The US Census defines disability as a condition that limits or prevents working and by it own latest published survey that number of people in this category is 17.4 million people of working age (16 to 64). This isn’t a good definition as many people with disabilities do work. The Survey of Income and Program Participation uses a broader definition and includes, those unable to work, those on Social Security, those who use wheelchairs and those who report limits in what they can do and estimates the number of Americans with a disability is closer to 32 million people. This group of people have on of the highest unemployment rates of any group, 67%. A Harris Poll found that 7 out of 10 people with a disability who are not working want to work. 42% say an important reason they are not working is that their supervisors don’t think they can handle working full-time or doing the task.
32 million people represents a huge untapped employment reservoir. How can employers tap into this resource? By changing the myths about people with disabilities and that starts by changing the language we use to describe the “disabled.” “Didabled” I think is degrading and minimizes a person to the label of their disability. That is all that they are. As a person with a disability, I am as warm, dynamic and complicated as a person who does not have a disability. I have the same rights and responsibilites as any other American thanks to the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. It our Cvil Rights Act.
Why do I feel like I have to work harder, take on more work, just to prove I can do it. I guess I need to prove peolple with disabilities are more than just the label we are branded with. We are people who have had to overcome huge barriers, just to do the things a person without a disability takes for granted.
Filed under: ADA | Tagged: 67% unemployment, ADA of 1990, americans with disabilities act of 1990 ada, working with a disability
Great blog post! I hear what you’re saying about finding employment as someone with a disability… it’s a huge 800 lb gorilla that no one seems to want to talk about.
If I may, I’d like to point you to a site that is tackling this problem. It’s done by a company named Disaboom, and they’re working on a job site for people with disabilities. Check it out over here: http://www.disaboomjobs.com. Hopefully it’s something you’ve been hoping to see in employment?