‘Including people with disabilities in the workplace: How employers can do more’ - fastcompany.com
Thirty-two years of ADA is a remarkable achievement. It remains a landmark law for people with disabilities, setting out a pathway to full societal inclusion as an absolute right. But we can do more.
[Photo Credits: Adobe Stock / freeograph]
BY NICHOLAS WYMAN
The U.S. just marked the 32nd anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a singular piece of legislation that gave people with disabilities the right to occupy public spaces—including workplaces—with the same ease as people without disabilities.
There is much to celebrate in this 32nd year, but there is also much to be done. My specialty is market-based workforce development: matching businesses that need skilled workers with people actively seeking work. Right now, I’ve noticed a very real concern among business leaders about the skills shortage. Every day I hear business leaders say, “We simply can’t find enough skilled people for the job.”
But I can tell you—skilled workers are out there. Every day, I meet eager and enthusiastic job seekers keen to build a career and a life, including people with disabilities. And despite 32 years of the ADA, people with disabilities are underemployed.
According to the National Organization on Disability, almost a million workers with disabilities lost their jobs by July 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that not even one in five people with a disability were employed, and a third of them were in part-time work. By contrast, about two-thirds of people without a disability had jobs, and just 16% of them worked part-time.
FINDING SUCCESS WITH PARTNERSHIPS
I believe there’s no reason for so many people with disabilities to be unemployed. One way success can be achieved is with partnerships. A promising example is a partnership recently launched between the California Department of Rehabilitation, the Institute for Workplace Skills and Innovation America, and other stakeholders working to create career pathways for Californians with disabilities.
This mentored apprenticeship program, which has started in Orange County, aims to place 100 apprentices in the health care field. Current opportunities include positions for apprentice spectacle-lens dispensers, facilitated through collaboration with the California State Society for Opticians.
SHIFTING EMPLOYER ATTITUDE
In my experience, many employers believe accommodating people with disabilities is too complicated. They worry about costly renovations, specialist equipment, or burdensome support measures. But this simply isn’t the case. Most accommodations are minor—providing accessible facilities and technology is often all that’s needed.
There’s also plenty of support available. The Department of Labor offers guidance and tools specifically for employers wishing to create inclusive workplaces. Within its Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Job Accommodation Network provides free, expert advice on ADA compliance and implementing reasonable adjustments for employees with disabilities.
FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF OTHERS
Employers can also learn from businesses that already employ people with disabilities successfully.
UPS, for instance, partnered with a local disability services provider in Kentucky to create a pre-employment training course for people with disabilities. Since the program’s inception in 2012, 87% of trainees have secured competitive positions at UPS.
Another standout example comes from Australia. ANZ Banking Group launched the ANZ Spectrum program in 2018 to hire people with autism. A key element of its success is a recruitment process tailored to help candidates with autism effectively showcase their skills. Once hired, employees receive ongoing support from an Autism Spectrum Consultant who helps identify and overcome potential workplace barriers. Impressively, 100% of Spectrum participants have either remained in the program or transitioned into other employment with ANZ.
What the ANZ program reveals is that inclusion doesn’t need to be difficult—but it does require genuine commitment. The most inclusive companies embed this commitment at every level, offering training from the mailroom to the boardroom and ensuring employees with disabilities are supported by mentors, managers, and peers alike.
Thirty-two years of the ADA is a milestone worth celebrating. It paved the way for people with disabilities to claim their rightful place in public and professional life. But there’s still more to do. Especially for employers seeking skilled talent—the workforce is there. It’s capable. It’s motivated. And it’s waiting.
