Disclosing disability or pregnancy information at work or during the hiring process

This resources provides a summary about disclosure guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)

Deciding whether to share disability or pregnancy-related information at work can feel complicated. There is no single “right” time or way to disclose—your needs, comfort level, and the situation all play a role. Most employees ask themselves questions like: Do I need to share this? When should I say something? How much information is required? Many only disclose when they need a reasonable accommodation or support in the hiring process. Others ​may​​ ​disclose information about their condition whether or not they need an accommodation.   

This page explains some options of what employers can and cannot ask. You can find more on how your medical information is kept private on our KB page: “Confidentiality and reasonable accommodation”.  

If you would like to talk with someone confidentially about disclosure before making a reasonable accommodation request, you can contact the Employee Disability Resources office at employee.access@wisc.edu. 

When disclosure can happen  

You can disclose a disability or a pregnancy related limitation at any stage—when applying, after receiving a job offer, or at any point during employment. You will need to disclose to your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) if you request a reasonable accommodation.  

What employers can ask  

  • Before a job offer: Employers generally cannot ask disability or pregnancy-related questions unless you need an accommodation during the hiring process.  

  • After a job offer: Employers may ask medical questions if they ask the same questions of all applicants in that job category. They cannot withdraw an offer unless an employee cannot perform essential job duties (with or without accommodation) or, for disability-related requests, there is a direct threat. 

  • During employment: Employers may ask limited medical questions only when an accommodation is requested and under some additional limited circumstances. 

When you may need to disclose  

You may need to share disability or pregnancy-related information when:  

  • You need an accommodation for interviewing, testing, or completing the application.  

  • You need an adjustment at work because a disability or pregnancy-related limitation is creating a barrier.  

  • Your limitations affect your job performance, and you want an accommodation to help you successfully do your job.   

You do not need to mention the ADA or PWFA or use special language when making a request. It is enough to contact your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) and let them know you need a change or support because of a medical, disability, or pregnancy-related limitation.  

Coworkers are not entitled to know that a workplace change you received is part of an approved reasonable accommodation. They are also not entitled to know your diagnosis or the reason the accommodation was approved.   

Disability information summarized from: https://askjan.org/topics/Disability-Disclosure.cfm?csSearch=18772974_1  

 


Keywords:
Disclosure, Disability, Pregnancy, ADA, PWFA 
Doc ID:
157489
Owned by:
Barbara L. in Employee Disability Resources
Created:
2025-12-16
Updated:
2026-07-14
Sites:
Employee Disability Resources