accurate information instead of speculating To have someone to turn to if problem arise on the workplace To reduce isolation, connect with other share personal information Examples for reasons to not disclose To be normal to fit in and to preserve self- esteem by not identifying as disables Fear of negative employer attitudes and isolation form co-workers To avoid all client s behaviour being interpreted as due to mental illness To avoid being through of less competent Because there is no need for accommodation *K.L. MacDonald-Wilson et al. (2011) p.196.in: A Schultz, & E.S Rogers (Eds.) Work Accommodation and Retention and Mental Health (pp )New York, NY: Springer Science, Business Media

8 implementation phase next step is to planning how to disclose. Who (Who should do it? The person itself or job specialist? What (What to say: share or do not share specific information about the client s diagnosis, hospitalization history or other personal history) To whom (With whom the information is shared depends in part on the reason the employee is choosing to disclose) However, in the practice discussion about disclosure is should be an on-going process during the job seeking, because some clients in not interested in disclosure at the beginning of a job search may decide to try using disclosure after a few months, or a person who uses disclosure for one job may decide not to use disclosure for another.

9 The next question is what kind of barriers exist in the workplace and what kind of accommodation can be relevant for person with mental health disorder? It is of course depending on the individual`s needs. Izabella Z. Schultz with her collages describe in their study current practice barriers such as personal limitations, lock of understanding and knowledge about symptoms, results functional implication among employers, attitudes, stigma, lock of an employeecentred approach. They define also current practice in accommodation such as changing job task, work environment, workplace support, social skills training accommodation for memory deficit. They summarise their studies like this: ENTER A significant cluster barriers to effective job accommodation practices included the lock of knowledge education, awareness and research on mental health disability. lock of knowledge was highlighted as significant barriers to job accommodation. Social stigma was perceived by the experts as the leading cause for the absence of meaningful relationship between worker and their superiors and co-workers. (Schultz, I. Z. et al. (2011). Systematic Barriers and Facilitators to job accommodation in the Menatl Health: Expers`s Consensusp. In: A Schultz, & E.S Rogers (Eds.) Work Accommodation and Retention and Mental Health (pp ) New York, NY:Springer Science, Business Media)

10 There are some guidelines for disclosure and we know more or less - how can job specialist help person to consider to disclose of their mental health condition o The question is; what kind of role do job specialist have in the accommodation phase on the workplace. What kind of inclusion expertise or knowledge a job specialist need to have regarding work accommodation so that the client can achieve a maintain employment and avoid drop-out? o If we presuppose that job specialist or professional expertise play a significant role here, then we need to know more about proactive job accommodation practice for employees with mental health disorder. Further, we need more evaluation of the effectiveness of specific job accommodation in the workplace and more information about what kind of factors have relevance to change employer`s attitude towards person with stigmatise disabilities. 4 APRIL, 2017

11 Thank you for your attention!