Addressing Employer Concerns About Blind Employees
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As humans, we often feel uncertain when encountering someone different from us. For individuals who are blind or have low vision, this can present unique challenges during job interviews. Hiring managers may struggle to look beyond a candidate’s blindness or low vision, focusing more on the stereotypes associated with blindness rather than a person’s qualifications, interpersonal interactions, and strengths presented in an interview.
We hope the information on this page helps individuals who are blind or have low vision navigate the interview process more effectively. By addressing employer concerns and confidently showcasing your skills, strengths, and ability to succeed in the role, you can help shift the focus toward your qualifications and potential contributions.
How Does a Disability Affect Unconscious Bias in a Job Interview?
It’s important to consider the role of unconscious bias to understand how perceptions of blindness can influence interviews.
Consider how your blindness or low vision might be perceived by someone interviewing you. For example, two individuals with visual impairments might present themselves differently in ways that could influence unconscious bias. If you have low vision and do not use a long cane for mobility, walking confidently behind the person guiding you to their office might make your visual impairment less apparent. On the other hand, if you use a guide dog and request verbal or visual cues while walking, your disability may be more noticeable.
Research has shown that the more visible a disability is, the more likely others are to make assumptions about a person’s capabilities. These differences in visibility can lead to varying types of unconscious bias from a hiring manager.
Unconscious bias often stems from limited exposure or misconceptions about blindness. Here are some concerns employers might have and ways to address them.
Why Might an Employer be Concerned About Hiring Someone Who is Blind?
Hiring managers might hold preconceived notions about what a person who is blind can or cannot do solely based on their blindness. If someone has had no or limited contact with people who are blind or visually impaired, they may not know how someone with limited or no vision can effectively accomplish even simple tasks.
Whether you’re in an interview or already on the job, it’s not your responsibility to teach your employer about blindness or low vision. However, you can take opportunities to share helpful insights when appropriate. For example:
“While my guide dog is in harness, she is working. Because she is a dog, I need to clearly distinguish for her when she’s on duty versus when she can relax. Please address me directly, not my dog, as I will make decisions for both of us.”
This polite, respectful, confident communication fosters understanding and creates a more inclusive environment.
Addressing Misconceptions
Sometimes, misconceptions about blindness stem from a lack of knowledge or personal experiences, such as having a family member still adjusting to vision loss. If an employer assumes, for example, that blind employees cannot use stairs, you can politely correct them.
For instance:
“I don’t need a key for the elevator unless all employees are given one. I actually prefer to take the stairs.”
You can confidently address these misunderstandings to foster a more informed and inclusive workplace.
Practical Considerations: Managing Workplace Concerns
Employers may also wonder how certain practical concerns, like workplace safety, managing documents, or commuting, are addressed by blind employees. Here are ways to respond confidently and provide clarity.
Liability Concerns
Employers sometimes worry about liability risks when hiring blind employees, but there’s no definitive data to suggest that blind employees are at either a higher or lower risk of injury on the job. This means an employer cannot reasonably assume that blindness inherently increases workplace hazards for an employee who is low vision or blind.
Inclusive Adaptations Benefit Everyone
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides an employee with the right to reasonable accommodations. You can work with the employer to address workplace adaptations that enhance safety and efficiency.
In fact, workplace adaptations often enhance safety and efficiency for all employees, not just those who are blind or visually impaired. For example, installing tactile indicators on a factory floor can be equally beneficial for sighted and blind employees:
- Sighted Employees: A tactile surface can alert a worker pushing a cart that they’ve reached a restricted area or an active pedestrian way, prompting them to exercise caution.
- Blind Employees: The same tactile surface can help a blind person know where an aisle starts or the location of a turning point, assisting them in navigating to their workstations safely, independently, and efficiently.
Managing Printed Materials at Work
An employer may be concerned about how an employee who is blind or low vision can access printed information. Handling printed materials, such as handwritten documents, printouts, or information on a computer screen, requires accommodations that vary for each individual based on their specific needs. During an interview, bringing tools like a portable video magnifier, a laptop, or a tablet paired with a braille display can demonstrate your ability to complete tasks using both mainstream and assistive technology. This hands-on demonstration highlights your problem-solving skills and adaptability.
Before your interview or first day on the job, carefully consider the options for reading print. Keep in mind the importance of maintaining the security of private or sensitive information, as this may influence which technologies or methods are appropriate for completing specific tasks.
Navigating To and From Work
For sighted individuals who typically rely on driving, it can be difficult to imagine alternative ways of commuting. When hiring someone who is blind, a hiring manager might question how you plan to get to and from work. They may also think that you depend on others for transportation, thus increasing the risk of absenteeism. However, it’s important to note that employers are generally not responsible for arranging employee transportation.
One way to address potential transportation concerns would be to say:
“I took the 36 North bus to the transit center and transferred to the 24 East bus. After walking four blocks to South Alhambra, I asked the bus driver how far the address was from the stop, and they said about 500 feet. Using my smart glasses, I read the address, confirmed the suite number in the lobby, and used the elevator to reach the fourth floor. My orientation and mobility skills, combined with technology, allow me to navigate the community confidently.”
When practicing mock interviews, consider how you can educate the hiring manager about your specific needs and capabilities. Tailor your responses to address transportation and other work-related considerations to highlight your resourcefulness and self-sufficiency.
How Can I Demonstrate Excellence in the Workplace?
The purpose of your job interview is not to merely address misconceptions. You will want to address them so the potential employer can focus on your excellence and skills as an employee. Your references can play a key role by showcasing your accomplishments and work ethic. Remind them of specific instances where you exceeded performance expectations so they can confidently share your achievements with potential employers. Additionally, take the opportunity to explain how you use assistive technology to complete tasks efficiently.
If you lack prior work experience, draw on examples from academic or volunteer activities to illustrate how you successfully handle responsibilities and meet challenges.
Conclusion
Addressing employer concerns about hiring someone who is blind or has low vision begins with clear communication and confidence. By demonstrating your abilities, explaining how you use assistive technology, and sharing examples of how you navigate challenges, you can help employers understand your potential as a capable and independent employee. Sharing about yourself in a positive, informative, and clear manner—delivered respectfully—can dispel misconceptions and foster a more inclusive workplace for the entire team. Focusing on your skills, adaptability, and contributions will shift the conversation from your blindness to your value as a professional, worthwhile employee.
This article is based on the APH Job Seeker’s Toolkit, a free, self-paced, comprehensive, and accessible guide to the employment process for blind job seekers.