Written by Rob McInnes, Diversity World, 2003

For many years, I have the opportunity to work closely with employers on issues of disability and employment. In recent times, and on several occasions, I have heard employers say that most companies have now effectively dealt with attitudinal barriers and that disability/employment efforts should concentrate on other fronts. In fact, I’ve heard some job developers and employment specialists say the same thing. I’m not convinced.

New research from the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development (profiled elsewhere in this Newsletter) once again highlights the enormity of the subjective barriers that still prohibit people with disabilities from effectively participating in the workplace. In this study, over 500 employers where queried about employment practices and people with disabilities.

Among other questions, employers were asked to identify the single greatest employment barrier to people with disabilities. 25% cited employer attitudes as the biggest single barrier. (15% cited employers’ general reluctance to hire people with disabilities. 5% cited employers’ discomfort and/or unfamiliarity with disability. 5% cited discrimination or prejudice.) This is supported by a 1999 study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in which 22% of 1400 Members surveyed cited attitudes and stereotypes as a major barrier (to both employment AND advancement opportunities) in their companies. Related to this, another study of 800 employers by Gallup Robinson revealed that 15% of them admitted discomfort with the notion of working for, or nearby, a person with a disability.

As a job seeker with a disability, this is truly a daunting notion – that 25% of the people who you will encounter in your job search – the people who read your resume, who interview you for a job – are likely predisposed to discriminate against you based on their own entirely subjective preconceptions.

As employment professionals seeking to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities or as proactive employers seeking to increase the representation of people with disabilities in their workplaces, this information is of no small consequence. I believe that, in aspiring to inclusive workplaces, attitudinal change is one of the very most urgent and challenging issues that we face.

I think it is tragic that attitudinal issues have been so downplayed in recent years. I think it is sad, even maddening, that so much that goes on under the banner of “Disability Awareness” or “Attitudinal Training” is so frequently trite, haphazard and/or unprofessional. It is disheartening to see so many companies offering their employees presentations that are selected on “cost” not “cost-benefit” (selecting the cheapest – not the most impactful) and to see this important task of dismantling attitudinal barriers resting on the shoulders of poorly-trained and poorly-equipped personnel from community-based organizations.

Even the best attitudinal training of our day seems rooted in tools that were developed ten years ago in the spirited times accompanying the passage of the ADA – tools like the powerful “Windmills Attitudinal Training Program” and the engaging “10 Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities”.

In a 2002 study by Susan Bruyere of Cornell University on policies and practices that affect the employment of people with disabilities, employers reported that attitudinal changes are possibly the most difficult organizational barriers to change. 35% of them considered attitudinal change “difficult” or “extremely difficult” to accomplish.

With subjective employer attitudes looming as possibly 25% of the reason that people with disabilities are still not effectively participating in the workplace, isn’t it time that we address it, with renewed vitality, in a concerted and strategic fashion?

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In their Work Trends series, Rutgers University's John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development, has published the results of a new study "Restricted Access: Work Trends Survey of Employers About People with Disabilities". Based on surveys of over 500 companies, this study is full of current and important findings, including: only 26% of Employers report having any employees with disabilities, 32% believe that people with disabilities are unable to do the kind of jobs that their employees perform,40% believe that it is difficult or costly to accommodate employees with disabilities.

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The SBC Foundation seeks to fund projects in SBC's thirteen-state service area (i.e., Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin) that build the technology infrastructure of nonprofits, enabling them to increase their organizational effectiveness and/or service delivery capability. These SBC Excelerator Grants, $9 million in total, range from ($2,500 to $25,000) Deadline: April 22, 2003

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The National Technical Assistance Center (Click on Logo for information) in Hawaii is seeking to profile employment “success stories” of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) with disabilities – stories from either from employers or employees. They intend to publish the best of these at a future date. For more information, contact Diane Hino 808-956-3648.

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This grant from the US Department of Education is to develop and disseminate rehabilitation training curriculum modules that can be incorporated into rehabilitation training programs. The purpose of the curriculum modules is to increase student contact with individuals with disabilities and to enhance student understanding of disability culture and counselor skills that support the empowerment of vocational rehabilitation (VR) customers with disabilities. Approx $400,000 Deadline: April 15, 2003. For information, contact Edward R. Smith(202) 205-0136.

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Joint project of Department of Housing and Urban development, Department of Health and Social Services, Department of Veterans Affairs. $35 Million in Grants to end chronic homelessness. Comprehensive and collaborative services that include employment/vocational rehabilitation. 10% of monies are specifically designated to meet the needs of homeless families with a “disabled adult member”. Submission Deadline: April 14, 2003

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The Social Security Administration (SSA) has developed a number of incentives or supports to assist people with disabilities to enter the workforce. The intent is to diminish the consequences and fears about losing benefits due to an attempt to work. Recently, there have been a number of changes to the Social Security disability programs that make it even easier for people who receive benefits to go to work. An online summary of these changes is available from the National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult.

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An ADA-based lawsuit has been leveled against he Computer Rehabilitation Training Program at Louisiana State University for wrongful termination of a Blind student who was allegedly terminated for being too disabled.

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Many people with disabilities would like to be self-employed. Is it your job to help them achieve their goals? Do you have questions? "AskaPro" is now accessible by anyone in vocational rehabilitation, career and business counseling of/for enterprising people with disabilities. The "AskaPro" web site has answers to frequently asked questions about self-employment for people with disabilities who are receiving vocational rehabilitation (VR) services. Five national experts provide advice to VR counselors and others on several topics.

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Winners at Work, in Hawaii, focuses on placing people with disabilities in the workplace; but builds good relationships with local-area employers by offering them training on how to offer good customer service to people with disabilities - "Aloha Begins with a Smile".

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Author: Denise Bissonnette (380 Pages, Softcover) $21.95

Generously sprinkled with poetry, parables, penetrating questions and practical suggestions, The Wholehearted Journey equips us for a life of greater joy and authenticity. Perspectives on the themes of The Wholehearted Journey are enriched through the inclusion of quotations from over 400 writers, philosophers, teachers, poets, politicians, spiritual leaders and other sages. Simply put, this is a personal retreat in a book. Each chapter focuses on a particular quality of soulful living and offers a self-contained tutorial for applying it to everyday life and work.

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In terms of both content and style, this is one of the best videos that we have seen on disability etiquette issues. Produced primarily for employees of amusement parks and similar companies, Disability Etiquette is nonetheless a great training tool for any retail establishment.

This is not an exhaustive training program. Disability Etiquette is, however, a straightforward orientation to the basic rules of etiquette and language that can lay the foundation for respectful and courteous customer service experiences for people with disabilities.

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April 15 & 16, Columbus, OH: "Multiple Perspectives on Access, Inclusion and Disability" Bringing together widely diverse audience to explore the full spectrum of disability issues and experiences.

April 29 - May 2, Vancouver, BC: "Diversity in Rehabilitation: Exploring the Canadian Mosaic" The annual conference of the Canadian Association of Rehabilitation Professionals.

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Diversity World is committed to reducing the barriers that prevent all people from flourishing in their livelihoods. We sincerely hope that the content of this email has been useful to you. Please visit our website (just click on our Logo) for more information and resources – and please contact us with any comments, questions or concerns.

- Rob McInnes and Denise Bissonnette

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