I've been looking for jobs lately and there's one thing on every application that gets me. Every job application will ask something like "can you perform the assigned tasks with or without reasonable accommodations?". My answer is always "I don't know yet", but they don't let you answer that way on the application. The first reason for that is that I'll never know if I need accommodations until I'm actually on the job. The second thing about this is that "with or without accommodations" thing. That leads me to believe they don't want to make any effort to accommodate me if I need help. It's also a very confusing way to ask a question. "With or without" makes me think that the answer is always "yes" but then what do they take that to mean? They would probably look at me and tell me that I said I could work without accommodations and possibly fire me when I ask for them. That's discrimination, and I know it.
Every time I bring it to somebody's attention that something I write on a job application opens me up to discrimination, I'll mention that if I can prove discrimination, I may never have to work a day in my life because I WILL be taking that company to court. I'll tell my mom to find the money for it because the case would be so solid that I have a real good chance to win. Sure, I'd rather be working for a living, but I don't know why everyone is essentially telling me to let these employers walk all over me. Everyone's answer to this seems to be "don't tell them you have a disability." Yeah, sounds like a plan...when they find out I have a disability, they can possibly fire me or choose not to hire me.
The job market is tough for anyone right now, but it's even more difficult for people with disabilities. What can I do?
