Identity Management Techniques During Workplace Socialization  
 

IRB Protocol Number: 18-0596   
Investigator: Sabrina D. Volpone    

• The purpose of the study is to understand how individuals with disabilities develop social relationships when starting a new job. It includes questions pertaining to how you communicate about your disability, seek support from coworkers, your satisfaction, engagement, performance at work, and demographic characteristics (including characteristics of your disability). This study will result in a published academic paper that helps us to understand the employment experiences of employees with disabilities.  
• We expect about 175 people will be in this research study, in addition to their supervisors and co-workers, should they choose to participate.

• Your participation is completely voluntary. There are no repercussions should you choose to participate, or not.
• This research involves four surveys which you will complete over a 4-month period.
  • The first survey will take 20 minutes to complete. 
  • The remaining three surveys will take approximately 15 minutes to complete each. 
  • To establish whether you are eligible for the study, you will first complete this screening questionnaire. A member from our research team will follow-up with you via email if you do qualify for the study.
  • From there, you will complete the first survey, which will gather demographic information along with questions about your workplace experiences.
  • Following the same procedure as the first survey, you will receive the second survey one month after the first survey, the third survey one month after the second survey, and the fourth survey one month after the third survey.
  • Because of the multiple surveys, we expect that you will be in this research study for 4 months

 

• As part of understanding your relationships with your coworkers and supervisor, you will be asked to provide the names and email addresses of your immediate coworkers and immediate supervisor so that we can also ask them questions related to the workplace environment that you both work in as well as workplace interactions with their coworkers. When we contact your supervisor and coworkers, we will not ask anything about disabilities that might possibly alert them to a disability status. If your supervisor and coworkers choose to participate (there is only 1 survey for them), they would also be compensated $5 each for their time (about 10 minutes for one survey).  
  • As you are nominating your coworkers and supervisors, there is a risk that their involvement in this research may impact their relationship with you. Nominating your immediate coworkers and supervisor is voluntary. Do not nominate anyone you feel uncomfortable completing this survey. Further, your responses on the surveys and that of your coworkers and supervisors will be kept confidential such that neither you nor your coworkers and supervisors will know how you both responded to the surveys.   

• You can leave the research study at any time. There are no alternatives to participating, other than not participating in this research study. If you decide to leave the research, you will receive any compensation you have earned up until the time of withdrawal.

• There will be minimal-to-no risk associated with this study. Many of the questions in the survey ask about your disability and the characteristics of your coworkers and workplace, however they do not require you to reveal anything about yourself or others that you do not wish to reveal. Since your participation is confidential, you will not receive any form of prejudice or penalty for your participation (or lack of participation) in the survey. If any of the questions make you uncomfortable, you can skip over them.
• If you feel uncomfortable you may wish to contact local support services. The Center for People with Disabilities, Boulder Colorado: (303) 442-8662 Boulder Mental Health Partners: (303) 443-8500.

• We cannot promise any benefits to you or others from your taking part in this research. However, possible benefits include your participation contributing to understanding of the experiences of individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Both organizations and individuals will benefit from such research as they meet the challenges of creating workplaces that support and include employees with disabilities.

• Information obtained about you for this study will be kept confidential to the extent allowed by law. Research information that identifies you may be shared with the University of Colorado Boulder Institutional Review Board (IRB) and others who are responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations related to research, including people on behalf of the Office for Human Research Protections. The information from this research may be published for scientific purposes; however, your identity will not be given out.

• Taking part in this research study will not lead to any costs to you.  

• If you agree to take part in this research study, you will be compensated $5 for completing the second, third, and fourth survey so in total you will be able to earn up to $15 as a participant. You will not be compensated for completing the screening survey or the first survey. For example, if you complete only the second and third survey you will receive a $10 payment.

• If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, or think the research has hurt you, talk to the research team at:   
  • Sabrina Volpone University of Colorado Boulder, Leeds School of Business
  • Phone Number: 303-492-1716 
  • Email Address: sabrina.volpone@colorado.edu  

• This research has been reviewed and approved by an IRB. You may talk to them at (303) 735-3702 or irbadmin@colorado.edu if: 
  • Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
  • You cannot reach the research team.
  • You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
  • You have questions about your rights as a research subject.
  • You want to get information or provide input about this research.