Having a disability doesn’t negate the fact that you need money to survive. If you have a mild disability, or simply want to keep working, there are ways that you can still gain an income and look after your health. Employers shouldn’t negate your application because of your disability. Disabilities can sometimes be caused by your line of work and then leave you struggling to find a job going forward – are you a veteran? Call up South Carolina VA disability attorneys if this sounds familiar.
Job Hunting
When looking for a job and working, you should be treated the same as any other employee. The only time you should see differences are where employers make adaptations to your office, schedule, or other environments so that your disability doesn’t prevent you from fulfilling your role.
There are options for you to seek employment with a disability. Your local council and councilors may be able to help you seek employment. Likewise, you may be able to access local services that will support you in both finding and keeping a job. They may also be able to point you in the direction of disability-friendly employers.
Services for the disabled can also provide, or point you to, training that can help you become proficient in the skills needed for a job role. This training can also teach you ways of working around your disability so that you can still complete tasks, but in ways that are manageable and take your needs into account.
Considerations
You will need to take into account that some job roles may not be feasible for you. Heavily physical job roles wouldn’t be suitable for someone who is bound to a wheelchair. Likewise, a role that is emotionally or mentally taxing may not be manageable for someone who struggles with their mental health. This would not be a discrimination problem but is more about the role requirements as well as the wellbeing of the potential employee.
Alternatives
If working in a traditional sense is not something that you feel you can do, you might want to consider alternatives. It is becoming more common in recent years for people to work from home, particularly on a freelance basis. If you have a set of skills, or even simply a good working knowledge of using computers, then you may still be able to generate an income.
You might be able to work as a virtual assistant, fulfilling a secretarial or administrative role from the comfort of your home, or avoid working for an employer entirely. You can get paid to give your opinion on both survey websites and market research for universities and other organizations.
Starting your own self-employed company is also a possibility. Whether this involves feeding someone’s pet while they are away, house-sitting, or even writing articles or editing someone’s work, you could engage with clients in your local area.
Whatever you decide, it is possible to have some form of career, and earn money, while managing your disability. Speaking to a medical professional, preferably one who is trained in your disability and who you have a working relationship with, can be a good idea to gauge the possibility of you being able to work.
Additional resources:
- Cerebral Palsy Family Network
- Coping with sudden disability
- Bring out the best in special needs students
- Autism Technology Tools
- How to Be the Best Caregiver you can be
