Bonnie Schwartz, an analyst for Mount Sinai’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program in the Department of Surgery, shared her experiences as a person with a disability.
Workers with disabilities should know their rights and be proactive in asking for interpreters or other accommodations, said Bonnie Schwartz, who is a Quality Improvement Research Analyst for Mount Sinai’s Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program, and is deaf. “Mount Sinai always has honored and respected my requests,” Ms. Schwartz said in a virtual talk hosted by the Office for Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at Mount Sinai. The session, “An Employee’s Perspective: Living with a Disability—Advocacy and Support in the Workplace,” may be viewed here.
The talk was part of the second annual Raising Disability Awareness Virtual Talk Series, launched by ODI for Disability Awareness Month. It featured speakers from around the Mount Sinai Health System and the community to raise awareness and promote an inclusive and equitable workplace and health care environment for people with disabilities.
“Psychological, physical, and social barriers make it more difficult for employees with disabilities to be successful in the workforce,” said Ms. Schwartz, who shared her experiences as a person who identifies as having a disability. Only about 35 percent of people with disabilities in America are present in the workforce, she said, citing figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. She explained that fear of disclosure of a disability and how it will be perceived, communication barriers, and the stigma associated with having a disability are just a few of the obstacles.
Ms. Schwartz said her disability was especially challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because masks are in the way, reading lips as a deaf or hard-of-hearing person is impossible. “Many people are not aware that a face mask can be considered a physical barrier for people like me, who rely on reading lips and facial clues,”
she said. During COVID-19, Ms. Schwartz made an effort to educate people about accessible options such as clear masks. Some masks are created with transparent screens in front of the mouth to allow for easier lip-reading.
Based on her experiences, Ms. Schwartz recommended that employers avoid making assumptions, educate themselves on different disabilities and accommodations, be flexible, and always use an approach that promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion rather than a “one size fits all” message. She also explained that employees should know their rights, educate themselves, ask questions, and research the company’s best practices and disability information before working for them.
For Mount Sinai employee accommodations requests, staff may reach out to Labor Relations at their site. To learn more about the services offered for patients, please visit the Language Services webpage.