Sep 26, 2017
Employers: When It Comes to Disability, You’re Full of It.
When it comes to working with people who have disabilities, employers are full of excuses. I practiced management-side employment law for more than a decade, then transitioned into San Francisco’s tech world and did all things disability-related for a big global tech company. In my many years of working with managers, I’ve heard all the excuses employers give regarding (not) working with people with disabilities, and I’m going to address those here. Before I do that though, first, a quick plea to all the hard working people in the world of diversity and inclusion (industry-speak: D&I):
Stop leaving out people with disabilities.
You spend your days tirelessly (and often thanklessly) advocating for the full inclusion of so many people, yet people with disabilities are left in the dust. And that’s ironic because people with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world. #truefact. From your D&I workshops that aren’t designed for people with hearing or vision impairments, to your websites that aren’t screen-reader friendly, or the fact that people with disabilities are almost never mentioned in your lists of diverse humans — you must lead by example. So, as you read the list of excuses, below, think about how these translate to the group or groups for whom you most avidly advocate. Consider for a moment that people with disabilities cut across every section of humanity and, in this way, are in and of themselves diversity personified. Seems like that’d be useful in your line of work. #foodforthought #leadbyexample
Here are the list of nominees for top employer excuses:
- It’s too complicated.
Disabilities can be physical or mental, visible or invisible, permanent or not, static or dynamic. I get it, it’s complicated. There are more disabilities in the world than there are YouTube channels dedicated to cats. Conversely, it’s now easier than ever to bring yourself up to speed. You don’t need to be a doctor to converse on disability. Google it, then stay open to learning.
2. It’s too technical.
There are a lot of rules, I know. But you know what else is super technical? Patent applications, building codes in San Francisco, an IKEA manual. Yet that hasn’t stopped entrepreneurs, developers or my best intentions. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Your office has people who understand the rules, or visit the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), or hey, ask me, I’ll email you back.
3. It’s too expensive.
Have you met anyone who navigates the world without the benefit of vision or hearing? Do you know someone who battles with cancer or fibromyalgia? Then you’ve already met someone who thinks, creates and problem solves in ways people without disabilities can’t imagine. Is that worth something to your company? Cool. Tell me again how much it costs to ensure your company videos are captioned. (Hint #1: It’s probably free. Hint #2: Captioning benefits everyone).
4. It’s too risky.
“What if I say the wrong thing.” “What if I accidentally offend them?” Really? It’s not them, it’s you. Let’s play a game. Pretend that person with a disability is your favorite aunt, the boss who gave you your big break, or the cashier at the grocery store with a smile for everyone no matter how long the day. How would you talk to them? It’s that easy. Stop acting uncomfortable and people will feel more comfortable around you. And if you don’t know if you’re doing it right, just admit it and ask if there’s anything you can do better. #lifehack
5. It’s too much “extra” work.
I could point to studies showing that people with disabilities beat the average on absenteeism, are more loyal, and more productive. But rather than give you a bunch of abstract study results you’ll forget when you move on to that YouTube channel on cats, I’ll tell you about my Mom.
At age 3, my Mom contracted polio and her left arm became atrophied and useless (in the traditional sense). Yet she was and remains to this day the hardest working person I have ever known. She inherently understands that, as a person with a disability — and a woman — she has to work at least 3x harder to achieve the same recognition as someone without a disability. Throughout her 40 year career as a medical social worker, she kicked ass.
So the next time your company is looking for a dedicated hard worker, give yourself the gift of someone like my Mom who will make you wonder why you didn’t think of this a lot sooner.
[Final note: this article isn’t intended to answer questions, it’s intended to get you to ask more. If you’d like to talk about moving toward a more accessible, disability-friendly workplace, find me at carpenovus.com #nojudgments]
