gether. These people became so
focused on why you didn’t tell
them instead of what you did
tell them or what it means now.
When to Disclose to a College or Employer
The decision to disclose to a possible employer or a
university you want to attend is much different than
disclosing to a friend. While every decision is personal,
here are some tips to keep in mind:
• If you need accommodations at a college or university, you need to ask for them, which will require
disclosing your diagnosis. The sooner this is set
in motion (right after acceptance), the better. This
means opening a dialog with the appropriate office
on campus, usually called Disability Support Services (DSS). (Note: If you are asking for SAT testing accommodations, you will need to apply to the
College Board for them ahead of time. Talk to your
school counselor about the process.)
• Employers are forbidden by the ADA from asking
about disabilities at an interview. You can disclose a
disability to an employer at any time in the hiring or
post-hiring process. If you need accommodations,
it is wise to disclose by the time you accept an offer
of employment. While you may wait until after you
start a job to disclose a disability and though asking
for a reasonable accommodation on the first day or
later is within your rights, this will not foster a positive relationship between you and your employer.
The above tips were adapted from the
Pathfinders for Autism website.
56
Zoom Autism Through Many Lenses
When in a friendship with
someone on the spectrum, I
think knowing helps color in
the picture of why someone
may behave a certain way, or
maybe you won’t be offended
if a person with autism says
something and doesn’t realize
you’re upset. That kind of important information should be
shared earlier rather than later.
A Personal Choice
I have found disclosing my diagnosis to potential and current
friends to be a helpful, timesaving and honest practice. I
have also perfected how I do it.
Naturally, the way I disclose to
friends may be different than
how I would disclose to a partner or an employer. I tweak
what and how I say to fit a situation best, if necessary.
Disclosing an autism diagnosis is a personal choice, and
whatever decision you make in
regard to it is yours and yours
alone and should be respected.
“Once upon a time, the
only people who knew of my
autism were my family, my
best friend, school administrators and teachers. Today,
the people who know are all
of you reading this.”