Employment Of Disabled People Research Articles

Factors affecting employment among people with mobility disabilities in South Korea

Employment provides not only income but also opportunities for social participation. This is especially important for people with disabilities, but the employment of disabled people in many countries is subject to significant barriers. This study examines the actual state of employment of people with mobility disabilities in Korea and which characteristics affect employment among people with mobility disabilities. Analysis of responses to the Community Integration Questionnaire and independent variables among the study participants showed that the rate of employment among people with mobility disabilities (34.2%) is much lower than that of the general population (60.3%), with only 13.2% in full-time positions. Gender appeared to be a statistically significant factor influencing employment. Other demographic characteristics such as age, level of education and cohabitation did not influence employment in this study, but people with less severe disability had a higher probability of being employed. Disability acceptance appeared to be a vital factor in the process of vocational rehabilitation. The use of vocational rehabilitation services did not have a significant effect on employment. These results suggest that the role of the formal services system in the employment process of disabled people is insufficient.

Issues concerning the employment and employability of disabled people in UK accounting firms: An analysis of the views of human resource managers as employment gatekeepers

In this paper we consider attitudes of human resource managers towards the employment and employability of disabled people in United Kingdom (UK) accounting firms. Only one study [Duff, A., Ferguson, R.J., in press. Disability and accounting firms: Evidence from the UK. Critical Perspectives on Accounting] has considered the employment of disabled people in accounting firms, despite a growing number of studies considering gender, race and social class in accounting employment. This dearth of evidence is unexpected given the passing of disability rights legislation in the UK in 1995 and the United States of America in 1990. Our investigation utilizes nine semi-structured interviews with human resource managers (or their equivalent) in large and medium-sized UK accounting firms. Three participants are from the Big Four firms, which dominate the market for accounting and auditing services. Views were elicited regarding: (i) drivers of disability awareness, (ii) the role of partners, (iii) how firms view disability, (iv) impairments firms view as a problem, and (v) job applications. Participants’ responses indicate an awareness of existing legislation governing disability issues, in particular, the UK's Disability Discrimination Act, 1995. However, there is evidence that accounting firms restrict their understanding of disability to legal definitions. The study identifies specific impairments which firms see as impediments to employment and critically assesses firms’ perceptions of the employability of disabled people.

Korean Disability Employment Policy: What is it offering people with learning disabilities?

From the 1960s onwards opportunities for employment for disabled people have been promoted by the South Korean government and recent research has focused on the achievements of policies in this area. However people with learning disabilities have largely been ignored in this research. The paper draws on a study which used research methods designed explicitly to enable people with learning disabilities to participate and their voices to be heard. The findings highlight the failure of current policies to provide suitable employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities and the paper concludes with some recommendations.

Do disabled people have a place in the UK construction industry?

In the UK, a significant number of disabled people are unemployed and previous research has suggested reasons for this include the inaccessibility of workplace environments that have either not been designed, or adapted, to accommodate the requirements of disabled people, and the nature of work being undertaken in that workplace environment. Since there has been no previous research within the context of the construction industry, the aim was to explore contractors' practices in the employment of disabled people and in the adaptation of workplace environments. A survey was undertaken of the top 100 UK contractors in the UK. Views of disabled people were also sought, and access audits of workplace environments were undertaken. The combined analysis shows that compared to UK industries in general, contractors are less likely to have appropriate policies and practices in place to support disabled job applicants through the recruitment process. However, contractors as employers are more likely to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ as required by the UK Disability Discrimination Act if the adjustment is relatively inexpensive, and if minimal adjustments are required in order to adapt workplaces such that they provide an inclusive approach to the employment of disabled people. Additionally, contractors work hard to ensure that if an employee becomes disabled they are appropriately supported in continued employment. Only a small number of construction organizations believed that ‘disabled people do not have a place in the UK construction industry’. It can be concluded that while contractors are unlikely to recruit disabled people, they are more likely to continue to employ people once they become disabled, but there is very little monitoring and evaluation of this process by contractors and it is likely that contractors are not fulfilling their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act as a result.

Out of touch: local government and disabled people's employment needs

In autumn 2003 we contracted to undertake a study in two district council areas of ways in which they could meet their Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA) targets in respect of disabled people returning to work. We undertook a literature review of barriers to work, interviewed a number of people involved in working with unemployed people and a number of disabled people in these areas. All the employment organisations we had contact with were working to an individual model of disability and the need to change their orientation became the central recommendation of the first phase of this study. This was rejected by those funding the study. At the end of the first year none of the organisations active in this area was able to identify a single disabled person who had returned to work as a result of their help. We conclude that central government policies are doing little to change the perception of the employment needs of disabled people within local government.

Employment of disabled persons in the academic library environment

Academic libraries are the cornerstones of universities in providing information resources for the students and staff of the university. Indirectly, they may be instrumental in the development of beliefs and attitudes regarding the employment of disabled people. In 1998, the Australian Bureau of Statistics conducted a study into the status and wellbeing of disabled people, including employment restrictions. The percentage of the population who are disabled had risen from 15 per cent to 19 per cent in 17 years and half of these are unemployed or have restrictions on their employment.

A longitudinal study of employment and skill acquisition among individuals with developmental disabilities

Recent legislation, especially the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, generated the closure of institutions for people with disabilities and inclusion into community residences and employment. It has been well documented that individuals with developmental disabilities often experience difficulties with employment including both obtaining and maintaining jobs, and many researchers have looked for ways to make employment more successful [McConkey, R. & Mezza F. (2001). Employment aspirations of people with learning disabilities attending day centers. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 5(4), 309–318; Stevens, G. (2002). Employers’ perceptions and practice in the employability of disabled people: a survey of companies in south east UK. Disability and Society, 17(7), 779–796; Capella, M., Roessler, R., & Hemmeria, K. (2002). Work-related skills awareness in high-school students with disabilities. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 33(2), 17–23; Ingraham, K., Rahimi, M., Tsang, H., Chan, F., & Oulvey, E. (2001). Work support groups in state vocational rehabilitation agency settings: a case study. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Skills, 5(1), 6–21; Gosling, V. & Cotterill, L. (2000). An employment project as a route to social inclusion for people with learning difficulties? Disability and Society, 15(7), 1001–1018; Neitupski, J. & Hamre-Nietupski, S. (2000). A systematic process for carving supported employment positions for people with severe disabilities. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 12(2), 103–119]. While research has accumulated that has examined predictors of successful employment, this research assessed longitudinal outcomes of employment. Data were obtained from an existing data set of all known persons receiving services from the Developmental Disabilities Division of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services ( N = 2760). Results indicated that as people moved to employment, scores on adaptive skills increased, that as people moved from employment, adaptive skills decreased, and that as employment status remained constant, adaptive skills also remained unchanged. No consistent impact was found on challenging behaviors. Type of employment (sheltered, supported, and competitive) was then examined, and the same pattern of changes in adaptive skills was found; i.e., changes in employment to more/less competitive was accompanied by more/less adaptive skills. This suggests that employment itself, especially work in the competitive workforce, may be a significant source of enhancing adaptive skills for people with developmental disabilities and, thus, greatly adding to the success of community living.

Developing Social Firms in the UK: A contribution to identifying good practice

Social firms and related enterprises are developing rapidly in the UK as a means of providing employment for disabled people. This study examined the kind of enterprise that will best meet the aspirations of disabled people. A telephone survey identified the range of enterprises describing themselves as social firms, and examined their develop ment and operation. Alongside the survey, focus groups with disabled people and interviews with carers explored perspectives on the values that should underpin social firms. The results suggest that indicators of good practice include: user/worker participation in the firm's development and operation; the availability of expert advice to enable informed choice about payment, with payment at the minimum wage rates or higher for those who choose this; opportunities for workers to develop to their full potential; a workforce comprising disabled and non-disabled workers; the involvement of carers and local socio-economic agencies in developing the social firm.

Attitudes Towards Disabled Staff and the Effect of the National Minimum Wage: A Delphi survey of employers and disability employment advisors

This Delphi study drew on the expertise of a national sample of 100 employers of disabled people, and a similar number of Disability Employment Advisors (DEAs). It presents their existing attitudes towards disabled employees before analysing the effect of the NMW on these views. Differences between employers and DEAs were found in relation to the perceived costs and obstacles to employers of taking or retaining disabled staff, the problems presented by specific disabilities and the motivation shown by disabled staff. There was general agreement that the NMW has benefited disabled people by making low paid jobs better paid. A minority of respondents thought it had created additional obstacles to employment for disabled people. Some disabled employees appear to have been adversely affected by the interaction of the NMW with the Supported Placement Scheme (SPS, now Workstep) and the benefits system. Understanding employers' perspectives may facilitate the promotion of work opportunities for disabled people.

What Disability Civil Rights Cannot Do: Employment and political economy

The Americans with Disabilities Act is both a liberal civil rights bill and a labour economics bill meant to increase the employment of disabled persons. It identifies the source of unemployment in discriminatory attitudes of employers and physical barriers in the work environment, and promotes inclusion through the establishment of regulations that are intended to create 'equal opportunity' in the labour market. Such liberal reforms primarily focus on 'irrational' discriminatory attitudes. Operating within an individualist framework, civil rights have not given sufficient attention to structural barriers, which 'rational' business practices, the economic system and class power relationships erect. This paper will both micro- and macro-economic realities of US capitalism, which directly impede disabled peoples' employment and perpetuate a disabling society. The failure of rights legislation to increase disabled people's employment exposes the contradictions of promoting equal opportunity in a class-based (unequal) society.

Serving and employing disabled people within the NHS

This article considers ‘reasonable steps’ that need to be taken to ensure equity in the health services provided to disabled people and in the employment of disabled people in the health sector. It focuses on a consultation process being undertaken by the Disability Rights Commission and on the implications of the new Looking Beyond Labels guide from the NHS Executive.

Backlash, the Political Economy, and Structural Exclusion

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)' is both a civil rights bill passed by Congress with intent of ending employer discrimination and an economics bill, intended increase relative wages and employment of disabled people by leveling playing field.2 However, just as Civil Rights Act of 1964 produced a by those who feared that minorities and women would take jobs away from them, has been subject recent by public, our elected officials, and courts. The most prominent hostility towards has come from business, though this may not technically be a backlash given that business sector largely opposed Act from start. For instance, National Association of Manufacturers, American Banking Association, and National Federation of Businesses all publicly voiced opposition ADA.3 Ongoing resistance from business interests is nonetheless significant in that it exposes economic nature of opposition enforcement of Act. The year was signed, Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, called on President George Bush to ask Congress reconsider since, from standpoint of free enterprise, it represented a re-regulation of economy that was harmful business.4 Paul Craig Roberts, an economist at Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, warned on day Act was signed that [the ADA] will add enormous costs businesses that will cut into their profits.5 Rick Kahler opined in a piece entitled ADA Regulatory Black Hole that the make[s] getting out of business look more profitable all time,6 while Trevor Armbrister wrote

Remploy: disabled and thriving

Focuses on Remploy, which seeks to find employment for disabled people. Discusses Remploy’s work in PCB assembly and the role of the well‐motivated staff in ensuring high‐quality products.

Disability and the law of employment

Following disappointment in Canada with the results of human rights legislation and a revival of interest in quota systems for the employment of disabled people, the author made a study of the quota system operating in Japan. This article describes the system and some of its problems. The author then seeks to assess the potential of a quota law that includes strong financial incentives for compliance. The author concludes that laws to compel the employment of disabled people have little potential for achievement, and that they may well be counter-productive. The most promising avenues for the improvement of employment opportunities for disabled people lie outside the use of the law. However, some legal changes could help, and these are mentioned in the conclusion.

A review of research on the employment of disabled people and assessment of future requirements

A review of research on the employment of disabled people and assessment of future requirements

Employment of disabled people.

Employment of disabled people.

The Origins of the Disabled Persons Employment Quota and its Symbolic Significance

ABSTRACTThis article explores why some of the arrangements for the employment of disabled people are so resistant to change despite their evident shortcomings. From historical data it is argued that the negotiations which shaped the Disabled Persons Employment Act 1944 were motivated by sectional concerns which were detrimental to the interests of disabled people but that the legislation subsequently became symbolic of deeply felt and widely shared values. The implications of this for current policy options are discussed. An attempt is made to show how an analysis of the relationships between motives, actions and values in the policy-formation process can help to explain why some policies are both more ineffective and more persistent than others.

Careers:

A ten‐year strategy to help more disabled people to find jobs has been launched by the Manpower Services Commission in its publication Developing Employment and Training Services for Disabled People — An MSC Programme. It reaffirms the Commission's commitment to provide specialised services which help disabled people to choose, train for, get and keep worthwhile jobs. A key feature is the building up of closer co‐operation between the MSC's disablement resettlement staff and employers to encourage them to develop company policies on the employment of disabled people, providing greater job opportunities and better promotion prospects.