Dawn Gibson, Christina Miller, and April Thompson
We’re less than a week into National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The stories of companies talking about the value of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access are everywhere. The truth that far too many of us in the disability community know however, is that for many of them, the goal is optics over action. Looking past the check-the-box mentality employed by so many and digging deeper we recognize awareness of disability employment (or the lack of it) is not really the issue. Apathy and indifference, however, are rampant.
-A woman went viral on TikTok after exposing her employer for not accommodating her for her dyslexia and ADHD, The Daily Dot reports.
-A worker with a back condition was fired from Virginia-based Resource Metrix after she requested an ergonomic chair, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, in a story published by The News & Observer Publishing Company.
-Walt Disney World, is under fire after a Cast Member took them to task in a public Facebook/Meta post for refusing to accommodate her Cerebral Palsy.
These are not isolated instances. Rather, they represent a small fraction of the injustices faced by disabled people in the workplace every day. Further, they underscore what can often feel like a Sisyphean task for the disabled community. Not only do we struggle to find employment, but due to a lack of employer empathy and understanding around reasonable accommodations, we struggle to keep it.
To combat the stigma, many of us don’t disclose, opting instead to work without accommodations and subsequently struggle to perform. Paradoxically, this often leads to being fired, perpetuating the myth that disabled people aren’t cut out for gainful employment. All of this while we watch leadership in our organization tout disability awareness and inclusion from the rooftops.
Meanwhile, the effects of long COVID continue impacting the workforce.
Up to 4 million people are estimated to be out of work because of long COVID symptoms, according to The Brookings Institution's August report.
Between Sept. 14 and Sept. 26, more than one in four adults with long COVID reported significant limitations on day-to-day activities, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
The number jumps closer to 40% for respondents who are Black, Latino or disabled — three groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic.
Employers must do better providing accommodations for employees. 1). It’s the law. 2) As the disability population increases, the demand for them will skyrocket. There’s no turning back and employers need to brace for that eventuality.
Our unique perspectives solve organizational challenges, they don’t create them.
H/t Fiona Lowenstein of Business Insider for this resource.
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