The presentation incorporates lived experience into developing business solutions to support and enable job applicants, candidates, new recruits and existing employees, contractors and temporary staff with disabilities. It includes an overview of my journey with a non-visible disability and its effects on my career and professional life. Real-life workplace situations provide a perspective from the person with the disability.
It forms a part of engagement with executive leadership teams, board members and senior managers, with a view to developing organisation wide strategies that not only fulfil the obligations of the Disability Discriminaton Act 1992, but create a working environment with improved workforce satisfaction and increased workforce retention rates.
The information content below outlines the development of my disability, my experience in workplaces and the motivation behind establishing and operating a micro consultancy. The format is similar to the presentation, but does not describe business solutions.
Contact me at john@badwater.com.au to arrange a phone or video call to discuss the presentation format, how I can assist your organisation and to arrange an appointment.
Living with Non-Visible Disability
Awareness and Diagnosis
I became aware of a problem with my immune system during a visit to the USA in 1984. I contracted a virus and suddenly began experiencing symptoms that drained my energy and ability to fully process and retain information. The symptoms didn't go away and I was diagnosed with an untreatable immune system dysfunction. The severity of symptoms fluctuated, and increased following any kind of viral infection.
After several years of stable symptoms, another virus increased the severity of my condition and my employer terminated my employment. Unable to maintain an income, I applied for the Disability Support Pension.
Disability
Having lived with conditions that reduced my functional capacity, I was faced with the idea that I had a disability and would have to adjust my expectations of earning an income while coping with day to day living. This meant, not only addressing my personal challenges, but dealing with external factors that I would never have anticipated. I learnt, the hard way, that if others couldn't see my disability, they wouldn't necessarily know that I had one.
My disability affects my:
- Immune system
- Central nervous system
- Psychological function
Relationship, Friendship and Societal Impacts
My partner initially assumed the role of carer, but this deminished over time. Our roles eventually reversed and I ended the relationship.
Friendships, built on socialising, ended as soon as I shared information about my disability. Some just stopped calling and others blamed me for factors that I had brought on myself.
Strangers make assumptions based on their own opions of my abilities. No one offers me a seat on public transport.
Current Activities
I was initially awarded the Disability Support Pension in 1995. This ended when I moved to Europe in 2000. I managed to work until I relapsed in 2003 and was eventually unable to work again. I slowly recovered and managed to work in short term full-time contracts or long term part-time work. However, employer expectations and lack of support made working as an employee or contractor unsustainable.
In 2021 I left salaried and contract employment to focus on John Badwater Consulting and, in 2024, was again granted access to the Disability Support Pension.
In recent years my health has deteriorated and managing my disability has changed. Balancing resting and activity is no longer working and my disability, combined with ageing, is becoming more visible to others.
My mental health has improved since removing myself from the workforce. The independence gained through self-employment outweighs the challenges of maintaining an income. I am happy in my relationship of 20 years and comfortable living in regional NSW with its clean air and relaxed lifestyle.
Looking for Work
Centrelink directs jobseekers to Disability Employment Services (DES). This also applies to NDIS particpants. I have been referred to three providers. I found that the focus is on disability rather than qualifications, experience and career goals. Many DES providers concentrate on entry level positions in retail, warehouse and food & beverage. Not all providers are the same, but it can be difficult to engage with one that focuses on career achievements and ambitions. There is little choice of provider outside capital cities.
I have had more success with mainstream employment agencies, particularly those that specialise in placing candidates in specific professions like accounting. Although I have never shared information about my disability, I stated that I was only available for part-time permanent or contract roles or short full-time assignments.
When applying for positions through state government or not-for-profit organisation job sites, I limited myself to part-time roles and stated that I identified as being a person with a disability. This approach did not hinder securing employment, but didn't provide access to workplace adjustments once I was employed.
Entering Employment
Onboarding commences once an offer of employment is made and accepted. This is the time to ensure that the employer is going to deliver on promises or verbal agreements by including disability supports or adjustments in the employment contract.
This is the biggest lesson I have learned from being an employee. Where support has either been agreed or indicated, employers will often overlook this requirement, at the time of onboarding, and state that supports will be "worked out" after employment has commenced. This can go two ways, depending on the manager. More often than not, my managers have either negotiated hard to reduce the level of support or refused it altogether.
Workplace Experiences
My career has included permanent, contract and temporary work. Experiences of support for my disability has varied from excellent to appalling.
The best experience was in a temporary role where my manager went above and beyond to ensure that I was coping with the workload and that my health wasn't compromised by deadlines and changing requirements.
The acceptable experience was in a role where I was given the flexibility to work from home two days of my four in the week. The downside was colleagues referring to these as my "days off" and refusing to communicate with me on the days I worked remotely.
The worst experience was a manager who refused to allow adjustments that had been agreed in writing prior to employment. This came with threats of punishment if I did not comply and full access to my personal medical records.
Workplace Adjustment Agreement
The best way for employers to support staff with disabilities is to identify and document the adjustments that are required to enable the person to fulfil the requirements of their job to the same standard as their peers.
A workplace adjustment agreement forms part of the employment contract and is valid for the lifetime of employment, as long as it is needed. It is an agreement between the employer and the employee, with the delivery of the adjustments facillitated by the employee's manager. It is transferable to all positions undertaken by the employee while employed by the same organisation.
Employer Responsibilities Summary
The Australian Disability Discrimination Act 1992 applies to employment from the time a position is defined and advertised. It protects applicants, recruitees, permanent & temporary staff and contractors.
Most employers are required to abide by the Act, including those in the disabilty sector and open/mainstream employers.
Workplace adjustments must be made available to employees, unless the employer has a reasonable reason not to provide them. This can include severe financial impact on the business and adjustments that are detrimental to other employees.
An employer is entitled to request proof in order to provide adjustments, but the information they receive must not infringe on the employee's right to privacy. If information of a medical nature is provided, the employer must store and retain the information under legislation that applies to medical records.
Employers should not rely on employee satisfaction surveys to determine the proportion of the workforce with disability.
Business Solutions
Overview of adherance to the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
Analysis of current workforce data and advice on how to engage and achieve trust from employees to share their disability status and adjustment requirements.
Processes for creating workplace adjustment agreements and investigation of government funding options.
Storytelling of my experiences as part of workforce and leadership/board engagement.