Description

Researchers from the From InVisibility to Inclusion project take a “deeper dive” into episodic disability in the workplace, following up from their presentation on November 16, 2022, in response to OOHNA member requests for more information. 

Episodic disability is currently estimated to affect at least 945,000 working age Ontarians and is increasing in prevalence, but the workplace access needs of this population often go unrecognized and unmet. Employees with episodic disabilities may be hesitant to come forward due to concerns about stigma and uncertainty about pathways toward accommodation. Employers are not always confident in their understanding of episodic disability and their capacity to support employees. These factors make episodic disability a growing priority for workplace inclusion, with significant potential benefits for organizations taking a proactive approach. 

In this interactive session, we discuss how Occupational Health Nurses can respond to the workplace challenges—and opportunities—encountered by employees with episodic disabilities and their employers. OHNs face the complex task of balancing the needs of employees with episodic disabilities with the priorities of Human Resources and Management. Because of their unique role and professional expertise, OHNs are well positioned to bring much-needed insight to employers and employees about the hidden reality of episodic disability, to support belonging for all in the workplace. 

Learning objectives: 

•Learn what research shows about how to support employees with episodic disabilities 

•Understand “the elephant in the room,” the hidden reality of episodic disability at work 

•Unpack misconceptions about episodic disability 

•Deepen your familiarity with disability rights-based approaches to workplace accommodation and access

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:

	Dr. Elisabeth Harrison is Research Associate at Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph, where she works on the Bodies in Translation and From InVisibility to Inclusion projects. She has also worked in administration at an Independent Living Resource Centre. Elisabeth recently completed her PhD in Critical Disability Studies at York University, where her dissertation research focused on the experiences of trans and gender diverse people with mental health care and related social determinants of health. She has taught courses in women and gender studies, psychology, and education, and her research interests are in Mad studies, fat studies, and intersectionality theory.
Lacey Croft is a Research Assistant with the From Invisibility to Inclusion project at Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice at the University of Guelph. She is a PhD candidate in Sociology at York University, where she also served as a member of the executive committee for the Global Labour Research Centre. Her dissertation research examines workers’ struggles and strategies for dealing with chronic and traumatic stress during a factory closure. Lacey bridges her research on workplace stress with teaching, both as a sessional instructor in Labour Studies and as a yoga teacher. Prior to her doctoral studies, Lacey spent a decade in the mental health field working for an Employee Assistance Program.
	Dr. Carla Rice is the principal investigator and co-director of the From Invisibility to Inclusion project. She is a Canada Research Chair in Care, Gender, and Relationships and a Full Professor in the Family Relations and Applied Nutrition department at the University of Guelph. As Founder and Academic Director of Re•Vision: The Centre for Art and Social Justice and the Revisioning Differences Media Arts Laboratory (REDLAB), Dr. Rice seeks to explore how communities can use arts-informed research to advance social inclusion and justice by challenging stereotypes