The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) constitutes one of the most fundamental civil rights legislation in the United States. The statute has undoubtedly improved the lives of individuals with disabilities, particularly in increasing their access to employment opportunities. In addition to demanding an end to discriminatory practices against persons with impairment, the ADA requires employers to not only ensure equal access to employment opportunity irrespective of disability but also provide members of this groups with reasonable accommodations. Although there are changing attitudes towards individuals with disabilities due to the benefits that accrue to making accommodations for them, persons with disabilities still face negative perceptions from employers and co-workers, besides experiencing discrimination in hiring – both of which necessitate companies to provide them reasonable accommodations. This argumentative research paper explores the perceptions, discrimination, and benefits that accrue to the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Many employers and coworkers are increasingly developing positive attitudes and perceptions towards individuals with disabilities. The existence of an elaborate legal framework on employment of people with disabilities substantially contributes to the changing attitudes toward disabled persons in the workplace. Title 1 of the ADA fundamentally seeks to protect persons with disabilities from all forms of discriminative practices in employment. The Act regards “disability” as either physical or mental impairment that substantially limits an individual’s major life activities, including the ability to breathe, see, hear, sit, stand, sleep, care for oneself, lift, or learn.
Furthermore, the ADA extends its protection to individuals with a record of impairment and those perceived to have an impairment. Most important, Title 1 of the Act requires covered entities (corporations with more than 15 staff members, employment agencies, labor organizations, and joint labor-management committees) to ensure equal employment opportunity regardless of disability and offer reasonable accommodations for disabled workers. Increased awareness and compliance has improved perception of qualified employees with disabilities – individuals who satisfy the requirements of a position they hold or apply, and are capable of doing the core functions of the position, in the presence or absence of a reasonable accommodation. In a field experiment to test potential discrimination in employer hiring behavior, Ameri et al. (2015) established that the ADA has led to a significant reduction in the gap in employment between individuals who have disabilities and other employees.
Furthermore, research findings confirm the changing attitudes and perceptions of persons with disabilities. In an attempt to understand employers’ perception of employees with developmental impairment, Morgan, and Alexander (2005) conducted a survey to compare the perception of employers who are experienced in hiring disabled workers with those with no experience in this function. The investigation focused on the participant’s location (small or large city), business (type and size), average experience, and academic qualification (Morgan " Alexander, 2005, p.42). The majority of participants who were experienced reported that employing disabled persons tended to work well and exhibited a higher likelihood of hiring them again. Equally, employers with limited experience were found to be receptive to recruiting individuals with impairment. The findings of this survey confirm the positive changes in employers’ attitudes towards persons with physical and mental challenges.
In an early study, Olson, Cioffi, Yovanoff, and Mank (2001) established the same trend toward changing the perception of disabled persons. Through a survey distributed throughout the United States, Olson et al. (2001) examined employers’ attitude and perceptions toward individuals who are mentally retarded. The researchers found out that employers in corporations of all sizes (small, mid-sized, and large) exhibit favorable experience in hiring persons who are mentally retarded. Moreover, the study established that all employers appreciate the training that supported employment service providers offer employees with disabilities (Olson et al., 2001, p.128). Also, the research results showed that companies incur similar or lower costs on managing mentally retarded workers than non-disabled employees. These findings demonstrate that employers and coworkers are developing positive attitudes towards employees with disabilities, which translate to increased acceptance of this population into the workplace.
Another factor that has substantially improved attitudes and perception of individuals with disabilities is the benefits of providing reasonable accommodations for employment of persons with disabilities. Employment can help disabled persons eliminate social isolation and enhance their psychological well-being and overall satisfaction in life. On the other hand, organizations may enjoy both economic and non-economic benefits that accrue to the increased employment of individuals with disabilities. Many research studies document economic and noneconomic implications of hiring individuals with disabilities.
In their coherent review of the extant literature on factors that influence acceptance of disabled people in regular employment, Vornholt, Uitdewilligen, and Nijhuis (2013) note that individuals in this group are a large, unexploited labor pool with qualified individuals who possess an array of work-relevant training and experiences. The researchers further assert hiring people with disabilities makes the workplace more diverse and inclusive, consequently translating to a motivational factor for the rest of the workforce (Vornholt, Uitdewilligen, " Nijhuis, 2013, p.467). On top of that, the literature review identifies a host of other economic and noneconomic implications of hiring candidates from this group, such as increased retention, higher performance, lower absenteeism, tax credits, and better access to funding for reasonable accommodations through government (both state and federal) grants.
Similarly, Morgan and Alexander (2005) report merits of employing disabled persons. In their examination of employers’ perception of workers with developmental impairments, the researchers found that experienced employers identify advantages of employing individuals with disabilities compared to those with limited experience. The major benefits identified by the respondents include consistency in attendance, staff diversity, long-term employment, and stronger relationships with colleagues (Morgan " Alexander (2005, p.46).
Additionally, Hartnett et al. (2011) found that hiring individuals with physical or mental impairment enable companies to retain quality talent, increase their profit margin, avert additional costs that accrue to hiring and training new workers. Their investigations further report that corporations that provide reasonable employment accommodations aimed at retaining employees have better organizational culture, inclusive work environment, and workers who believe their employers value their contribution not only as employees but as human beings as well (Hartnett et al., 2011, p.21). A keen analysis of the findings of these studies reveals considerable improvement employers and coworkers’ perceptions and attitudes toward individuals with disabilities, which implies increased acceptance of the persistently underrepresented group in the workplace today.
Despite the potential benefits of increased employment of persons who are physically or mentally challenged, a number of employers and coworkers still hold negative perceptions and attitudes toward this population. In fact, many researchers believe that employment rates and economic status of individuals with disabilities remain considerably low (Hartnett et al., 2011; Ameri et al., 2015). Lack of knowledge coupled with the erroneous perpetuation of negative attitudes towards persons with impairments largely contribute to a great deal of the persistent negative perceptions.
Many employers still believe that the reasonable accommodations that disabled employees need are quite expensive despite evidence illustrating that most of them be made at a lower cost. Olson et al. (2001) examined employers’ attitude and perceptions of individuals suffering from mental impairment. The results of their nationwide survey demonstrate that many employers believe the human resource management of mentally impaired employees is costly especially training and supervision. However, the same study found that accommodations that small, mid-sized, and large corporations make for employees with mental retardation, including extra supervision time, flexible working hours, and coaching, attract minimal cost to the organization (Olson et al., 2001, p.128). Most interesting, the findings of the study indicate that companies incur similar or lower costs on managing mentally retarded workers than non-disabled employees. These findings imply that it is erroneous to think that individuals with disabilities add extra costs to an organization.
Furthermore, some employers and coworkers still believe that employees with disabilities are a threat to workplace safety. Some people still fall victim to the myths and misconceptions about persons with physical impairment, assuming for instance that people who use wheelchairs are “sick” or individuals who are mentally impaired are generally violent. Others hold that disabled people can evoke emotional reactions in those around them, including sympathy or fear. In their examination of employers’ perception of employees with disabilities, Morgan and Alexander found that research participants who were more experienced in employing disabled workers reported many concerns about recruiting individuals who are mentally or physically challenged compared to those with limited experience, especially workplace safety.
Moreover, some employers and coworkers still content that disabled persons are not qualified to perform the job than others. This issue is very unfortunate because even qualified workers with mental and physical impairment are erroneously perceived to be less skilled, less capable, less experience and not knowledgeable to hold certain positions or jobs. These misconceptions are better demonstrated in a study undertaken by Fraser et al. (2010). These researchers sought to determine factors that influence employers’ beliefs, normative impacts, and perceived control related to employing candidates with disabilities. The study focused on top managers who influence human resource management decisions, including HR managers, Chief COOs, or CEOs in small, medium-size, and large firms with operations in Seattle. The researchers conducted three semi-structured focus group discussions with the research participants to gain greater insights into their perceptions of workers with disabilities. These findings confirm the persistent misconceptions about disabled people. The study shows that participants from small and mid-sized firms believed that persons with disabilities lack either qualification or ability to perform the work better.
Similarly, managers in large corporations exhibited disbelief in the benefits of hiring disabled workers. The results of this qualitative study clearly indicate that many employers still content that people who are mentally or physically challenged cannot do work better. These negative attitudes explain why individuals in this group tend to experience difficulty integrating into the workplace. Vornholt, Uitdewilligen, and Nijhuis (2013) support this point by asserting that lack of social acceptance in the workplace is a primary reason why workers with physical or mental impairment fail to stay in regular organizations for a longer period of time. Vornholt, Uitdewilligen, and Nijhuis (2013) further established three main factors that affect acceptance of workers with disabilities - characteristics of coworkers, disabled persons, and employers or corporations. Overall, these research findings affirm that employees with disabilities are still subject to negative attitudes and perception in the workplace.
Besides that, individuals with impairments also face discrimination, especially during hiring. It is imperative to reiterate that the ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in all employment practices, which hiring is part. However, disabled people encounter discrimination in the hands of recruiters. Ameri et al. (2015) sent job applications to a total of 6,016 accounting vacancies for which the applicant’s impairment had low chances of impacting individual productivity. The application letters were placed into three equal groups the first disclosing that the applicant had spinal cord injury, the second Asperger’s syndrome, and the third indicating no disability. The results of this experiment indicated that employers expressed 26 percent less interest in candidates with disabilities compared to the other two groups. Experience candidates with disabilities and small private firms that fall outside the ADA protected class reported a concentrated gap.
In another related study, Snyder, Carmichael, Blackwell, Cleveland, and Thornton (2010) investigated potential negative employment experiences in terms of injustice and discrimination. The findings of the 1880-participant survey showed that workers with disabilities still encounter overt and subtle discriminatory and unjust experience at work compared to those with no disabilities. The results further indicate that workers with non-physical disabilities face even worse discrimination than those who are physically challenged. Furthermore, this investigation further found that perceived support from the organization and supervisors has a greater potential to reduce the effects of disability status bear on attitudes and perceptions towards individuals with disabilities at work (Snyder et al., 2010, p.16). The findings of this survey confirm the existence of discriminative and unjust practices against members of this group.
Additionally, Shier, Graham, and Jones (2009) acknowledged that public policies push for greater inclusion of disabled persons in the labor market and propose approaches for implementing measures to accommodate this group. However, the scholars noted that a limited focus on the experiences of individuals with disabilities in the labor markets in existing literature. In an effort to fill this gap, Shier, Graham, and Jones (2009) held face-to-face and focus group interviews with 56 disabled Canadians engaged in employment training programs in Calgary and Regina between 2005 and 2006. The study established that workplace and employer discrimination and labeling primarily hinder individuals with disabilities from successfully securing and maintaining employment. Therefore, discrimination against persons with disabilities is still pervasive among employers and organizations today.
In conclusion, it is imperative to observe that the existing legislation on employment baked with public policies has positively contributed to increased employment and better experience of individuals with disabilities in the workplace. Many employers and coworkers are increasingly developing positive attitudes towards members of this group in order to harness numerous benefits that accrue to hiring disabled workers. However, qualified employees still face adverse perceptions, discrimination, and injustice practices. Under the provisions of the ADA and other civil regulations, every person has an equal right to employment and a full and meaningful life regardless of disability. To overcome the persistent underrepresentation and discrimination of persons with disabilities in the workforce, employers and coworkers must think more broadly about the interaction between the persons who are impaired, the work environment, and the society at large. Employees with disabilities are not the only participants. Part of such initiatives should include making reasonable accommodations for members of this group to effectively function in the workplace.
References
Ameri, M., Schur, L., Adya, M., Bentley, F. S., McKay, P., " Kruse, D. (2015). The disability employment puzzle: a field experiment on employer hiring behavior. ILR Review, 0019793917717474.
Fraser, R. T., Johnson, K., Hebert, J., Ajzen, I., Copeland, J., Brown, P., " Chan, F. (2010). Understanding employers’ hiring intentions in relation to qualified workers with disabilities: Preliminary findings. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 20(4), 420-426.
Hartnett, H. P., Stuart, H., Thurman, H., Loy, B., " Batiste, L. C. (2011). Employers' perceptions of the benefits of workplace accommodations: Reasons to hire, retain and promote people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 34(1), 17-23.
Morgan, R. L., " Alexander, M. (2005). The employer's perception: Employment of individuals with developmental disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 23(1), 39-49.
Olson, D., Cioffi, A., Yovanoff, P., " Mank, D. (2001). Employers' perceptions of employees with mental retardation. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 16(2), 125-133.
Shier, M., Graham, J. R., " Jones, M. E. (2009). Barriers to employment as experienced by disabled people: a qualitative analysis in Calgary and Regina, Canada. Disability " Society, 24(1), 63-75.
Snyder, L. A., Carmichael, J. S., Blackwell, L. V., Cleveland, J. N., " Thornton, G. C. (2010). Perceptions of discrimination and justice among employees with disabilities. Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal, 22(1), 5-19.
Vornholt, K., Uitdewilligen, S., " Nijhuis, F. J. (2013). Factors affecting the acceptance of people with disabilities at work: A literature review. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 23(4), 463-475.
