Environments Discriminate Against Disabled
The attitudes of others toward people with disabilities often hamper their employment and participation in the workforce. These attitudes can lead to societal discrimination in employment opportunities and the unlawful discharge of young adults with disabilities. Discrimination against people with disabilities can occur in all aspects of their lives, including the workplace, housing, transportation, education, employment, and access to public services. To counter this problem, employers must become more approachable and sensitive to the needs of people with disabilities.
For example, many large corporations will make over their buildings in order to accommodate people with disabilities. However, these organizations rarely have access to ADA inspectors and must rely on someone filing a complaint to enforce the law. In such cases, advocacy groups and people with disabilities can help the organization address the issue and make it more accessible. The government’s goal is to make it easier to provide accommodations and even tax incentives for accessibility improvements.
Policies addressing laws and regulations can also impact the ability of people with disabilities to achieve successful employment. While the policies themselves can be helpful in addressing this issue, the focus of these studies was on availability. In a study in Namibia, parents of young adults with developmental disabilities raised concerns over the lack of macro-level policies supporting their employment prospects. The study also found that policies designed to promote inclusion among young adults with visual impairments did not lead to the implementation of such policies.
Do Environments Discriminate Against Disabled People?
While disability-related employment issues are not the sole cause of disability discrimination, employers should not overlook other aspects of a person’s disability. The law does not require that a person with a disability be hired for a certain position. The best candidate should be hired no matter their disability. If a disability-related hiring decision is questioned, a person can file a discrimination lawsuit. These cases have been ruled unfair and illegal in many countries.
The American With Disabilities Act states that “any physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a person’s ability to carry out an essential activity” is a disability. The act also protects people with disabilities in employment, education, and community life. As of 2008, there are 21 countries that have ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. As long as a company follows these laws, it should be legally compliant.
Other studies have examined the effects of physical environment barriers on the lives of people with disabilities. A lack of physical accessibility can lead to embarrassing situations and a failure to perform basic tasks. In addition to being embarrassing, the costs of accommodations can be prohibitive to acquiring a job. According to a study of young adults, the ability to secure a job increased when the environment was less adaptable. In the workplace, fewer physical adaptations made for the disabled increased the chance of being hired.