Unveiling the JDAPT: A new interactive tool to identify work-related support strategies for workers with chronic conditions and disability

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Online

Monique Gignac
Institute for Work & Health

Many workers with chronic physical and mental health conditions struggle when deciding whether to seek support from their workplace. In making decisions, they weigh risks such as the loss of privacy or reputation if they disclose any needs, versus concerns about job difficulties and changes to work performance if they don’t receive support. Both workers and workplace representatives often report being unsure what to discuss and what might be helpful for workers.

The new, online and interactive Job Demands and Accommodation Planning Tool (JDAPT) is designed to help address the complexity of disclosure decisions. Developed as part of a large research partnership called Accommodating and Communicating about Episodic Disabilities (aced.iwh.on.ca), and with input from researchers, health charities, people with lived experience and workplace representatives, the JDAPT guides users through a series of simple questions about their job demands, job tasks and working conditions. Users then receive a personalized list of support ideas relevant to their working situation. 

In this presentation, Dr. Monique Gignac describes the JDAPT tool, its development, as well as data from two studies on the tool. She discusses the JDAPT’s potential to help workers by focusing on work solutions, not medical diagnoses and symptoms.

About presenter

Dr. Monique Gignac is scientific director and senior scientist at the Institute for Work & Health, and director of the ACED partnership. She is also a professor in the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Her research expertise is in the areas of health and social psychology, including health models of disability. Of particular interest is research on workplace communication, privacy, support and accommodation needs among individuals living with chronic, episodic conditions.

About IWH Speaker Series

The IWH Speaker Series brings you the latest findings from work and health researchers from the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) and beyond. For those unable to attend, the recorded webinar of most presentations in the IWH Speaker Series are made available on its web page within a week of the event.