People with disabilities face discrimination in the workplace
March 12th, 2008From the San Jose [CA] Mercury News, overwhelmingly negative employment figures. Experts say people with disabilities should not reveal their disability on a resume for fear of discrimination.
A report released by Cornell University, in collaboration with the American Association of People with Disabilities, states that 37.7 percent of people with a disability are employed, compared with 79.7 percent of people without disabilities, making a gap of 42 percentage points. People with a disability between the ages of ages 21 and 64 make up 12.9 percent of the working-age population.
Jeff Klare, of Hire DisAbility Solutions in Brooklyn, N.Y., advises against revealing a disability on a résumé because of possible discrimination. Many myths and misperceptions exist about people with a disability. Placing any limitations on a résumé may eliminate any chance of being considered as a potential candidate.
The Bobby Dodd Institute, a nonprofit organization in Atlanta that offers job training and employment opportunities for individuals with physical and mental disabilities, backs Klare’s views. Surveys reveal that 49 percent of respondents falsely believe that disabled persons cannot adequately perform required work duties; 25 percent of individuals surveyed cite lack of knowledge about the disabled as the primary deterrent to hiring.
Lisa Jordan, president of Human Solutions LLC in Buena Park, Calif., says that statistics show that for every one interview a nondisabled person does, a person with a disability does five in order to secure a job.
The story includes job-searching strategies for people with disabilities.
Earlier post on the Cornell report: Unemployment and poverty remain dramatically high among workers with disabilities
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on Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 at 4:36 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, News_2_Use, disabilities, discrimination, employment, tips & wisdom.
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