1.
DO NOT ask questions concerning disabilities. It
is applicant's/employee's responsibility to inform us.
2.
DO NOT ask applicants questions about past
health problems.
3.
DO NOT refuse to hire an otherwise qualified person
because of a possibility of a future back or other injury.
4.
DO ask, "Are there any reasons why you could have
difficulty in performing the job functions I have explained
to you?" If applicant answers "yes"
a. Carefully consider what accommodation could
reasonably be made.
b.
Discuss your concerns and any possible options/accommodations
with
your
supervisor.
5.
Do inform applicants that your offer of employment
is contingent on passing the medical examination.
6.
Do treat all applicants equally and do ask
the same job related questions to each applicant.
7.
Do treat all health and medical disclosures as confidential,
and discuss them only with persons on a "need-to-know"
basis.
8.
Do review your job descriptions to assure all
"essential" job functions are listed. Note:
If you are in doubt about essential functions, contact the
MISD ADA Coordinator for assistance.
9.
Do
consider limiting employees authorized to conduct job interviews
to only those who have received ADA training.
COMMON
ETIQUETTE WITH DISABLED PERSONS
1.
Know where accessible restrooms, drinking fountains
and telephones are
2.
Use a normal tone of voice when extending a verbal
welcome. Do not raise your voice unless requested.
3.
When introduced to a person with a disability, it
is appropriate to offer to shake hands. People with limited
hand use or who wears an artificial limb can usually shake
hands. Shaking hands with the left hand is acceptable. For
those who cannot shake hands, touch the person on the shoulder
or arm to welcome and acknowledge their presence.
4.
Treat adults in a manner befitting adults:
a.
Call
a person by their first name only when extending that
familiarity to all others present.
b.
Never
patronize people using wheelchairs by patting them on
the head or shoulder.
5.
When addressing a person who uses a wheelchair, never
lean on the person's wheelchair. The chair is part of the
space that belongs to the person who uses it.
6.
When talking to a person who has a disability, look
at and speak directly to the person, rather than to a companion
who may be along.
7.
If an interpreter is present, speak to the person
who has scheduled the appointment, not to the interpreter.
Maintain eye contact with the applicant, not the interpreter.
8.
Offer assistance in a dignified manner with sensitivity
and respect. Be prepared to have the offer declined. Do
not assist if your offer to assist is declined. If the offer
is accepted, listen to, or accept instructions.
9.
Allow a person with a visual impairment to take your
arm (at or about the elbow). This will enable you to guide
rather than propel or lead the person.
10.
Offer to hold or carry packages for a person on crutches
or in a wheelchair.
11.
Do
not retrieve a cane or crutches unless the individual requests
help.
ENGAGING
IN CONVERSATION
1.
RELAX. Don't be embarrassed if you happen to use
accepted common expressions such as "See you later"
or " Got to be running along" that seems to relate
to the persons disability.
2.
To get the attention of a person with a hearing impairment,
tap the person on the shoulder or wave your hand. Look directly
at the person and speak clearly, naturally and slowly to
establish if the person can read lips. Not all persons with
hearing impairments can read lips. Those who can will rely
on facial expression and other body language to help in
understanding. Show consideration by placing yourself towards
the light source and keeping your hands and food away from
your mouth when speaking. Keep mustaches well trimmed. Shouting
won't help, written notes may.
3.
When talking to a person in a wheelchair for more
than a few minutes, utilize a chair, whenever possible,
in order to place yourself at the person's eye level to
facilitate conversation.
4.
When greeting a person with a severe loss of vision,
always identify yourself and others who may be with you.
Say, for example, "On my right is Bill Smith."
When conversing in a group, give a vocal cue by announcing
the name of the person to whom you are speaking. Speak in
a normal tone of voice, indicate in advance when you will
be moving from one place to another, and let it be known
when the conversation is at an end.
5.
L isten attentively when you're talking to a person who
has a speech impairment. Keep your manner encouraging rather
than correcting. Exercise patience rather than attempting
to speak for a person with speech difficulty. When necessary
ask short questions that require short answers or a nod
or shake of the head. Never pretend to understand if you
are having difficulty doing so. The person's reactions may
clue you in and guide you to understanding. Be willing to
repeat or rephrase a question.
6.
Do not shout at a person who is hearing impaired.
Shouting distorts sounds accepted through hearing aids and
inhibits lip reading. Do not shout at a person who is blind
or visually impaired--they can usually hear you.
7.
In order to facilitate conversation, be prepared
to offer a visual cue to a hearing impaired person or audible
cue to a vision impaired person, especially when more than
one person is speaking.
Interview
Schedule
Some
applicants with visual or mobility impairments will phone
in prior to the appointment date, specifically for travel
or other interview information. You should be very familiar
with the travel path in order to provide applicants with detailed
directions. Choose an interview location which is accessible
to the applicant.
1.
Make sure the place where you plan to conduct the
interview is accessible by checking the following:
a.
Are there adequate reserved parking spaces?
b.
Is there a ramp or step-free entrance?
c.
Are there accessible restrooms?
d.
If the interview is not on the first floor, does
the building have an elevator?
e.
Are there any water fountains and telephones at
the proper height for a person in a wheelchair to use?
f.
If an interview site is inaccessible (e.g.
steps without a ramp or a building without an elevator)
inform the person about the barrier prior to the interview,
and offer to make arrangements for an alternate interview
site.
2.
When
scheduling interviews for a person with disabilities, consider
their needs ahead of time.
a.
When giving directions to a person in a wheelchair,
consider distance, weather conditions, and physical obstacles
such as stairs, curbs, and steep hills.
b.
Use specifics such as "left a hundred feet"
or "right two yards" when directing a person
with a visual impairment.
c.
Be considerate of the additional travel time that
may be required by a person with a disability.
3.
Inform the applicant in advance with the names of
people they will be meeting with during the visit. This
courtesy allows persons with disabilities to be aware of
the names and faces they will be meeting.
4.
People with disabilities utilize a variety of transportation
services when traveling to and from work. When scheduling
an interview, be aware that the person may be required to
make a reservation 24 hours in advance, and allow for travel
time. Provide the applicant with an estimated time to schedule
their return trip when arranging the interview appointment.
Expect the same measure of punctuality from people with
disabilities that is required by every potential or actual
employee. People with disabilities expect equal treatment,
not special treatment.
Basic
Interviewing Courtesies
Applicants
need to know whether or not the job site is accessible and
you should be prepared to answer accessibility related questions.
Major points you should remember when interviewing.
A
Person Using Mobility Aids
1.
Enable
people who use crutches, canes or wheelchairs to keep them
within reach.
2.
Be aware that some wheelchair users may choose to
transfer themselves out of their wheelchairs, into an office
chair, for the duration of the interview.
3.
When speaking to a person in a wheelchair or on crutches
for more than a few minutes sit in a chair. Place yourself
at the person's eye level to facilitate conversation.
A
Person with a Vision Impairment
1.
When
greeting a person with a vision impairment, always identify
yourself and introduce anyone else who might be present.
2.
If the person does not extend their hand (to shake
hands), verbally extend a welcome (e.g. "Welcome to
the Mesquite Independent School District Maintenance Department").
3.
When offering seating, place the person's hand on
the back or arm of the seat. A verbal cue is helpful as
well.
4.
Let the person know if you move or need to end the
conversation.
A
Person with a Speech Impairment
1.
Give
your whole attention when talking to a person who has a
speech impairment.
2.
Ask short questions that require short answers or
a nod of the head.
3.
Do not pretend to understand if you do not. Try rephrasing
what you wish to communicate, or ask the person to repeat
what you do not understand.
4.
Do not raise your voice. Most speech-impaired persons
can hear and understand.
A
Person who is Deaf or Hearing Impaired
1.
If you need to attract the attention of a person
who is deaf or hearing impaired, touch them lightly on the
shoulder.
2.
If the applicant lip-reads, look directly at the
person being interviewed. Speak clearly at a normal pace.
Do not exaggerate your lip movements or shout, speak expressively
because the person will rely on your facial expressions,
gestures and eye contact.
3.
Place yourself facing the light source and keep your
hands and food away from your mouth when speaking.
4.
Shouting does not help and can be detrimental. Only
raise your voice when requested. Brief, concise written notes
may be helpful.
Some
Additional Points To Remember
1.
Conduct interviews in a manner that emphasizes abilities,
achievements and individual qualities.
2.
Conduct your interview as you would with anyone. Be
considerate without being patronizing.
When
interviewing a person with a speech impediment, hold back
any urge to complete the person's sentence.
If
it appears that a person's ability inhibits performance of
a job, it is appropriate to ask the person how they would
perform this job, but it is never acceptable to ask if they
have a disability even if you suspect that they do. It is
up to the applicant to bring up any disability they may or
may not have.
EXAMPLE:
Inappropriate:
"I notice that you are in a wheelchair, and I wonder
how you get around. Tell me about your disability."
Appropriate:
"This position requires digging and using a wheelbarrow,
as you can see from the job description. Do you foresee any
difficulty in performing the required tasks? If so, do you
have suggestions as to how these tasks can be performed?"
| |
|
| Person,
person with a disability |
Cripple,
crippled - The image conveyed is of a deformed, useless
body. |
| Disability,
a general term used for functional limitation that interferes
with a person's ability, for example, to hear, walk,
learn or lift. It may refer to a physical, mental or
sensory condition. |
Handicap,
handicapped person or handicapped |
| People
with cerebral palsy, people with spinal cord injuries |
Cerebral
palsied, spinal cord injured, etc. Never identify
people solely by their disability. |
| Person
who has had a spinal cord injury, polio, a stroke, etc.
or a person who has multiple sclerosis muscular dystrophy,
arthritis, etc. |
Victim,
people with disabilities do not like to be perceived
as victims for the rest of their lives, long after any
victimization has occurred. |
| Has
a disability, has a condition of (spina bifida, etc.)
or born without legs, etc. |
Defective,
defect, deformed, vegetable - These words are offensive,
dehumanizing, degrading, and stigmatizing. |
| Deafness/hearing
impaired "deafness" refers to a person who
has a total loss of hearing "hearing
impairment" refers to a person who has a partial
loss of hearing within a range from slight to severe.
"Hard of hearing" describes a hearing-impaired
person who communicates through speaking and speech
reading, and who usually has listening and speaking
abilities adequate for ordinary telephone communication.
Many hard-of-hearing individuals use a hearing aid. |
Deaf
and dumb -- is as bad as it sounds, inability to hear
and speak does not indicate intelligence. |
| Person
who has a mental or developmental disability. |
Retarded,
moron, imbecile, idiot - These are offensive to people
who bear the label. |
| Use
a wheelchair or crutches;
a
wheelchair user, walks with crutches. |
Confined/restricted
to a wheeelchair, wheelchair bound. Most people who
use a wheelchair or mobility devices do not regard them
as confining. They are viewed liberating a means of
getting around. |
| Able-bodied;
able to walk, see, hear, etc.; people who are not disabled
|
Healthy
- when used to contrast with 'disabled,' 'healthy' implies
the person with a disability is unhealthy. Many people
with disabilities have excellent health. |
| People
who do not have a disability. |
Normal
- when used as the opposite of 'disabled' implies the
person is abnormal. No one wants to be labeled as abnormal. |
|
