Disability survey at work

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I work for a well-known firm that specializes in office copying machines, and just today we were given a very short, simple survey which asked whether accommodations for disabilities among their employees would be necessary. This would amount to a requirement on the employer's part, as they work with the US Government.

Now, one of the disabilities listed was autism, but I have the high-functioning variety known as Asperger's syndrome (otherwise, why would I be on this forum?) I feel rather uneasy about identifying myself as someone who would need accommodations for my disability. Part of me wants to say yes, despite fear of the unknown as to my co-workers' reaction. Meanwhile, part of me wants to say no, because if I said I did, the big question would be what accommodations would I need.

Anything you want to add to this? Should I identify myself as being disabled or not?

If you can't think of any accommodations that would help you do your job, there would be no reason to answer the questionnaire. Answering the questionnaire is your choice. Like those demographic questions in surveys (age, race, religion, gender, income), you are probably not required to answer the questionnaire is you choose not to do so. Your constitutional right to privacy trumps any expectation, policy, rule, regulation or law that the questionnaire people could use against you for failing to answer about accommodations which you neither need nor desire. Having autism isn't, by itself, a disability unless it negatively effects your ability to do your work. You can have autism and experience no negative effect from it in your workplace.

However, if you believe that you might, someday, in the future, need to ask for an accommodation, they might deny it based on you declination to advise them of your disability when first asked. This doesn't mean that they will, but it is a possibility. You could always try to argue that, while you have always had autism, you weren't "disabled" when they first asked, but had become "disabled" in the years since and need the accommodations then.

But, I suspect that the survey is simply a pro forma way for the federal government and your employer to cover their (assets) by giving you and others the chance to register your disabilities which need accommodations. Turning in a blank survey won't phase them one way or the other.

But, I am not a lawyer. So, take my opinions for what they are worth.

I see no problem with a survey, but the employer should not be performing it. Such data should be collected via a 3rd party who will preserve privacy. Having a disability and their documenting it for bean counting purposes by the government is one thing, but it is your right to disclose or not disclose your condition to your employer. Their data collection should not expose you to accidental disclosure of your condition.

Don't. Disclose. That. You. Have. Aspergers.

I'm glad you didn't answer any of the questions.

Yep...there should be an expectation of privacy--it's part of HIPAA.

This survey probably violates some aspect of HIPAA.

Show the survey to a lawyer before you put even one pen or pencil mark on it.

If this would net you a positive benefit now, then yes! If not, don't. I am not a lawyer either, but you can always state later, if disabling situations arise, that you needed no accommodations earlier and therefore it was not necessary to disclose. If I were you, I would read your local laws on employment and disability, like the ADA if you are American.