Hiring a person with disability shouldn’t be seen as an issue to be overcome

The pandemic has hit the disabilities community particularly hard. This founder of a startup that makes software more accessible warns that’s a major loss for your innovation.

If these famous people with disabilities share something, besides their professional success, it is their ability of self-improvement. The lives of most of them have not been easy and precisely because of that, they are an example and inspiration.

One in five Americans has a disability. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, just 20.2% of people with disabilities participate in the labor force, compared to 69.1% of people without disabilities. That’s a huge untapped pool of talent – and there’s ample evidence that companies benefit from including people with disabilities in their workforce.

As a nation, Australia is falling short when it comes to the employment of disabled workers. Ranking 21 out of 29 OECD countries for labour force participation among those with a disability, it lags behind New Zealand and many European nations. So what needs to change to improve the landscape for disabled workers?

There are many kinds of intellectual disabilities—and many causes. Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disability.

According to a recent study by the Center for Talent Innovation, 30% of the professional workforce fits the current federal definition of having a disability — and the majority are keeping that status a secret.

The robust economy, high productivity, and a 3.7% unemployment rate—the lowest in decades—has prompted businesses of all sizes to double down on recruiting and hiring efforts. They’re eager to fill vacancies at every level, from minimum-wage jobs to executive roles—yet these efforts often overlook an important resource.

Insider spoke to a variety of individuals who have different disabilities to highlight some of the biggest issues and types of discrimination that they face in the workplace.

Autistic adults have more job opportunities than they used to, and a small neurodiverse workforce is thriving — but mainly at select companies that invest heavily in such employees.

Millions of people with disabilities want jobs but can't get hired, even though five foundational federal laws are in place to protect the 61 million adult Americans with disabilities from employment discrimination. Yet a stigma that still exists in the workplace limits all hopes of fulfilling the American Dream for many of these individuals.

What conditions might be classified as a disability?

Although marriage and family are never a certainty for anyone; having a physical disability can make achieving this goal more difficult.

Why are we still buying into the “burden” narrative when it comes to people with disabilities?

Government statistics tell us that there are around 13.3 million people with disabilities living in the UK. They also tell us that there is an estimated 3.8 million people with a disability in employment.

Aware of the importance of having people with disabilities in the job market, we—with help from Instituto Alana—looked at the impact people with Down syndrome might have on the business environment.

5 Tips to help you relate well with co-worker with disability

Each and every candidate should be given the opportunity to fulfil the job role regardless of a disability or impediment. However, is this universally what is happening within workplaces?

Struggling to find a great candidate for your open position? Try thinking outside the traditional box.

Within weeks I realized Clint was my best employee. He came to work an hour before his shift; he would not take a break and I couldn’t convince him to go home at the end of his shift. The job meant that much to him.