How to Decide When and How to Disclose a Disability While Pursuing a Promotion

Author: April Ogden, Founder and CEO, It’s Your Outcome

Introduction

Deciding whether to disclose a disability at any stage of your career is a deeply personal choice. That’s why we’ve created this three-part series to guide you through the unique considerations of disclosure at key points in your employment journey.

• In Part 1, we explored disclosure during the job search phase, where the focus is on evaluating when and how to share your needs with prospective employers.
• In Part 2, we tackled disclosure during onboarding or after starting a new role, emphasizing the importance of acting early to build a supportive foundation for long-term success.
• Now, in Part 3, we address disclosure during the promotion phase—an exciting milestone that can bring new opportunities and challenges.

Whether you’re preparing to take on increased responsibilities, lead a larger team, or travel more frequently, pursuing a promotion requires careful consideration of your unique needs. This phase often raises questions like:

• Do I need accommodations to excel in this new role?
• Is this the right time to disclose, or can I manage independently?
• How can I frame my disclosure in a way that demonstrates my leadership and readiness?

This guide builds on the lessons from Part 1 and Part 2, offering actionable advice tailored to the specific challenges of the promotion phase. Even if you’re new to this series, you’ll find everything you need to navigate this decision with clarity and confidence. For those who want deeper insights, we encourage you to explore the earlier parts of the series to gain a full understanding of how to handle disclosure at every stage of your career.

Why the Promotion Phase is Unique

Disclosure during the promotion phase isn’t just about addressing immediate needs—it’s about positioning yourself for long-term success. Unlike the job search or onboarding phases, pursuing a promotion requires balancing two critical priorities:

1. Demonstrating your readiness for the new role.
2. Ensuring you have the support needed to thrive in that role.

This phase often introduces new challenges, such as:

• Leading larger teams or departments.
• Managing more extensive travel or public-facing duties.
• Navigating additional stressors tied to higher accountability.

These changes may impact your decision to disclose or your approach to framing your needs. Importantly, the decision to disclose is yours to make. Whether you choose to disclose or not, the focus should always be on empowering yourself to succeed in your career.

Here’s Why

When Felecia, a team leader at a fast-paced company, was offered a promotion to senior manager, she felt both excitement and hesitation. The new role required extensive travel, and Felecia knew that her chronic health condition made frequent travel challenging. She chose to disclose her needs during the promotion discussions, framing her request as a way to maximize her contributions. By asking for a hybrid travel schedule and accessible accommodations, Felecia not only secured the role but also demonstrated her ability to lead by example.

This story illustrates that disclosure isn’t about weaknesses—it’s about setting yourself up for success and showing leadership through proactive problem-solving.

Checklist: Disclosure During a Promotion

Assess the Demands of the New Role

• Why It’s Important: Promotions often come with new responsibilities, environments, or challenges. Understanding the expectations of the role ensures you can identify potential barriers early.
• How It Helps: Clarity about the role’s demands helps you determine whether accommodations are necessary for success.
• What to Do:

1. Review the job description or promotional materials.
2. Identify specific challenges—such as increased travel, public speaking, or team management—that might require adjustments or accommodations.

Reflect on Your Current and Future Needs

• Why It’s Important: Your needs may evolve as responsibilities increase. Reflecting on your current situation ensures you’re prepared to make an informed decision about disclosure.
• How It Helps: This helps you evaluate whether accommodations will significantly enhance your performance in the new role.
• What to Do:

1. Ask yourself:

“Can I meet the demands of this role without accommodations?”

“Would disclosure allow me to perform at my best, or is it unnecessary?”

2. Consider how new duties might impact existing accommodations or create a need for new ones.

Consider the Best Timing for Disclosure

• Why It’s Important: Timing can influence how disclosure is perceived. Acting early ensures your needs can be addressed proactively, not reactively.
• How It Helps: Early disclosure allows your employer to plan accommodations ahead of time, reducing stress for both parties.
• What to Do:

1. Disclose after you’ve been shortlisted or during interview discussions if accommodations will directly impact your ability to fulfill role expectations.
2. Avoid waiting until after accepting the role unless the need arises unexpectedly.

Frame Your Disclosure as a Strength

• Why It’s Important: How you present your disclosure can shape how others perceive your readiness for leadership. Framing it as a strength demonstrates professionalism and self-awareness.
• How It Helps: Positioning disclosure as a proactive step reassures decision-makers of your preparedness and capability.
• What to Do:

1. Highlight how accommodations will enable you to maximize your contribution.

Use phrasing like:

“In this leadership role, accommodations will allow me to perform at my highest potential.”

“By addressing these needs, I’m ensuring I can exceed expectations.”

Prepare for Questions—Legally and Practically

• Why It’s Important: Managers or decision-makers may seek clarity on how accommodations will fit into the role. Ensuring their questions remain legal and appropriate is essential.
• How It Helps: Being prepared to address reasonable questions builds trust and ensures the discussion stays professional.
• What to Do:

1. Expect legally appropriate questions such as:

“What resources or tools would help you perform effectively in this role?”

“How can we support you in ensuring a smooth transition into this position?”

2. Avoid responding to illegal questions, such as inquiries about the nature of your disability or medical history.
3. Emphasize that accommodations are about enhancing your performance, not reducing expectations.

Closing

Navigating disclosure during the promotion phase isn’t just about securing a new role—it’s about ensuring long-term success by addressing your needs with confidence and clarity. The choice to disclose is yours alone, and both options—disclosing or not disclosing—are valid. Your decision should reflect what’s best for your unique circumstances and goals.

As leaders, self-advocacy sets the tone for inclusivity and inspires others to embrace diverse ways of working. Remember: Leaders who advocate for themselves inspire others to challenge stereotypes and build inclusive workplaces.

What’s your next step? Reflect on your goals and prepare to take ownership of your success. Bookmark this page, share it with someone who could benefit from these insights, and visit

our website for additional resources to help you thrive.