Have your health conditions ever caused you to lose a job? Or prevented you from applying – or getting hired – in the first place?
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an event that aims to recognize the skills that those with disabilities bring to the workforce and promote employment opportunities and access for those with disabilities. The issue, of course, is that discrimination, employment barriers and higher rates of unemployment remain ongoing concerns for Americans with disabilities.
Here’s what the White House’s Presidential Proclamation has to say about these troubling statistics:
“More than 20 years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with disabilities, including injured veterans, are making immeasurable contributions to workplaces across our country. Unfortunately, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities remains too high -- nearly double the rate of people without disabilities -- and reversing this trend is crucial.” - President Barack Obama
Last week, we featured a post about wheelchair barriers and hazards and asked readers to appraise their neighborhood for wheelchair accessibility. Today, we ask you to think about the barriers to employment that might exist for people with disabilities – both physical and mental – in your workplace. Would you say your work is “supportive” and “inclusive,” as the Presidential Proclamation states is the goal?
Whether you’ve faced job discrimination or noticed a potential barrier at work, we encourage you to share your stories in the comments section.