Episode 1 Podcast: Invisible Disabilities: "What I wish they knew" Episode 1 - "Jill"
We are excited to share our new Podcast series to help create community, promote self-advocacy, dismantle negative perceptions and assumptions about invisible disabilities and those impacted by them. This is our first one. We hope you enjoy it, and we will continue to improve it as we go!
Are you interested in participating in an upcoming Podcast?
- Join Mary Kelly and Dr. Derek Coates as a guest to share what you wish people knew about working with an invisible disability, sharing successes, insights, ideas, and more!
- Participation is voluntary, and the podcast is audio only (with captioning). You may decide to be an anonymous guest.
- If this sounds like something you would like to do, please join us in this exciting endeavor! Email us at dms@berkeley.edu. And be sure to include "Podcast" in the subject line.
In coordination with our campus, we aim to foster a culture of positive regard, to create a culture of inclusivity by dismantling stereotypes of invisible disabilities through the promotion of self-advocacy, support, resources, and training, and to liaise with campus stakeholders by providing proactive disability management support to individuals impacted by invisible disabilities in the Workplace. Providing appropriate and compassionate responses regarding disclosures of invisible disabilities, which align with the goals of integrity, inclusion, and community belonging.
What are Invisible Disabilities?
An “invisible,” “non-visible,” “hidden,” “non-apparent,” or "unseen" disability is any physical, mental, or emotional impairment that goes largely unnoticed. An invisible disability can include, but is not limited to: cognitive impairment and brain injury; the autism spectrum; chronic illnesses like multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and fibromyalgia; d/Deaf and/or hard of hearing; blindness and/or low vision; anxiety, depression, PTSD, and many more. We understand the body as always changing, so disability and chronic illness may be unstable or periodic throughout one’s life.
*invisibledisabilityproject.org
Educational Components
Support for Supervisors and Managers
Managers play a pivotal role in supporting employees with invisible disabilities. The guide below highlights ways to support both the department and individuals regarding invisible disabilities in the workplace.
Creating a supportive environment:
As a leader, you have an opportunity to create an inclusive environment that enables staff with invisible disabilities to get the help they need to succeed.
- Awareness:
- Promote National Disability Employment Awareness Month to your team to acknowledge the issue and invite discussion.
- Resources:
- Share information with your team about Be Well at Work’s Disability Management and Employee Assistance programs.
- Communication:
- Use inclusive language to create a safe environment for all. Examples include people-first language and avoiding labels.
- Education:
- Familiarize yourself with the reasonable accommodation process.
- Learn more about invisible disabilities.
- Explore Ask JAN to learn more about job accommodations.
Supporting individuals:
Disclosing an invisible disability can be a challenging topic for many employees. Feelings of shame, embarrassment, and fear of discrimination can be common. As a manager, your words and actions are crucial to supporting your staff.
- Utilize active listening skills during meetings. Validation and empathy demonstrate care and compassion, while summarizing, asking clarifying questions, and paraphrasing demonstrate understanding.
- Allow the employee to share what they are comfortable with, rather than asking personal health-related questions.
- Explore what support the employee needs from you to succeed in their role.
- Focus on referring the employee to supportive resources, such as Disability Management and Employee Assistance.
- Follow up regularly with the employee to ensure they have the needed support.
- Seek management consultation for yourself with appropriate resources, Employee Assistance, and/or Disability Management.
Guidelines for Language
- Disability-Inclusive Language Guidelines - These guidelines have been prepared by the United Nations Office at Geneva as part of efforts to implement the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy, launched in 2019. It aims to remove barriers and engage persons with disabilities across all spheres of work and life to achieve sustainable, transformative progress in disability inclusion.
Video Resources (Informational)
Campus Resources
Be Well at Work Disability Management
Disability Management assists with overcoming identified disability-related obstacles and challenges encountered in the workplace. This assistance may include referrals to campus and community resources; assistance with obtaining needed documentation; identification of transferable skills; and support for self-advocacy and for identifying tools and/or training that may facilitate success in an individual's own job or title. Additionally, we partner with EAP and other campus units to ensure proactive and collaborative support is available and accessible to our clients.
Be Well at Work Employee Assistance
UC Berkeley's Employee Assistance counselors are a diverse group of licensed mental health professionals trained and experienced in addressing a wide range of work-related and behavioral health issues. They are knowledgeable about invisible disabilities and the challenges that those with them experience. Employee Assistance counselors can provide a confidential setting to discuss the unique challenges one might face with an invisible disability and offer possible solutions, resources, and appropriate referrals to support one’s needs.
Disability Access and Compliance (DAC)
Campus Access Services is responsible for facilitating accommodations and services for non-course activities at UC Berkeley. This includes CART/ASL requests, access to information resources, and mobility accommodations for people with qualifying disability needs.
DAC manages requests for effective communication accommodations, including Real-Time Captioning, Sign Language Interpreting, and alternative formatting for print materials. This page features a request form and a guide to requesting CART/ASL services for deaf/hard-of-hearing community members.
This page also features a guide to reporting an access barrier. Barriers reported here may include physical and electronic access barriers wherever encountered across campus.
Berkeley Staff Ombuds Office
The Staff Ombuds Office provides a confidential place for staff to discuss and clarify concerns, identify options, and discover problem-solving strategies to constructively navigate and overcome workplace disputes and problems.