In the United States, there are currently more people with disabilities than the population, which makes finding work more difficult. The future of hiring continues to be in the direction of disability inclusion. The White House Office of Social and Disability Services outlines plans to ensure that by the year 2021, there will be more people with disabilities applying for employment than those who are not. By having the right people in the office, companies will be more likely to hire individuals with disabilities.
One of the most significant barriers to hiring disabled individuals is the stigma. Many people believe that people with disabilities are lazy and need to be placed in a labor force that does menial work. This may be true when a person has a physical disability or impairment, limiting them from performing specific tasks. However, this should not be an excuse for businesses not to hire people with a future. It is estimated that up to twenty percent of applicants who apply for jobs in the U.S. are discriminated against based on disability.
If an applicant does not have the necessary skills for the job they desire, they cannot get the job. The process of hiring should be one of providing an equal opportunity for all applicants. Disabilities do not determine a person’s ability to do the job. If an applicant can perform the job, they should be hired regardless of their disability. Having a company policy requiring equal employment opportunity for all applicants regardless of ability is beneficial to the business and the workforce’s safety.
Another barrier to potential employees is that many people fear being fired because of their disability. Some employers actually discriminate against people with specific disabilities, despite laws requiring that they do so. There is still a significant number of employees who believe that they would be at risk of being terminated due to their disability. The Human Resources Department works hard to inform employees of the dangers of being fired due to a disability and to provide ways to protect them from such a scenario. As time passes, there will likely be more changes to accommodate people with various disabilities. This will also work to increase the company’s employee population.
Disability accommodations should never be looked at as a hindrance to hiring people with a disability. Instead, it should be seen as a benefit. More people with disabilities will mean a successful company and a thriving society. It is possible to make it possible to do this with careful planning. It is also possible to hire the right employees, which means that the future of employment for people with disabilities will continue to look bright.
