Amidst the flurry of reports about fiscal crisis, unemployment and the shrinking tax base, I urge all employers to consider a pool of potential workers whose attributes are often not recognized. People with disabilities who want to work are in every sector of our society, and this includes individuals with disabilities that begin at birth and those of us with acquired disabilities, whose experiences may be very different. We are of all ages, ethnicities and cultures, and for the most part the very last thing we want or need is to be made to feel “special.”
Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a huge disservice was done to employers, people with disabilities and society when – in anticipation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – big law firms, wanting to capitalize on a new market, flooded the media with stories of “those people” with disabilities who are just waiting to sue you for lack of compliance / accommodation / access. The public saw the adverse affects of recruiting and employing workers with disabilities, and the fear and misunderstandings continue to this day.
Are there some people with disabilities who like to sue others? Well, that’s like asking if people who don’t have disabilities cheat on their taxes: any group of people will consist of at least a few who are not aiming for higher goals or achievements. That’s not a byproduct of disability, it’s human nature.
But to return to the more salient point: people with disabilities can often be the best employees – from entry level to executive status. We are less likely to move or change jobs, we know that we have to work hard to prove ourselves and we have been trying for years to demonstrate our interest in being “regular folks.”
Who are we? We may already be your employees, and because we are working double-time to not let you find out that we have a disability, you don’t think of us as people with disabilities. We may be multiple-degreed professionals whose best efforts at employment are ignored by recruiters. We also could be people whose lives did not include some of the typical social, volunteer or work experience that is available to many youth, and thus we need additional information and support as we navigate the work-world and the larger society.
By and large, we are people who want to be productive and utilize viable skills and capacities. What can employers do to assure that they are ready to address all aspects of applicants and employees with disabilities? The answers are simple:
• Develop and implement human resources policies for reasonable accommodation.
• Train all managers and supervisors to be fluent in appropriate language and HR policies.
• Make sure that all job descriptions highlight “essential functions.”
• Do a pre-audit (with help, if needed) to see how accessible your workplace is.
Remember that “reasonable accommodation” means exactly that: something reasonable for both parties.
Afraid that an employee won’t be able to do the job? First, give the candidate or employee a chance. Clarify the job duties, ask how they would be performed, and keep an open mind about creative ways in which specific tasks can be rotated. The worker who absolutely hates copying documents may not mind making phone calls instead, and vice versa.
Some of the tasks that just never get done such as shredding, document collating and inventory may be addressed very well by someone seeking part-time employment. Not everyone desires full-time work, and some people with disabilities may be more than happy to start out (and maintain) part-time status.
Here are several resources available in the state:
• The R.I. State Rehabilitation Council: Voice, (401) 421-7005, ext. 354; TTY, (401) 421-7016.
• The Governor’s Commission on Disabilities: Voice, (401) 462-0100; TTY, 711.
• The R.I. Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Voice, (401) 222-1204; TTY, (401) 222-1205; Videophone, (401) 222-1205.
• The R.I. Office of Rehabilitation Services: Voice, (401) 421-7005; Spanish Voice, (401) 272-8090; TDD, (401) 421-7016.
• The Rhode Island Relay: 711 or TTY Relay Number, (800) 745-5555; Voice Relay Number, (800) 745-6575; Spanish Relay, (800) 855-2884; TTY/TDD, (800) 855-2885; Voice, (800) 855-2886 ASCII.
• PARI: Voice, TDD, (401) 725-1966; Spanish/Portuguese Voice, (401) 365-1839.
• Ocean State Center for Independent Living: Voice, (866) 857-1161; TTY, (401) 738-1015.
• The R.I. Statewide Independent Living Council: (401) 253-8949. •
Mary E. Wambach is the executive director of the Corliss Institute, as well as a commissioner of the R.I. Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and a member of the State Rehabilitation Council, among other positions.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
