Approaches for overcoming Workplace Disability Discrimination
Approaches for overcoming Workplace Disability Discrimination
Virginia Commonwealth University
Sudhansu Shrestha
Authors Note
This paper was created for Focused Inquiry II taught by Professor Adams.
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Approaches for overcoming Workplace Disability Discrimination
Approaches for overcoming Workplace Disability Discrimination
Discrimination still exists in the society even with existence of empowerment.
Empowerment is the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices
and transform those into desired actions. Discrimination is well flourished in each and every aspect
of the society. For example, people are discriminated based on race, religion, gender and physical
attributes. Workplace discrimination is what creates an unstable workplace with less unity.
Moreover, discrimination promotes the stigma of being disabled.
Workplace disability
discrimination is a major social issue that needs a generic solution. Changes in legislation, reserved
job quotas, International level awareness campaign and training sessions for the managerial level
staff can promote empowerment. Moreover, promoting legislative acts are also important. The
potential outcome of applying these approaches can unshackle the restraints of being disabled at a
workplace and promotes equality between people.
The expectations and assumptions of the management and fellow employees is what
triggers the feeling of guilt within the disabled workers. According to statistics, among disabled
men and women, women are generally more discriminated than men. In the article, “The stigma
of disability: Croatian experiences” flaws of the stigma are listed as follows - “the impossibility to
make their own decisions, the perception of disability as the main feature of the person, the lack
of self-expectations, the impossibility to express themselves, the problem of voluntarily giving up
professional capacity, the lack of criteria during education and the creation of work.” (Buljevac,
2011). This shows that disabled ones are really effected by intrinsic experiences around them.
To improve personal work experience for both prospective workers as well as disabled
ones, changes in legislation are important. In the book, “Gower’s handbook of discrimination at
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workplace” the author lists out the main reasons as weak legislation, poorly trained officials at the
workplaces and negative stereotypes. The data from the book shows that disabled people in Europe
have twice the rate of non-participation in economy market. Moreover, the women discrimination
seems to be worse as the study proves that women also have hard time finding jobs than men
(Wright, 2011). Even though there are legislations in both United Kingdom and United States, the
legislations are vulnerable to the prejudicial attitudes of bias professionals (co-workers). Also, the
vulnerability of legislations has enabled workplaces to alter and adjust the disabled ones in
disadvantageous situations.
In “Discrimination laws and issues”, author discusses about the quota system that was set
for disabled people in a workplace. Author expresses that our current legislation remains
vulnerable to prejudicial attitudes which are likely to abate. Previously, the act forced employers
with 20 or more employees to employ 3% of total quota to disabled workers. Such law was
unknown, ineffective and was usually ignored. Later in 2004, the legislation was abolished and all
the organizations and workplaces were required to comply. Study illustrates that the DDA
(Disability Discrimination Act) enables ‘workplace adjustments’, however workplaces are altering
the adjustments that put disabled people in disadvantageous situation (Martin, 2006). This
legislation can still be improved and can be improvised among all the organizations. Some generic
changes that can be made include the raising of percentage of quotas, strict laws against any kind
of discrimination while being hired, and special accommodations for physically challenged. These
changes will directly affect the ones who are willing to work. On the other hand, it also gives the
opportunity for the ones to show their talent and skills at the workplace. This helps society to be
more productive and the amount of unemployment among the disabled ones decreases.
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In “Current Opinion in Psychiatry”, researcher explores the ultimate stigma of having
mental disability and illustrates the effects of stigma on the disabled ones in workplace. Researcher
analyzes that fear of stigma and rejection by prospective employees undermines the confidence of
discriminated people and overtime they come to view themselves as unemployable. This study
manifests the critical feature of workplace discrimination among the disabled ones, and how even
their physical disability leads to unhealthy mental state. Study also reveals that one in three mental
health consumers in United States are turned down for a job (Stuart, 2011).
International level awareness programs can be contrived in order to halt the discrimination.
The campaign should include awareness programs for employers and disabled people in
interpersonal as well as societal level. The main objective for employers through the campaign
should be to realize that ability is what defines work, not the disability. Employers should realize
that every employee that they hire is an investment, the skills and talent that employees provide is
important for advancement of the society. Whereas, disabled people must give up the stigma and
promote their own independency. Disabled people should be educated about the legislative rules
and laws that exist. Moreover, various NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) should promote
the campaign and act as a source of help for disabled people. The objective of the campaign should
be echoed by the members of society as the campaign progresses.
MENCAP Pathway Project is a great example of how an organization should help the
disabled ones. This project is held at United Kingdom and it facilitates people with learning
disabilities to access employment. The exceptional achievement of MENCAP is that it is the UK’s
leading learning disability charity. The pathway project holds awareness programs every now and
then. The project includes a step by step procedure to employ a disabled person which includes –
Approaches for overcoming Workplace Disability Discrimination
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26 weeks course of confidence building, vocational training, resume building, interview
preparation and work experience (Wright, 2011). The awareness campaign should be managed in
a similar way according to the needs of disabled people. The targeted groups must be successfully
helped in the most efficient way as possible. This method is efficient as it decreases
unemployment, and it educates the disabled ones with what they’re actually capable of.
In the article “The Perception of Disability”, researcher documents the employment
discrimination experienced by disable Americans. The article explicitly emphasizes the evidences
of workplace discrimination among the disabled ones. Researcher concludes that psychological
factor of stigma as well as the biasness against the disable Americans is closely related to
workplace discrimination. This article provides its statistical data from EEOC (Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission). This article manifests different aspects of discrimination of disabled
people. The EEOC data shows that the disabled women are discriminated more than disabled men.
Moreover, the discrimination includes “Involuntary Termination of Worker’s Contract”, “failure
to treat as an employee” and harassment (Draper, Reid, McMahon, 2011).
“The Irish Times” writer clarifies that people fear being discriminated, therefore they
refuse to share their chronic medical issues in workplace. NDA’s (National Disability Authority)
study also shows that fear of disclosure is common between mentally disable people. People with
chronic illness such as diabetes and asthma, that can’t be cured, but can be controlled are
considered disable (Mcdonagh, 2015). However, people choose not to disclose these diseases the
workplace. Basically, this news article implies that the effect of being disable makes them think
that they are not “promotable”.
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Poorly trained officials at workplace and negative stereotyping is another reason that
discrimination of disabled is prevalent. Actual workplace experiences, and relation with trade
unions prove that these affect the disabled people at work or disabled people who are seeking for
employment. Workplace bullying is something that promotes hatred towards their disability. So,
it is important for officials to be trained directly through the institution or through awareness
campaigns. Therefore, normal prosperous employees should be supportive to the disabled coworkers which promotes equality in workplace.
Training sessions for officials is an important mechanism to overcome discrimination.
Article also suggests intervening discrimination at sight. During training sessions, the normal
employees must be trained to adapt with the work adjustments of disabled people. They should
also be taught to morally behave with disabled ones. The officials should be aware that the work
done by a disable person or a normal person is not different. Moreover, they should encourage
disabled ones to work better and help the society advance with no ethical problems.
To prevent and get rid of discrimination, intervening discrimination at sight works the best.
But for long term and extensive reforms, discrimination of disabled can be prevented for through
proper awareness, changes in legislation, proper training among management and professionals,
and equal opportunities. These methods are assertive and are definitely effective. However, it is
necessary for all the people in society to be a part of it and stop discrimination that exist in the
workplace.
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References
Stuart, H. (n.d.). Mental Illness and Employment Discrimination. Current Opinion in
Psychiatry, 522-526.
Buljevac, M., Majdak, M., & Leutar, Z. (n.d.). The stigma of disability: Croatian experiences.
Disability and Rehabilitation, 1-8.
Wright, T. (2011). Understanding workplace adjustments for Disabled Employees. In Gower
handbook of discrimination at work (pp. 173-185). Farnham, Surrey, England: Ashgate
Publishing Group.
What can Family and Educators do? (n.d.). Retrieved April 23, 2015, from
http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/blog/index.php/heres-something-family-and-educatorscan-do-right-now/
Draper, W., Reid, C., & McMahon, B. (2011). Workplace Discrimination and the Perception of
Disability. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 29-37.
McDonagh, M. (2015, March 24). Workers suffer in silence as chronic conditions not revealed to
employer. The Irish Times. Retrieved from http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/healthfamily/workers-suffer-in-silence-as-chronic-conditions-not-revealed-to-employer-1.2145324
Martin, D. (2006). Discrimination law and employment issues avoiding the pitfalls in: Age,
disability, gender, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation. London: Thorogood.