Advocate, Educate and Include: HR Perspective - Tammi Burnett

Disabilities in the Workplace - Interview Series

“I know it can be scary, but it’s actually more protective for you to disclose your disability than to not disclose it.”

— Tammi Burnett

Article Takeaways:

Disclosure and Self-Advocacy: Employees should feel empowered to disclose their disabilities by understanding that it provides protection and access to necessary accommodations, with resources like Ask JAN to guide them.
HR's Supportive Role: HR must approach accommodation requests with compassion, clear communication, and a commitment to following the interactive process, ensuring requests are handled fairly and thoughtfully.
Build an Inclusive Workplace: Organizations need to prioritize disability inclusion by implementing flexible work policies, remote work options, and comprehensive benefits, making invisible disabilities visible and included.

We’d love to get to know you! Please share a bit about yourself, the company you work for and why you chose a career in People & Culture!

I am proud to be the HR Director of a truly badass justice-centered nonprofit, Rainforest Action Network. I love what I do and where I do it, but it took a lot of Goldilocks years at other organizations (too big, too small... too toxic, too cheap) to find my work home.

How would your friends describe you and your personality?

Direct, no-nonsense, compassionate, thoughtful, and with a weird sense of humour.

If you live with an Invisible Condition and are comfortable sharing this with us, we’d love to hear your story. What symptoms do you have, how long have you been living with them, and how do they affect your work and day-to-day life?

I've been partially deaf since childhood, and for me, it's not a big deal because I'm so used to it. For the past 12 years, I've been living with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome), which basically just means I'm exhausted and in pain a lot of the time.

I've learned to live within this body and support it as best I can, and sometimes there's nothing to do but ride the waves. I also have autonomic nervous system dysfunction, which basically means my body is ALWAYS. DOING. SOMETHING. new or strange and usually uncomfortable.

Because of my ANS dysfunction, I also have orthostatic intolerance/POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome). I'm also immune-compromised!

When you hear the term “disability inclusion”, what comes to mind?

I always think about how the non-disabled world thinks of this as things like hearing aids and curb cutouts, but are so unaware of "invisible" disabilities, so I strive to make the invisible visible and included.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 16% of the world’s population experience significant disability, and the number is likely higher, closer to 25%, due to underreporting.

How does your organization support people who live with disabilities? Can you give a specific example?

So many ways!

We offer "as needed" sick time, for one (yes, there are parameters, but there's no bank or accrual).
We pay 100% of the premiums for medical insurance and offer an employer-funded HSA for expenses.
We talk openly about disability inclusion, including invisible disabilities.
We offer fully remote work and flexible schedules.

Lots more, but those are at the top of my mind.

We know that disclosing a disability to our manager or HR takes a lot of courage. What advice would you like to share with someone who needs to or wants to disclose their disability, illness, or condition at work?

Talk to whoever you're most comfortable with first, but definitely do it. I know it can be scary, but it's actually more protective for you to disclose your disability than to not disclose it.

There are protections for disabled folks that your employer is likely required to abide by, including accommodating your disability access needs.

Spend some time with Ask JAN, which is THE go-to resource for disabilities at work. They can help you identify reasonable accommodations that you can take to your HR team to request and much more.

From an HR perspective, what is a good way for an employee to ask for a workplace accommodation?

Give me the context and what's going on for you so we can figure things out together. It doesn't hurt to come with an idea of what you need, but part of the ADA's interactive process means that we have to ask you some questions, and we also have to consider the impact on the business/organization.

Don't assume we're interrogating you - we really do need to understand the full context. We may need to talk to your doctor. I know it can feel invasive, and I'm so sorry for that so I'll try to make it as compassionate as I can.

As an HR professional, how do you respond to disability disclosures and/or accommodation requests? What are some best practices to keep in mind around this within your role?

Immediately begin the "interactive process" as outlined by the ADA, and consult Ask JAN. Always remember these are human beings who are already navigating a complex and vulnerable situation, so be kind and communicate clearly.

Don't deny accommodation requests unless you absolutely need to, and have legitimate reasons for doing so.

What is one piece of advice you can offer to someone who needs to advocate for themselves at work?

Pretend you're speaking up on behalf of a friend or loved one. We tend to be less direct or bold when asking for things for ourselves, but more direct and more bold if doing so for those we care about. (Bonus: this works really well for salary negotiations, too!)

Tammi Burnett (They/Them) Bio:

Tammi began their career in community mental health, where she worked for more than 10 years before accidentally landing in HR by way of a failed attempt at unionizing her workplace. They've been working to humanize HR ever since.

They believe in positioning HR as a resource, thought partner, servant leader, and champion of best practice, and are particularly invested in finding new ways to help staff feel supported, cared for, and able to do their best work. Her professional passions include intersectional justice in the workplace, talent management strategy and execution, strategic organizational planning, and complex employee relations.

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