Health and handicap-related job discrimination as viewed by professionals

Abstract

Health and handicap-related job discrimination is a frequent concern, often resulting in lower benefits from rehabilitation and poor social outcome. However it remains difficult to assess objectively. To document professionals’ opinion about discrimination in context of their work for vocational adjustment in rehabilitation settings. A questionnaire addressing 6 main discrimination domains was designed specifically for the study and mailed to the 47 units of a French national network for early return to work entitled Comète-France. Answers could be individual or by team. Twenty-seven individual and 23 team questionnaires were collected from 38 units. Professionals said that patients were faced with job discrimination in 36% of cases. The question was addressed by the person himself/herself in 60% of cases, by a Comète professional in 22%, although relatives and other French public services for vocational adjustment addressed it in first in less than 10% of cases. Common forms of discrimination were non accurate job tasks in regard to handicap (37%), accessibility (35%) and transports (26%), resulting in loss of chance in job finding (32%), promotion (26%) and exclusion process (23%). Professionals were also aware that other factors like age and ethnicity played a role. Assessing a job discrimination concern is a complex process, needing objective and multiple points of view. Many factors should be taken into account. Although an opinion is nothing more than an opinion, Comète-France professionals may provide interesting objective arguments in such discussions on handicap-related job discrimination. At present, concerted actions with the French Defender of the Rights of the Republic are on-going.