Disability accommodations in workplaces often center around minimal legal compliance rather than genuine inclusion. The perception of what constitutes accommodation frequently overlooks the needs of neurodivergent individuals and those requiring various forms of support. During the pandemic, personal experiences reveal that previously advantageous traits may become hindrances in job searches. A successful application for a digital marketing manager position at an international cat association illustrates the potential for fulfilling work that aligns with personal passions, despite overqualification and industry challenges.
The efforts stop with whatever measures protect the company. That's partly because accommodating us is not as profitable in the short term, and partly because companies are made of people and people think disability accommodation means 'can a wheelchair user technically get into this building/area,' or 'does a blind person have access to the braille version of this...' And make sure you aren't neurodivergent or need fatigue accommodation; instead of having your need addressed, you could just be dismissed for not meeting arbitrary requirements that no one in a similar job even does on a regular basis, like lifting 50 lbs.
Eventually, I found an ad for a job that was as old-school as I. A former cat breeder and lifelong cat owner, I applied to a digital marketing manager-level position at the leading international cat association. I was overqualified, but that had long since ceased to matter.
#disability-inclusion #neurodiversity #workplace-accommodations #job-search-challenges #covid-19-impact
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