Mitchell says the widespread shift to a remote-work world has normalised ways of working that could benefit disabled or chronically ill employees for years to come, as long as companies keep newly-flexible arrangements in place. Mitchell believes Grace is among many workers who found lockdown helped them to manage a hidden disability. I also didnвЂ™t have to carry a heavy bag and my laptop on public transport, which had exacerbated my pain in the past.вЂќ вЂњI could take painkillers throughout the day, and not worry about appearing spaced-out in the office. вЂњLockdown made it easier to hide my condition, as I could take breaks if I was in pain,вЂќ she says. вЂњHaving to justify yourself, feeling like you have to do even more to make up for a perceived weakness, over-explaining your health in order to take sick-leave вЂ“ itвЂ™s exhausting.вЂќДЄfter struggling to hide her disability for months, the pandemic offered Grace a surprising respite from her office problems. вЂњItвЂ™s a vulnerable feeling, thinking that someone is going to judge you and your ability to do a job or task based on your health or an impairment,вЂќ says Rachael Mole, CEO of SIC, a non-profit organisation that helps disabled and chronically ill people to find accessible and inclusive employers. And in the US, the unemployment rate for disabled individuals recently rose from 7% to 12.6%. Data from a French study suggests that fewer than 2% of people who mentioned that they had a disability in their CV were called for an interview. In the UK, 17% of disabled adults report having had a job offer withdrawn as a result of their disability, and 30% said that they felt they were not taken seriously as a candidate as a result of their disability. Research suggests that one in three people see disabled people as being less productive than their non-disabled counterparts, a belief that often plays out in workplace situations. The fear that many disabled individuals feel about revealing their condition is not unfounded. Yet, some argue the positive impacts of working from home could be short lived. Lockdown offered the opportunity for those disguising a condition to make their own workspace adjustments without fear of judgement. In many ways, the past almost two years have changed the situation for disabled workers. She says that despite equality legislation, it remains difficult for employees to prove that they have missed out on a role or been passed over for promotion as a result of a disability вЂ“ causing many to turn to secrecy instead. In her research, Mitchell found that a quarter of those surveyed had hidden their disability from their HR department, and that only 36% were open with colleagues about their condition. вЂњWeвЂ™re afraid that weвЂ™ll be treated differently, get fewer opportunities at work and that it will impact our chances of progressing, or even lead to us getting fired.вЂќ вЂњThe simple reason as to why disabled people donвЂ™t disclose their disability is that weвЂ™re often afraid,вЂќ says Cat Mitchell, a lecturer at University of Derby, UK, whose research focuses on the barriers disabled employees and jobseekers face. ThereвЂ™s little concrete data on how many people like Grace are disguising a disability in the workplace вЂ“ but experts believe stigma surrounding many disabilities and long-term illnesses means it isnвЂ™t uncommon for individuals to keep their condition quiet from their employer and colleagues. It is estimated that 4.4 million disabled people вЂ“ those with a physical or mental impairment with a substantial or long-term impact on their ability to do normal daily activities вЂ“ are currently in employment in the UK.

I thought that it was easier just to hide it.вЂќ вЂњI found it awkward to explain my condition to colleagues. вЂњI work as a writer, and often disguise the fact that I am in extreme pain as I am afraid of appearing weak or incapable in my role,вЂќ explains Grace, whose surname is being withheld to protect concerns around revealing her disability. She was often in so much pain that it wouldnвЂ™t be unusual to duck into a toilet stall to cry, before returning to her desk and pretending that nothing had happened. Instead, she quietly went to the bathroom to pop the joint back into place before returning to her desk.ДЇor Manchester, UK-based Grace вЂ“ who has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a condition that causes her to experience extreme joint pain, chronic fatigue, joint instability and frequent dislocations вЂ“ this was a common occurrence. When Grace, 24, dislocated her elbow at work, she didnвЂ™t call an ambulance or go to the hospital.

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