A recent survey by the Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research (CROR) at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago found that 61% of employees with physical disabilities retained their jobs for four years or longer. This six-year study is the first to examine long-term employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities, which are typically tracked by state vocational rehabilitation departments for only 90 days.
Among the 1,500 participants who reported working after acquiring a disability, those who had opportunities for career advancement or received job accommodations were more likely to remain employed. “There is still a lot of stigma but I think we’ve made real advances over the past few decades in large part thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which has made disability accommodations a civil right rather than a special privilege,” says CROR Director Allen Heinemann, PhD. “Often when people do disclose a disability, they find support from their co-workers and supervisors, and finding solutions to the barriers they encounter are usually low-cost or no-cost solutions.”
However, the study also found that older people or those less financially secure before their disability were less likely to return to work. Additionally, individuals using wheelchairs were 49% less likely to return to work. “People who reported using assistive mobility devices were significantly less likely to work after the onset of a disability,” noted Emily Dinelli, a CROR Research Assistant involved in the project. “We need to think critically about how we create inclusive environments for people who use these devices and evaluate how accommodating our workspaces are.”
The researchers found that attitudinal barriers were just as significant as physical ones. People who reported unfavorable attitudes among supervisors were 11% less likely to be employed in their longest-held job following their disability. Demographic factors such as gender and race also played a role. Being female was associated with a 16% decrease in employment, while identifying as Black was correlated with a 15% decrease.
Yet the survey suggests that most employers are supportive of workers with disabilities. Eighty percent reported that their supervisor provided at least one formal accommodation, such as modifying work schedules, allowing exceptions to company rules, and permitting both sitting and standing working positions.
“We need to get the word out that when people run into barriers, there are solutions,” Heinemann emphasized. “There are people who have figured out how to work after a disability, and their experiences can provide valuable lessons for others.”
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