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Employment Empowerment

APU Community,

Today we will be sharing information about employment and people with disabilities. Historically, people with disabilities have experienced disproportionately high rates of unemployment and underemployment when compared to people without disabilities. Employment allows us to be self-sufficient, obtain housing, access healthy food, afford medical care, raise a family, and improves quality of life. The benefits of employment should be available to everyone, regardless of ability. Education is the key to employment, this is especially true for people with disabilities. I encourage you to learn more about the benefits of a diverse workforce and the valuable contributions of people with disabilities. Knowledge is power.

In Mark 12:31 Jesus says “You shall love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Jesus’ words remind us that we should treat everyone in the same way that we would want to be treated, including seeing others as valuable and capable just as we see ourselves and providing others with the same opportunities we ourselves have. Once we are able to fulfill this commandment we can truly say that we have loved our neighbors as ourselves.

Blessings,

Carmen Varela | Director

Office of Accessibility & Disability Resources, Azusa Pacific University

Did You Know?

This is an inforgraphic titled "Disability impacts all of us". The graphic says that 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability. There is a map of the United States. Under it says that 26% (1 in 4) adults in the United States has some type of disability. The percentage is highest in the South

“Disability is both a cause and effect of poverty, affecting employment and quality of life of people with severe disabilities -- particularly of those who are racially and ethnically diverse.”

Hughes, C., & Avoke, S. K. (2010). The Elephant in the Room: Poverty, Disability, and Employment. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 35(1–2), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.2511/rpsd.35.1-2.5

What is Discrimination and Ablesim?

Discrimination - The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people.

Ableism - Discrimination in favor of able-bodied people.

Overcoming Ableism: What You Don't Know As An Able Bodied Person

Naty Rico shares her story of struggles over the past 3 years at UC Irvine and the hopes she has for the future.

I'm Not Your Inspiration

Stella Young is a comedian and journalist who happens to go about her day in a wheelchair — a fact that doesn't, she'd like to make clear, automatically turn her into a noble inspiration to all humanity.

People with Disabilities at Work

Disability Employment Statistics

The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR)

The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) is an employment and independent living resource for people with disabilities.

Workforce Recruitment Program

Learn how the Workforce Recruitment Program can help you find qualified candidates with disabilities and increase the diversity footprint of your workplace.

Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities

Improvements in profitability (e.g., profit and cost-effectiveness, turnover and retention, reliability and punctuality, employee loyalty, company image)
Competitive advantage (e.g., diverse customers, customer loyalty and satisfaction, innovation, productivity, work ethic, safety)
Inclusive work culture
Ability awareness

Benefits for People with Disabilities

Improved quality of life and income
Enhanced self-confidence
Expanded social network
Sense of Community

Lindsay, S., Cagliostro, E., Albarico, M., Mortaji, N., & Karon, L. (2018). A Systematic Review of the Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 28(4), 634–655. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10926-018-9756-z

Disability and work: Let’s stop wasting talent | Hannah Barham-Brown

Disability is still a barrier to employment for millions of people – but it doesn’t have to be this way. Drawing on her own experience in the medical profession, Hannah Barham-Brown argues that people with disabilities are an asset more employers need to harness.

Know Your Employment Rights

How to Request a Reasonable Accommodation From Your Employer

If you have a disability you can request a reasonable accommodation from your employer so you can work at your job effectively.

Negotiating Reasonable Accommodations at Work

This roleplay video is part of the JAN Workplace Accommodation Toolkit at http://AskJAN.org/toolkit. The situation demonstrated in this video is accommodating an employee with non-apparent disabilities. It shows both ineffective and effective approaches.

Learn More About Your Employment Rights

Job Accommodation Network

Disability Rights California

U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission

Additional Resources

Ablesim 101 https://www.accessliving.org/newsroom/blog/ableism-101/
Kessler Foundation https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us
Research on Disability https://researchondisability.org/?mc_cid=2715e4a47a&mc_eid=8ad561f753
Disability Rights California https://www.disabilityrightsca.org/
Disability Rights Education Defense Fund https://dredf.org/
Disability Rights Advocates https://dralegal.org/
National Disability Rights Network https://www.ndrn.org/
ADAPT https://adapt.org/
National Council for Independent Living https://ncil.org/
National Federation for the Blind https://www.nfb.org/

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