Disability Discrimination for Jobs?

Roxy07

In this day and age where jobs are harder and harder to come by (2 million unemployed for 500K jobs), does it mean people with disabilities and perceived flaws won't get an opportunity?

They will obviously have some flaw to their disability, so even though they might want to work, they can't because they are not given a chance because why would a company employ someone like that when they can employ someone without it? (even if they have the same or more qualifications than some of the people they are employing doesn't really ring true)

I think the government need to sort it out, such as subsidizing (atleast part of their) wages to help disabled people get considered and a fair chance (they would save money in the long run)

What is the answer?

northerntwo1

I don't think they are as discriminated as you think. For some jobs they are given priority. I'd had very little sickness until I had my accident and went for a new job recently. Even with a disability that affects my ability to do the job and a poor sickness record with more surgery planned I still got down to the final two in a competitive market. My not getting job was because they had more qualifications.

I think employers are more wary of being a parent than a disability as colleagues take more time off for their children than any other reason and more than any I know with disabilities.

Indie_Kid

You have no way of proving if you weren't offered a job, that it was because of your disability.

tomtontom

northerntwo1 wrote: »

I don't think they are as discriminated as you think. For some jobs they are given priority. I'd had very little sickness until I had my accident and went for a new job recently. Even with a disability that affects my ability to do the job and a poor sickness record with more surgery planned I still got down to the final two in a competitive market. My not getting job was because they had more qualifications.

I think employers are more wary of being a parent than a disability as colleagues take more time off for their children than any other reason and more than any I know with disabilities.

This is my research area and there certainly is an issue. People are ignorant of disability, they expect inefficiency, a high absence rate, that adjustments will cost too much - all of which are generally untrue.

northerntwo1

tomtontom wrote: »

This is my research area and there certainly is an issue. People are ignorant of disability, they expect inefficiency, a high absence rate, that adjustments will cost too much - all of which are generally untrue.

I don't think it's true in public sector. I think a lot is based on work history which isn't necessarily a disability related issue. I've been informally questioned about maternity and parental issues more than disability ones. Private sector possibly but when you have a work history I'm not convinced there is such discrimination to the extent OP says.

Zanzib

It exists, my disabled son has been left college 7 years and been signed on trying to get a job for most of that time.

He's done these schemes for the long term unemployed, and has just done a two week scheme- he's got a three week Christmas job as a result with the employer, but he'll be back unemployed at Christmas...

In the meantime he's still job searching...

tomtontom

northerntwo1 wrote: »

I don't think it's true in public sector. I think a lot is based on work history which isn't necessarily a disability related issue. I've been informally questioned about maternity and parental issues more than disability ones. Private sector possibly but when you have a work history I'm not convinced there is such discrimination to the extent OP says.

What you think is not backed up by research - with input from employers (private and public sector) and from disabled people.

The Newham Peer Review makes for interesting reading if you want to find out more.

tomtontom

Zanzib wrote: »

It exists, my disabled son has been left college 7 years and been signed on trying to get a job for most of that time.

He's done these schemes for the long term unemployed, and has just done a two week scheme- he's got a three week Christmas job as a result with the employer, but he'll be back unemployed at Christmas...

In the meantime he's still job searching...

Similar experiences date back to the war. Disabled people were used to plug the gaps, now in short term roles, then where others had gone off to war - they were more than capable of doing the job, but they are/ were the first to be laid off

Indie_Kid

Zanzib wrote: »

It exists, my disabled son has been left college 7 years and been signed on trying to get a job for most of that time.

He's done these schemes for the long term unemployed, and has just done a two week scheme- he's got a three week Christmas job as a result with the employer, but he'll be back unemployed at Christmas...

In the meantime he's still job searching...

But how do you know it's down to his disability and not something else?

northerntwo1

tomtontom wrote: »

What you think is not backed up by research - with input from employers (private and public sector) and from disabled people.

The Newham Peer Review makes for interesting reading if you want to find out more.

Yes I'd like to see it. I just know I get more eyebrow raises at my term time requests than sickness. Discrimination shouldn't exist for either of course but on the last two jobs I've gone for the term time only has been a deal breaker not future surgery.

dori2o

northerntwo1 wrote: »

I don't think it's true in public sector. I think a lot is based on work history which isn't necessarily a disability related issue. I've been informally questioned about maternity and parental issues more than disability ones. Private sector possibly but when you have a work history I'm not convinced there is such discrimination to the extent OP says.

I completely disagree. I work in the public sector and Im in the middle of a 8 month long dispute with my employer in the public sector about reasonable adjustments and their complete failure to even consider the necesary adjustments.

This isnt the first time either, and copies of emails I received following a data protection act request show deceit and underhand actions taken by management to prevent and delay from fulfilling both their legal and contractual obligations.