Functional Impacts – Working and Learning with a Disability
Learn how a person’s health condition, injury or disability may impact the way they work and learn.
CEL believes in equitable access to employment opportunities and recognizes the importance of supporting the career development of TRU’s diverse student population.
This page contains resources for students who experience barriers to employment due to a health condition, injury or disability.
However, we also acknowledge that students with intersecting marginalized identities (e.g. Women, LGBTQ2S+, Black, Indigenous, People of Colour) can experience even more complex barriers to employment opportunities.
That’s why we have also included resources for other marginalized students who may be experiencing physical and mental health stressors related to navigating employment processes.
Working Towards Accessibility
Working towards accessibility means understanding what disabilities are, how they impact individuals who have them, and how we can support them through accommodations to create equitable access.
Many definitions exist for the term "disability", and it is important to recognize that definitions can limit understanding or exclude certain experiences. However, for the purposes of this page, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines disability as "any condition of the body or mind (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions)."
SourceDisabilities may have a functional impact on an individual. A functional impact is the way a person’s condition affects the way they work and learn. For example, a person may have difficulty interacting socially or experience chronic pain and require adaptations to their working environment that will enable them to meet the expectations of the job.
These functional impacts can be aided with accommodations: an adaptation to the work environment that supports the different ways people work and learn. For example, a person who has chronic back pain may require a supportive chair or, a person with difficulty with focus and concentration may need a distraction reduced environment.
Through recognizing disability and providing accommodations, we can support those who have disabilities.
List of Medical Conditions Defined as a Disability
The Career and Experiential Learning department uses the terms medical condition, injury and disability to describe a diagnosable condition that impacts permanently or temporarily impacts a person’s functioning. The World Health Organization uses the overarching term “disability” to describe most of these conditions. Here are just some examples of medical conditions that are considered a disability in Canada.
See the list
- Addictions
- ADD/ADHD
- Agoraphobia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- Angina
- Autism
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asperger Syndrome
- Ataxia
- Auditory Processing Disorder
- Behcet’s Disease
- Bipolar Disorder
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chromosome Abnormality
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic Disability Pain
- Chronic Pain Disorder
- Colitis
- Conduct Disorder
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Cri-Du-Chat Syndrome
- Crohn’s Disease
- De Vivo Disease
- Dementia
- Depression
- Developmentally Delayed
- Dissociative Identity Disorder
- Downs Syndrome
- Dysgraphia
- Elimination Difficulties
- Epilepsy
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
- Fibromyalgia
- Gender Identity Dysphoria
- Glaucoma
- Global Developmental Delay
- Hearing Disorders
- Hepatitis C
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hypermobility Syndrome
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypotonia
- Inability or Difficulty Walking
- Inability or Trouble Feeding
- Infantile Spasms
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Learning Disabilities
- Mania
- Mental Illness
- Migraines
- Mild Intellectual Disability
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Myotonic Myopathy
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Osteoarthritis
- Panic Disorder
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Personality Disorder
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Psychosis
- Quadriplegia
- Retinoschisis
- Schizophrenia
- Scoliosis
- Seizure Disorder
- Sleep Disorder
- Specific Developmental Disorder
- Speech Disorder
- Stroke
- Substance Abuse
- Tic Disorder
- Tourette Syndrome
- Trouble Dressing
- Tumor
- Vision Problems
Accessibility Resources
Accessibility Services at TRU provides academic accommodations and services to all eligible TRU students, both on campus and Open Learning. They facilitate equal access to educational opportunities by reducing physical, attitudinal and systemic barriers.
Explore Accessibility ServicesExplore your relationship with disability and accessibility in the context of career development by reading Chapter 10: Experience More Access of From University to Career: Creating a Successful Transition
Templates
Community Resources
Deep Map
The Deep Map is a community resource hub in the form of an interactive map. The purpose of this map is to identify inclusive community services to support our diverse student population. With the Deep Map, we are providing students, employers, faculty and staff with information that prioritizes health and well-being. Search the map by people group or service using the drop-down menus. To view the contact information and a description of services for an organization, simply click the hotspot location on the map.
The Deep Map Resource guideTRU Law Clinic
The TRU Community Law Clinic can support students with legal advice on issues related to employment law and human rights. The law clinic also provides a variety of other legal services; however, limitations do apply. See website for more details.
TRU Law ClinicOpen Door Group
The Open Door Group is here to help individuals find all the resources they need to find employment, training or other services and programs in the Kamloops area. Our Kamloops programs include WorkBC Employment Services, Jobs in Demand, Opportunities Fund, and Gardengate. From self-employment to training and employment, we have something to help. Ready to start? Contact us today!
Open Door GroupFAQ
Should I disclose that I have a physical or mental health condition, injury or disability during an interview?
You are not required to disclose that you have a health condition during your interview. Requiring accommodations is not related to whether you are qualified to do the job. Unless your accommodation creates a safety risk, or causes significant financial impact to the company, you should have equitable access to employment opportunities. If, during the interview, you feel that disclosing would be beneficial to you and your potential employer, it is your choice to do so.
What should I do if I need an accommodation while working from home?
Your employer has a legal responsibility to accommodate people who live with an ongoing diagnosable condition that impacts their functioning. Work with your employer to determine accommodations that will best support you in meeting the expectations of the job while working from home.
I’m worried that disclosing that I need accommodation will jeopardize my employment. What should I do?
It’s your choice to disclose that you have a condition requiring accommodation. If you choose to disclose, consider letting your employer know how the accommodation will help you do your best work from home. Try using strengths-based language such as “I can be more productive if I have an ergonomic chair to reduce chronic back pain”, rather than, “I can’t do my work unless I have an ergonomic chair.” Let the employer know what you can do rather than what you can’t so that you can confidently request accommodation.
Strengths-based Communication – Requesting Employment AccommodationsWill my information be kept confidential?
Information about a person’s diagnosis is considered confidential. Your employer should not disclose your information to anyone without your permission.
What if my employer asks me for medical documentation to support my accommodation?
Consider asking your employer if they would accommodate you temporarily until you can obtain your medical documentation. Your employer may also accept documentation from an online general practitioner until you can get more detailed documentation from your doctor or specialist.
Medical Form TemplateWhat should I do if my employer declines my request for accommodations?
Check your company policy for information on the process to appeal against this decision. You may also want to consult with your company’s human resources representative for information on next steps. Then, decide whether you would like to move forward with your appeal. If your appeal is declined, you may want to pursue a human rights complaint. Get in touch with your province’s Human Rights Commission or Tribunal for information on the complaint process.
BC Human Rights ProtectionI’m a co-op student. Who should I talk to if I need accommodation?
Speak to your employer as soon as you notice that you require accommodation. If you are not sure how to ask your employer for accommodation, reach out to your university co-op coordinator for assistance. If you would like your coordinator to speak to your employer on your behalf, you will likely need to provide written consent.
What are my human rights?
People with disabilities are protected under the BC Human Rights Code and are entitled to equitable access to employment opportunities. Employers should ensure that their hiring practices are inclusive and provide reasonable accommodations to people who work and learn in different ways.
BC Human Rights ProtectionUseful links
Legal information
Manager's Guide to Reasonable Accommodation
Organizations
Canadian Accessibility Network
Canadian Association for Supported Employment
Canadian Association of Professionals with Disabilities
Job Accommodation Network - US Based
Funding opportunities
TRU Ongoing Scholarships, Bursaries and Awards
