Count Me In Campaign
1. What is the Count Me In Campaign, and what do you hope to accomplish with it?
The Count Me In Campaign is meant to encourage more Notre Dame employees to voluntarily self-identify their disability status. Most studies conducted indicate that only 25 percent of employees who could voluntarily self-identify actually do so. This information is critical to assessing current policies and practices, in addition to understanding how to better provide all employees with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
2. What's in it for me? Why should I voluntarily self-ID as having a disability?
There are two principal why we encourage employees with disabilities to self-identify as having a disability. There are federal regulations that require federal contractors to track their population of employees with disabilities. As a government contractor, the University is subject to those regulations. We are hopeful this campaign will make faculty and staff more inclined to self-identify their disability status and enable the University to report more accurate data.
However, the priority in this initiative is to enhance programs and resources that make Notre Dame even more welcoming and inclusive. Tracking data is critical to assessing the effectiveness of our inclusion efforts as it allows the University to better assess policies and practices. Such data is essential in understanding how to better provide employees with disabilities with the tools and resources they need to succeed by helping evaluate the allocation of resources used toward the inclusiveness and success of people with disabilities. In addition to connecting current colleagues with additional support, the University wants prospective faculty, staff and students who have a disability to know they will be welcomed, valued and respected here.
3. I have been asked for this information before. Why am I being asked to disclose it again?
Candidates for faculty and staff positions are asked to self-identify as having a disability on the University’s application for employment. It is possible that your status may have changed throughout the course of your employment. For example, a disability may occur at any time and can be temporary. Also, those who have not previously disclosed their disability status may choose to do so now.
4. I have health problems but am not disabled and can still work. Do I need to self-identify?
One of the biggest misconceptions regarding the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is that many people think that having a disability means you cannot work or perform your job duties. While that may be true of employees applying for state disability programs or disability coverage under Social Security, that is not the case with the ADA. Having a disability under the ADA means you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity or a record of such an impairment, even if you take medication or receive other treatments to mitigate your condition. We encourage you to self-identify if you have an impairment or condition that fits the above definition, even if it does not impact your ability to work and you do not require an accommodation. Under ADA, any ongoing health condition that is managed by a medical doctor qualifies you to self-identify as having a disability. By self-identifying, you are not necessarily requesting an accommodation.
5. If I self-identify, who will see that information?
Employees who self-identify as having a disability can be assured their information is kept strictly confidential and protected. Even in situations where human resources professionals meet with an employee’s supervisor to discuss the feasibility of an accommodation, we do not provide any of the documents or medical information provided by the employee. It is against University policy to retaliate in any way against an employee who has self-identified as having a disability or has requested an accommodation.
6. If I want to voluntarily self-identify as having a disability, how do I do that?
- Visit the Employee Dashboard task through InsideND
- Click the drop down arrow on the line labeled Biographical
- Choose 🖉 Edit under Disability Status
- Fill out the online form and click Submit