A significant reason for the low percentage (37) of employed people with disabilities is that employers are reluctant to hire them. A 2003 Rutgers University survey of employers, about restricted access to employment, found barriers to hiring people with disabilities included:
- employers' discomfort and unfamiliarity with workers with disabilities;
- employers' lack of awareness about the ability of workers with disabilities to perform job functions;
- 32% of employers believed the nature of the work excluded people with disabilities; and
- 40% of employers believed providing accommodations would be difficult or costly.
The survey also found that:
- though employers admit these barriers, 73% reported their workers with disabilities did not require accommodations to perform their job responsibilities; and
- for those workers with disabilities that did require accommodation, the cost of the accommodation averaged only $500.
Other reasons for low employment, according to a 2001 study by the Urban Institute, include:
- no appropriate jobs available (53%)
- family responsibilities (34%)
- lack of transportation (29%)
- no appropriate information about jobs (23%)
- inadequate training (22%)
- fear of losing health insurance or Medicaid (20%)
- discouraged from working by family and friends (14%)
References:
Dixon, K.A., D. Kruse, and C. E. Van Horn. 2003. "Restricted Access: A Survey of Employers About People with Disabilities and Lowering Barriers to Work", Heldrich Work Trends Survey, v3.6: Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
Loprest, P. and Maag, E. 2001. "Barriers and Supports for Work among Adults with Disabilities: Results from the NHIS-D": The Urban Institute, Washington DC.
Sullivan Sulewski, J. and Butterworth, J. 2006. "Massachusetts Employment and Disability Snapshot Report, 2000-2005": Institute for Community Inclusion, Boston, MA.
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Please Note: This information is not comprehensive nor is it intended to take the place of professional advice. The user is encouraged to check other resources of such information. No endorsement by DisabilityInfo.org, New England INDEX, or any of its affiliates should be inferred.
