help me navigate this labyrinth!!!!
(weekend update #2)
for the past couple weeks, i've been busy w/ something important. now i'm in a wait-and-see mode. this is enormous and it has to do with something i mentioned in late june. that's as specific as i'm willing to get. [sorry if it's cryptic].
if only i knew someone familiar with hiring practices, human resources management, and/or legal knowledge. i wish someone could lend insight and guidance into navigating the labyrinth of disability in the workplace: especially regarding unique issues of invisible disabilities and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. i've read up on it so i consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about ADA compliance and reasonable accomodation. but when it comes right down to it, i'm scared that my (invisible yet debilitating) condition, and the fact that i've been unable to work for some time, plus the fact i'm looking for something with part-time/flex hours, all make me especially vulnerable to discrimination.
i have a fairly strong resume as far as relevant experience and academics go, but haven't been working for a while due to my (lupus). it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that in an interview, prospective employers want you to account for any gaps in employment. what to say? lying is stupid. but does revealing the truth hurt in the end? it probably leads to discrimination in the subtle form of not getting the job and being told that another candidate was a "better match", when in reality it's because the illness raised doubts about the candidate's desirability as a new hire.
my background as a career counselor is null. our advice in the field has always been *not* to disclose a disability that isn't not outwardly apparent until after you have a job offer and want to request reasonable accomodations. everyone says there's a 99% chance that if i'm interviewed for a job, i will be asked to account for lost time. and everyone tells me i'll probably have to disclose. and they're also telling me having this condition is nothing to hide or be ashamed of. sure, i realize that, but i don't want to discolose until after i'm hired unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. i also realize that the worst thing i could possibly do if faced with questions about my time-off during an interview is to look like i'm being evasive or dishonest.
how on earth does one handle this hairy beast with finesse? the complexity wears me out. i can't think about it anymore. it's time to go to bed and sleep on it and maybe uncover pearls of wisdom in my sleep. (yeah right).
help!
