Each February, CHADD highlights resources featuring Black members of the ADHD community. These resources are listed on our Black History Month page and regularly updated through the month.

“African Americans and Labor” is this year’s theme for Black History Month. It acknowledges the labor Black people have contributed throughout the history of the United States, from forced labor as enslaved people, fighting to gain freedom to work without being considered property, to the limited employment positions available following the Civil War. From there Black people moved to positions such as porters and maids and began breaking barriers into previously segregated fields—business ownership, education, law, medicine, the military, and other professional fields. The labor of Black people in all its forms was foundational to the establishment of the United States.

Recognizing and overcoming barriers

Today, members of the African diaspora work in a variety of occupations, with exponentially fewer limitations than ever before. Still, there can be access barriers, socioeconomic challenges, and persistent prejudice, further hampering Black people with ADHD. A recent study showed experiencing racism aggravated ADHD symptoms in Black people, offering some insight into the impact of race-related stress. The study also noted that wages tended to be lower, and underemployment or unemployment occurred at a disproportionate level.

According to the Pew Research Center, “Black workers are the most likely to say they’ve experienced discrimination at work because of their race or ethnicity.”

For some people, having ADHD, additionally, can make getting through the workday or even finding work significantly more challenging. Issues with executive functioning and time management may hinder a person’s ability to efficiently begin and complete assignments and tasks, compounding workplace challenges.

Thriving in the workplace

Finding ways to thrive as Black people with ADHD is the goal. Support and self-advocacy are essential. This can include having allies at work, people you can turn to and unmask around, and identifying your needs and asking for accommodations at work. The Job Accommodation Network offers resources for employers and people who have ADHD. It offers examples of ways to assist people at work, including taking breaks and providing a quiet work environment, which also can increase their productivity. Disclosure of one’s diagnosis is a personal choice.

“Many employers do not understand ADHD, much less how it can impact job performance,” writes Kevin R. Murphy, PhD, of the Adult ADHD Clinic of Central Massachusetts, and disabilities attorney Patricia H. Latham, JD. “They may view it as an excuse for substandard performance, especially if the timing of the disclosure is contiguous with a formal warning or other disciplinary action. Employers may also be unwilling to entertain what they may perceive as unreasonable, inconvenient, costly, or disruptive changes to the job.”

Concerns regarding the stigma that has historically surrounded ADHD and the potential for discrimination, and many people are reluctant to share their diagnosis. All adults need to consider the benefits and disadvantages of disclosing at work, but the ability to receive workplace accommodations may depend on the decision to disclose ADHD.

Should an individual receive the accommodations they need and develop the necessary coping skills, success in the workplace is not only possible but likely. Accommodations are often part of a person’s ADHD treatment plan, frequent as part of the behavior and lifestyle management portion. Working with culturally competent coaches and therapists, Black adults can learn or develop the tools that enable them to be their best selves at work.

Treating ADHD is a step to success

Researchers in one study “analyzed data for almost 13,000 working-age adults with ADHD and found ADHD medication use during the previous two years was associated with a ten percent lower risk for long-term unemployment in the following year.” Medication is often a vital component of treatment for adult ADHD. When harnessed, traits of ADHD, such as hyperfocus, can be strengths in the workplace.

Learning about one’s rights in the workplace, developing a support system, practicing reliable coping methods, and following a treatment plan are a strong recipe for success. CHADD’s publications and resources can help people in all stages of their lives. Speaking up for one’s self is an important aspect of becoming one’s best and most capable self.

Additional resources:

• Workplace Issues
• Black Adults Who Live with ADHD
• Black Adults Who Live with ADHD
• Living Black with Undiagnosed and Untreated ADHD
• Ask the Expert: Workplace Accommodations
• My ADHD Got Me Fired!
• Improve Your Workplace Social Skills
• Successfully Delegating Written Projects
• Improving the Health and Wellness of Black Americans with ADHD
• Being Black with ADHD
• When Employers Help Employees with ADHD Succeed, Everyone Wins (ADHD Online)