Team 3Thirty

Should You Disclose Disability in a Government Job Application?

In this guide
SHOULD DISCLOSE DISABILITY GOVERNMENT - Team 3Thirty NSW Government job advice

Disclosure is personal.

There is no single answer that suits every candidate, every condition or every job.

But there is a practical way to think about it.

Ask yourself what the disclosure is for.

Disclosure for RecruitAbility

For APS RecruitAbility, you need to opt in and declare disability. APSC guidance says you do not need to provide further information about your disability for RecruitAbility.

The point is progression to a further assessment stage if you meet the minimum requirements.

Disclosure for adjustments

If you need a recruitment adjustment, you usually need to give enough information for the agency to understand and arrange the adjustment.

That does not mean giving your whole diagnosis history.

You can focus on the barrier and the adjustment:

> I process verbal information more effectively when I can read the question, so I am requesting interview questions in writing.

Disclosure after offer

Some adjustments may matter more after you are the preferred candidate or once you start the role. That might include equipment, flexible work, workspace needs or ongoing communication preferences.

The practical rule

Disclose with a purpose.

If you are opting into RecruitAbility, follow the APS process.

If you are asking for an adjustment, explain the barrier and the support you need.

If the information is not needed for either purpose, you do not need to include it just because you feel pressured to explain yourself.

Useful next steps

If this topic is relevant to your application, these related Team 3Thirty guides are the best places to go next:

Useful resources

These official resources are worth checking if you need the source guidance behind the adjustment examples:

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