Twenty-three per cent of disabled job seekers feel that mentioning their disability in the job-hunting process would put them at a disadvantage, according to a survey by social enterprise Evenbreak, which is run by and for disabled people. The survey asked people to name their biggest barrier to work, when do they mention their disability, and their views on employers.

In the job-hunting process, 23% said they would disclose their disability on application, whereas 22% said they would not mention their disability and 12% would disclose at the interview stage.

When it came to perceptions of employers, 30% said employers only hire disabled people if they need to fill a quota, whereas 27% said employers are keen to employ the right person for the job, regardless of whether the candidate had a disability or not.

Jane Hatton, CEO of Evenbreak, said:

“It’s clear that many disabled people have to think carefully about when, or if, to mention their disability to potential employers. This is a real dilemma – if they mention it, they risk being discriminated against, and if they don’t, they can’t ask for any adjustments they might need and may be at a disadvantage. This is a stress not encountered by the non-disabled candidates they may be competing against for jobs. It’s disappointing to see that the perception of 30% of respondents is that companies only employ disabled people to fill a quota or tick a box – not because they see the value and skills that disabled candidates bring with them.”

What the law says
The Equality Act 2010 protects individuals from unfair treatment and promotes a fair and more equal society. Disability is one of nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act.

A person has a disability as defined under the Equality Act if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on that person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, such as going for a walk, making lunch or reading a book. Disability also relates to where an individual has a health issue that has or has the propensity of lasting 12 months or more.

The candidate is not obliged to inform the employer about their disability during the recruitment process. The employer can only ask about health or disability if:

• There are necessary requirements of the job that cannot be met with reasonable adjustments;
• You’re finding out if someone needs help to take part in a selection test or interview; and/or
• You’re using ‘positive action’ to recruit a disabled person.

When inviting job applicants to attend interviews, ask whether they will require any adjustments for the interview, rather than directly asking if they have a disability. Put in place standard guidelines for contacting disabled candidates to assess the specific needs they may have, and ensure that managers are aware of the need to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people in the interview process and during employment.