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Most people are unfamiliar with the workforce (and customer base)
represented by people with disabilities. Employers especially are often
surprised to discover how large a talent pool is represented by people
with disabilities, how little job accommodations really cost, how
well-qualified many people with disabilities are, what impressive
performance ratings employees with disabilities attain, and similar
researched facts.
Organized into the following topic
areas, we have compiled research data that provides a solid
understanding of people with disabilities, their workforce
participation, and their consumer profile.
Aptitudes
Education, skills, etc. |
Job Performance
Performance, absenteeism, safety |
Definition of "Disability"
"disability" definitions used in the US. |
Workforce Participation
Labor force availability, unemployment, etc |
Employer Beliefs & Attitudes
Attitudes, stereotypes, misconceptions |
Workplace Experiences
Discrimination, attitudes, etc. |
Incidence of Disability
Population size, characteristics, etc. |
General Disability Statistics
Several good sites to explore |
Job
Accommodations
Incidence, costs, etc. |
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10 Key Statistics about Disabilities and
Business
Online PowerPoint
Presentation Click Here
(approximately 6 minutes long) |
APTITUDES
According to the
2004 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with
Disabilities:
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People with disabilities are twice as
likely not to finish high school (21%) as their non-disabled peers
(10%).
Roughly the same percentage (39%) of people with disabilities
graduate from high school, and not take further education, as their
non-disabled peers (36%).
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26% of people with disabilities and
27% of people without disabilities graduate from high school and
have taken some college courses (uncompleted degree) or
occupational, trade or vocational programs.
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People with disabilities are half as
likely as their non-disabled peers to earn a college degree.
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DEFINITION
Disability statistics are sometimes confounded by
organizations and jurisdictions that use differing definitions of the
word "Disability". The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), for instance, has a three-part definition of "disability." This
definition, based on the definition under the Rehabilitation Act,
reflects the specific types of discrimination experienced by people with
disabilities. Accordingly, it is not the same as the definition of
disability in other laws, such as state workers' compensation laws or
other federal or state laws that provide benefits for people with
disabilities and disabled veterans. Under the
ADA, an individual with a disability is a person who:
- has a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities;
- has a record of such an impairment; or
- is regarded as having such an impairment.
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EMPLOYER BELIEFS &
ATTITUDES
In
a
1999 poll of 1400 members of the Society for Human Resources
Management (SHRM)
conducted by Suzanne Bruyere of Cornell University,
51% of
respondents cite “lack of related experience” as a barrier to employment
or advancement of people with disabilities. 40% cite “lack of requisite
skills and training”. 31% cite supervisors’ lack of knowledge about
accommodations and 22% cite supervisor/co-worker attitudes and
stereotypes.
In 2002, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce
Development published "Misconceptions
about Hiring Workers with Disabilities” - the results of a
survey of over 500 employers. When
asked why companies don’t readily hire people with disabilities,
the responses were:
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32% said that that people
with disabilities cannot effectively perform the type of work
that is required by people employed by their company
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18% cited a lack of skills and experience
represented by job seekers with disabilities
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15% cited general reluctance to hire workers with
disabilities.
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10% cited their own discomfort or unfamiliarity
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10% cited their fear of job accommodation costs
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7% cited the job seekers’ lack of information
about job opportunities
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7% cited the need for special accommodation
efforts
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5% cited discrimination or prejudice
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2% cited transportation issues.
INCIDENCE OF DISABILITY
According to the US Census Bureau reports for 2000, there
were 39.6 million non -institutionalized people with disabilities over
the age of five (5) - or 15.6% of the US population. (Note: These
numbers were revised from earlier estimates of 49.8%. See:
http://dsc.ucsf.edu/main.php?name=census)
The likelihood of acquiring a disability increases with
age. According to the 2000 National Organization on Disability/Harris
Survey
of Americans with Disabilities, 24% of people with disabilities
acquire them from birth to 19 years of age, 27% acquire them between 20
- 39 years of age, 28% acquire them between the ages 40 and 55, and 21%
acquire them at age 55 or older.
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JOB ACCOMMODATIONS
Most people with disabilities require no job
accommodations on the job. (Studies in the US and Canada estimate that
over 70% of employees with disabilities require no accommodations.)
For those that do require job-related
accommodations, 19% of job accommodations cost nothing, 50% cost less
than $500, and only 17% cost more than $1000. (Source:
Job Accommodation
Network)
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JOB PERFORMANCE
Data from three multi-year studies by DuPont demonstrated
that:
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Over 90% of employees with
disabilities rated average or better on their performance reviews.
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People with disabilities have no
greater absenteeism rates than non-disabled employees.
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The safety record of employees with
disabilities is virtually identical to non-disabled employees.
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WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION
According to the
2004 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with
Disabilities:
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Only 35 percent of people with
disabilities reported being employed full or part time, compared to
78 percent of those who do not have disabilities.
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63% of people with disabilities who
are unemployed would prefer to be working.
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WORKPLACE EXPERIENCES
According to the
2004 National Organization on Disability/Harris Survey of Americans with
Disabilities, 22% of employed people with disabilities report
encountering job discrimination. This is a dramatic drop from 36% four
years ago. Of these:
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27% report being refused a job
interview because of their disability.
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31% report being refused a job
because of their disability.
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17% report being refused a promotion
because of their disability.
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21% report being refused a workplace
accommodation.
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14% report being given less
responsibility than their co-workers.
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12% report being paid less than their
non-disabled peers in the workplace.
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GENERAL
DISABILITY STATISTICS
The following sites are good sources to
explore for disability-related statistics and information.
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