Aug 10, 2026 · 27 min · 10 segments
Send us Fan Mail What if the person sitting next to you at work is battling an invisible disability that you can't see? In this enlightening episode…
Mark CareyHost
The ADA was drafted to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all aspects of society, including the workplace.

Employees with disabilities cannot be discriminated against based on their c- disability, and they are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

While some disabilities are easier to spot, some disabilities are invisible to the eye.

These disabilities cannot be identified immediately and pose legal implications regarding disclosure, request for accommodation, and disability discrimination.

The episode discusses several different laws, the ADA, Connecticut state law, New York state law, and New York City law, all very different in some respects, all originating from the same level of protection for persons with disabilities.

It also discusses dis- considerations that disabled employees may have regarding disclosure, the proper pathway to request accommodations, and what employers must do once they get a request for accommodation.

The ADA was amended in two thousand and eight under the Americans Disabilities Act amendments to include coverage for conditions that are not visible to the eye, such as diabetes, epilepsy, depression, and other conditions.

Invisible disabilities can range from mental illnesses, cognitive challenges, anxiety, chronic pain, dyslexia, and more.

While the ADA intended to make it easier for individuals with disabilities to be protected, social stigma and biases may persist and affect an employee's decision to disclose employer... to an employer and employer's decision to grant accommodations.

In a two thousand and seventeen study by the Center for Talent Innovation, thirty percent of white-collar, college-educated employees reported having a disability, but only three point two percent have disclosed it to their employer.

Of that population with disabilities, sixty-two percent have an invisible disability.

The ADA and the amendments lack guidance on how to ask for or implement accommodations for invisible disabilities.

Practically speaking, fear of stigma and retaliation complicates an individual's decision to disclose their invisible disability to the employer.

There are several considerations that disabled employees must weigh when thinking about disclosure despite codified protections for disability.

The ADA was drafted to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in all aspects of society, including the workplace.

Employees with disabilities cannot be discriminated against based on their c- disability, and they are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

While some disabilities are easier to spot, some disabilities are invisible to the eye.

These disabilities cannot be identified immediately and pose legal implications regarding disclosure, request for accommodation, and disability discrimination.

The episode discusses several different laws, the ADA, Connecticut state law, New York state law, and New York City law, all very different in some respects, all originating from the same level of protection for persons with disabilities.

It also discusses dis- considerations that disabled employees may have regarding disclosure, the proper pathway to request accommodations, and what employers must do once they get a request for accommodation.

The ADA was amended in two thousand and eight under the Americans Disabilities Act amendments to include coverage for conditions that are not visible to the eye, such as diabetes, epilepsy, depression, and other conditions.

Invisible disabilities can range from mental illnesses, cognitive challenges, anxiety, chronic pain, dyslexia, and more.

While the ADA intended to make it easier for individuals with disabilities to be protected, social stigma and biases may persist and affect an employee's decision to disclose employer... to an employer and employer's decision to grant accommodations.

In a two thousand and seventeen study by the Center for Talent Innovation, thirty percent of white-collar, college-educated employees reported having a disability, but only three point two percent have disclosed it to their employer.

Of that population with disabilities, sixty-two percent have an invisible disability.

The ADA and the amendments lack guidance on how to ask for or implement accommodations for invisible disabilities.

Practically speaking, fear of stigma and retaliation complicates an individual's decision to disclose their invisible disability to the employer.

There are several considerations that disabled employees must weigh when thinking about disclosure despite codified protections for disability.
The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode
No account is needed to search Radar.