Invisible Disabilities: Unique Challenges for Employees and Organizations
Abstract
Workers with invisible disabilities encounter unique challenges compared to workers with other concealable identities and even workers with visible disabilities. These challenges occur not only in the decisions of whether to disclose the invisible disability in the workplace but also in the detection and acceptance of having a disability to disclose. Disclosure of disabilities in the workplace likely has implications for the individual worker's health, social relationships, and work performance as well as for an employing organization's outcomes. We argue that current legislation and policies might not be sensitive to the unique experiences and disclosure decisions faced by workers with invisible disabilities. We invite researchers and practitioners to consider adjustments to current legislation and workplace practices in order for employing organizations to account for the unique challenges facing workers with invisible disabilities and fully accommodate those workers.
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Many disabilities are not easily discernable and are effectively 'invisible' to all but the affected party.
“many disabilities are not easily discernable and are effectively “invisible” to all but the affected party”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
Estimates of the proportion of the workforce that has a disability are actually underestimates, in part because of invisible disabilities.
“Santuzzi et al. (2014) argue that estimates of the proportion of the workforce that has a disability are actually underestimates, in part because of invisible disabilities.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
In some cases, people may choose to conceal their disabilities because they fear negative repercussions on their careers should they disclose them.
“In some cases, people may choose to conceal their disabilities because they fear negative repercussions on their careers should they disclose them”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
Many disabilities are episodic such that individuals experience fluctuations in symptom severity.
“Many disabilities are also episodic such that individuals experience fluctuations in symptom severity.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
Applicants with disabilities may forego disclosure unless an accommodation is necessary, and may also forego disclosure even if it means withholding accommodation requests.
“Because of these concerns, applicants with disabilities may forego disclosure unless an accommodation is necessary, although they may also forego disclosure even if it means withholding accommodation requests”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
The symptoms of some disabilities are episodic, and episodic disabilities may be particularly difficult for managers to recognize because their impact on workers' activities may fluctuate significantly.
“Finally, the symptoms of some disabilities are episodic. Episodic disabilities may be particularly difficult for managers to recognize because their impact on workers’ activities may fluctuate significantly.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
In countries with laws regarding confidentiality, managers cannot disclose accommodations made to other employees or discuss an employee's disability, though some accommodations may be apparent to others.
“Also, in countries that have laws regarding confidentiality, managers cannot disclose accommodations made to other employees or discuss an employee’s disability (Santuzzi et al., 2014), though some accommodations (like schedule flexibility) may be apparent to others.”
From The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence (2020) · cites this paper as Santuzzi et al., 2014
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Self-citationTo tell or not to tell – disclosure of autism in the workplace
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- Authors
- Santuzzi, A. M., Waltz, P. R., Finkelstein, L. M., & Rupp, D. E.
- Affiliations
- Northern Illinois University (US)
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- Corresponding author
- Santuzzi, Alecia M.
- Venue
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2014-06
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 204-219
- ISSN
- 1754-9426 (ISSN-L)
- 1754-9434
- OpenAlex
- W2095272217
- Cited by
- 282
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 45 · 2025: 39 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 15
- FWCI
- 35.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
- Social Sciences › Demography › Retirement, Disability, and Employment
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Rights and Representation
- Keywords
- invisible disabilities, disability disclosure, workplace accommodations, disability law, workplace policies, employee performance, employee health, workplace relationships, acceptance of disability
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