Case Study: Colleague Interview

Appendix I

Case Study: Colleague Interview Protocol

OMB Control No: 1230-0NEW

Expiration Date: XX/XX/20XX

Case Study Interview for Colleagues of Employees with Disabilities

Thank you for participating in this interview. My name is [NAME] and this is my colleague [NAME]. We work for Westat, a research organization based in Rockville, MD. The Department of Labor (DOL) contracted with Westat to research how employers put into practice their policies on disability employment. We are also interested in learning what it is like to work at a company that employs people with disabilities.

Before we get started, there are a few things I should mention. This is a research project. Your participation in this interview is voluntary. There is no penalty if you decide not to participate. You may end the interview at any time. If you choose to participate, you can skip questions that make you uncomfortable. We have planned for this interview to last about 30 minutes.

Your responses in this interview are private to the extent allowed by law. They will not be shared with others at your place of employment. We are speaking with employees all across the country. We will submit a final report to DOL at the conclusion of the study that describes processes involved in disability employment. We may use quotes from you or other interviewees in our reports; however, interviewees’ names, their places of employment, and other information that could be used to identify interviewees or their employers, will not be linked to responses.

Do you have any questions? [Answer all questions.]

Finally, with your permission, we would like to record this interview. The recording will be used to help us recall exactly what was said when we go to summarize our findings. The recordings and any notes we have will be stored securely on Westat’s computer and will be protected. They will only be available to the Westat project team. We will destroy the recordings after the study is complete in 2019. Are you okay with us recording?

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 30 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Attention: Departmental Clearance Officer, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room N-1301, Washington, DC 20210 or email [email protected] and reference the OMB Control Number 1230-0NEW. Note: Please do not return the completed survey to this address.

[IF PERMISSION IS GIVEN TO RECORD, ASK AGAIN IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS. IF PERMISSION IS NOT GRANTED, RESCHEDULE FOR A TIME WHEN A SCRIBE IS AVAILABLE TO TAKE NOTES.]

If there are no further questions or concerns, I’d like to start the audio recording now.

[TURN ON THE RECORDER.] I need to ask you again: Are you willing to participate in the interview?

Are you willing to have the interview audio-recorded?

1. INTRODUCTION

I’d like to start by asking you to describe your background and your job title at [NAME OF EMPLOYER]. Please tell me how long you have worked here and what your responsibilities are.

2. ACCOMMODATIONS

1. Please explain how you or another employee might go about getting an accommodation for a disability. [PROBE: Please give me an example.]

2. How did you learn about the process for getting an accommodation?

3. How secure would you feel to disclose that you have a disability and need an accommodation? [PROBE: very secure, secure, uncertain, insecure, very insecure]

[PROBE]: What makes you feel that way?

4. How would you proceed if you were to become a person with a disability and wanted to continue to work here?

5. At [NAME OF COMPANY], what kind of accommodations do employees ask for?

6. Do you think that people who need accommodations get them? Why do you think they can/cannot get an accommodation?

7. Do you think that people who do not need accommodations sometimes get accommodations?

[IF YES]: Why do you think this happens?

3. PERFORMANCE

   1. What challenges, if any, does working on a project or a team with employees with disabilities pose?

[PROBE]: How were these challenges managed at [NAME OF COMPANY]? How did you manage these challenges?

2. As compared to any other employee, how likely do you think an employee with a disability is to be considered for a promotion or receive advancement? [PROBE:] If not, what are the reasons why?

4. CULTURE

   1. Stereotypes and Misconceptions

1. How does your company address and overcome stereotypes and misconceptions about employees with disabilities?

2. Do you think what they do [to address and overcome stereotypes and misconceptions] works? Why or why not?

3. What do you think they could do better to address stereotypes and misconceptions about persons with disabilities?

1. Inequality and Inclusiveness

1. Do you think employees with disabilities are treated differently than employees who have not disclosed disabilities?

[IF YES]: How so? How do you feel about that?

2. Do you think your company makes employees with disabilities feel welcome and included? Why or why not?

[IF YES]: How do they make employees with disabilities feel welcome?

[IF NO]: What makes this company less than inclusive of people with disabilities?

5. CLOSING

Is there anything you think might be important for me to know about disability employment at your company? [IF YES:] Please describe.

Thank you for your time!