HACKER Q&A
📣 soManyTabs

Is telling my employer I have ADHD and PTSD a bad idea?


28, living in the UK and got diagnosed with ADHD & PTSD a month ago. Is there any reason I should or should not disclose this to my employer?

I've been considering telling them to see if I can structure my work/day differently to make things easier, but am wondering if I'm being naive and if it would be something I would later regret.

Would appreciate any advice or guidance.


  👤 DanBC Accepted Answer ✓
In the UK you're protected by the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term affect on your ability to carry out day to day activity. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/6

Your employer has to make reasonable adjustments. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/section/20

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has some advice: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/multipage-guide/emplo...

As does Citizen's Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discriminat...

The reason you should mention it is because it gives you some protections, but you only get those if you disclose. https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/multipage-guide/how-c...

> Your employer only has to make these changes where they know or could reasonably be expected to know that you are a disabled person and are - or are likely to be - at a substantial disadvantage as a result. This means your employer must do everything they can reasonably be expected to do to find out.

The reason not to mention it is because people don't really understand ADHD nor PTSD, so you may face stigma and discrimination. That isn't guaranteed - lots of employers really do want to do the right thing.

Unions can usually offer useful advice about disclosing.

Good luck!


👤 one2know
Yes, telling any employer about any health condition is a very bad idea. Don't listen to the inevitable managers who will post here and on other boards telling you otherwise.

👤 pryelluw
Wait a bit longer. You need to first understand yourself better before telling anyone else.