Nov/100
Disability Employment In Faltering Economies
Business has seen interesting times over the past year, to say the least. Economic recession began with the close of the 2007 fiscal year, and it was impacting employment numbers by the middle of 2008. Applications for Federal disability increased dramatically in mid 2008 as well, illustrating an increase in unemployment among those with disability (i). This trend was not unique to our most recent recession, however. Data suggests that those with disabilities are among the first to be fired and the last to be rehired when the economy begins to falter.
Unemployment Explanations: Worker Insecurity, and Disability Employer Fear
One explanation for the correlation between disability unemployment and tough economic times is worker insecurity. Workers with disability voluntarily leave the workplace when the economy begins to turn, seeking to replace their unstable work environment for the certainty of Federal programs that provide unemployment benefits.
Another explanation links the correlation among increased disability unemployment and a “recession economy” with employer fear. Organization leaders know that tough economies require efficient and productive business operations. Fearing insolvency, disability employers must move to cut costs while improving efficiencies across all departments. Downsizing seems inevitable, and employees with disabilities are among the first to be perceived as inefficient and expendable. In fact, research suggests that when recession strikes, employees with disabilities “may be the first to be laid off in a recession and the last to be hired when conditions improve” (ii). Deep, often unconscious prejudices about workers with disabilities may label the individuals as unproductive, fragile, or inferior, and thus subject them to unfair scrutiny or dismissal.
Increasing Worker Retention with Disability Education
Organizations must strive to increase efficiency, especially in stagnant or declining economies. Human capital must be retained, as it is the main driver towards production, innovation, and longevity. Diverse workplaces must recognize all workers as drivers towards recovery rather than superfluous costs, regardless of their physical or mental ability.
Disability education can help to build a culture where this ideal is held in high regard. By exposing employees to disability products that spread awareness, employers are able to accomplish two goals. First, they build an environment where workers with disability may feel comfortable, and thus less likely to leave. Second, disability training products build unity among all levels of an organization. This unity drives efficiency and productivity, two elements critical to surviving a down turned economy.
(i) Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2000 (Social Security Administration, 2001); Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2009 (Social Security Administration, 2010).
(ii) Douglas Kruse and Lisa Schur, “Employment of People with Disabilities Following the ADA,” Industrial Relations, 2003, p. 31.
Nov/100
Disability Employers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Is your organization working with the Americans with Disabilities Act? It may seem unreasonable to frame this question nearly 20 years after the enactment of the ADA, but a closer look may prove otherwise. The rate of unemployment among those with disability hovered around 16% at the end of 2009; nearly double the rate of unemployment among persons with no disability (i). The assessment of Federal employers, as illustrated in the Unnecessary Boundaries study, indicates little progress in hiring individuals with disability since 1990 as well.
The picture is not entirely dismal, however. The ADA was enacted. Presidents have made legislative changes to further disability awareness– Barack Obama’s issuance of Rosa’s Law in late October being one of the most recent. In spite of these governmental and societal movements, though, unemployment among those with disability continues to hover at almost twice that of those without disability. To further unravel this conundrum, let us consider the other piece of the equation: disability employers.
Disability Employers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disability employers may not actively seek to diversify their workplace. On the contrary, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from trying to gauge whether or not a particular applicant has a disability (ii). Persons with disabilities are thus able to disclose their condition at their own discretion. Employers often hire applicants with disabilities simply in virtue of their qualifications for the job. Ideally, this would be a victory for both employer and applicant. However, employers sometimes lack the skills, workplace supports, or technologies to facilitate the employment of a new hire with a disability. As a result, the new employee is hired, receives inadequate training, suffers from lackluster environmental supports, and is unable to perform to the best of their ability.
Prepare to Work with the ADA
Simple disability education products can equip organizations to reverse this trend. The ADA has been successful in breaking the barriers to disability employment, however progress now rests in the hands of employers. Proactive disability awareness training can equip an organization with the knowledge, skills, and etiquette necessary to build inclusive workplaces suitable for today’s diverse workforce. Additionally, organizations may enlist disability advocacy resources to refine their hiring skills, smoothing the transition of employees with disability into the workplace.
(i) http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm
(ii) http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/personalissues/a/disability_act.htm
Nov/100
National Caregiver Month is Here
November brings many things. The November winds swirl with crisp air, turning leaves, and a lingering reminder to give thanks as another year nears its end. This year, November carries additional meaning as National Family Caregivers month. Caregivers are essential members of the community, representing the bridge that bonds individuals of diverse mental and physical ability. This November, remember to give thanks to these community heroes. There are several ways to show appreciation, and no feat is too small or insignificant for consideration.
Show Appreciation for Caregivers
The easiest way to participate in National Family Caregivers Month is to simply show appreciation for the caregivers in your community. You may find community caregivers in many places, including hospitals, retirement communities, and even through social networking sites on the Web. You may wish to enrich the lives of these individuals with caregiver training resources that will help them to serve other persons with disability within the community.
Caregiver Support Through Advocacy
An advocate is someone who represents another person or group of people. Typically, advocates are in a position to positively influence the position of the people whom they advocate. Disability Advocates, for example, are licensed individuals who help other individuals with disability obtain financial benefits, find work, and help with other aspects of life. Program Development Associates offers products to help individuals progress through advocacy training. Here, however, we are using advocate in a more generic way.
This November, you may wish to become an advocate by helping family caregivers. Organizing information sessions, spreading caregiver awareness online, and raising funds to donate to other philanthropic organizations are great ways to mobilize local communities.
Lobby for Change
Approaching policymakers is a powerful means of incurring change. Unfortunately, it is often seen as the most dismal. Stay positive! Rallying a group of individuals in person or online to contact community leaders is a superb way to engage policymakers and inquire about the development of caregiver support programs and other initiatives.
Join Program Development Associates in celebrating National Family Caregiver month by following us on Twitter. We will continually provide caregiver program information, news, and suggestions on how to stay involved. You may find stories and updates on the Disability Training Facebook Page as well.
Nov/102
Disability Products for Soft Skills and Sensitivity Training
Soft Skills Training and Sensitivity Training are rapidly becoming integral pieces of most organizational development programs. Internally, these training methods help disability employers to train employees with disabilities to overcome many of the everyday obstacles they may face. The benefit of Soft Skills and Sensitivity Training is not limited to the internal aspects of a business, however. Sensitivity training, for example, develops employee skill sets to interact with persons with disabilities who may be external agents, customers, or friends of an organization.
Soft Skills Training
Soft Skills are related to the EQ, or Emotional Intelligence Quotient, of an individual. EQ can be measured along the dimensions of a person’s open-mindedness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and level of narcissism, to name a few. These skills are thought to be strong determinants of individual success within an organization. For example, the success of a sales associate may hinge upon their ability to be open minded and conscientious of their prospects more so than their knowledge of the goods they sell.
For disability employers, helping employees to develop soft skills can be key ingredients in increasing productivity and worker efficacy. Disability products that help individuals to get along with others, find passion in work, and maintain punctuality pay great dividends when leveraged within disability training programs.
Sensitivity Training
As the name implies, Sensitivity Training aims to make individuals aware of the prejudices the hold so they may become more aware, or sensitive, of others. Sensitivity training further helps individuals to develop proper etiquette when interacting with others, especially peers with disabilities. This type of training is ideal for inclusive work environments as well as businesses that provide goods or services to those with disabilities.
Soft Skills and Sensitivity Training are two methods of disability education that are becoming invaluable. The former augments the level of success an employee may reach, and the latter promotes effective internal and external collaboration. When properly cultivated, these workplace skills can greatly increase the productivity, efficiency, and community goodwill of an organization.
Nov/105
Disability Education: Psychiatric Disabilities in the Workplace
One of the most difficult tasks faced by disability employers of almost every industry is developing an environment in which employees with disabilities can receive the individual support they need to work effectively. Much of this battle is fighting the preconceived ideas that current employees, managers, and even customers may hold regarding those with mental and physical disabilities.
When we think of providing equal employment opportunity to those with disabilities, individuals with physical disabilities almost always come to mind first. However, we must expand our perceptions to encompass individuals with mental disabilities as well. We must further our ideas of what may or may not be considered a disability to also include psychiatric disabilities. Psychiatric disabilities are often disregarded when organizations consider disability employment; individuals who suffer from depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder are sometimes overlooked during an organization’s efforts to employ disability training and education. However, an estimated 26 percent of Americans over the age of 18 suffer from a mental disorder, providing impetus for businesses to utilize disability education to better understand these conditions (i).
Program Development Associates has a number of resources to help build employer relations among an organization and potential prospects. Organizations interested in developing programs aimed specifically at spreading awareness of psychiatric disabilities will find the Accommodating Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities DVD an invaluable resource. This closed captioned DVD uses a diverse cast of 27 different characters to explore the workplace needs of individuals with six major disabilities: Depression, anxiety, chemical dependency, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and psychiatric expressive disorder.
Disability education products are perhaps the best supplement to an organization’s disability training initiatives. These interactive products are capable of engaging large audiences, making them ideal for educating sizable groups of employees and management teams. Specific products can be utilized when training to accommodate individuals with psychiatric disabilities in particular. Such resources help to spread awareness and build cohesion among employees, two key ingredients to long term productivity.
(i) http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml
