When you hear the word “disability,” what comes to mind? Most people immediately think of physical disabilities with which a person was born. While this can be true, many long-term disabilities are caused by accidents or illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, obesity and back pain. A recent study by The Empowerment Zone states, “People with disabilities are the nation’s largest minority, and the only one that any person can join at any time. If you do not currently have a disability, you have about a 20% chance of becoming disabled at some point during your work life; people with disabilities cross all racial, gender, educational, socioeconomic, and organizational lines.” In addition, let’s not forget about those with disabilities that may not be immediately obvious, such as hearing, vision, learning, behavioral and mental/emotional impairments that affect millions of Americans’ daily life activities.
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which, according to the Center for an Accessible Society, was designed to “eliminate practices that make people unnecessarily different… [and] create a more inclusive climate where companies, institutions, and organizations are reaching out far more often to people with disabilities.” Title I of the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, except when such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. This may include wheelchair ramps, lifts/elevators, Braille signage, telecommunication devices for the deaf, specialized training, and other forms of assistance to help remove barriers that would otherwise preclude applicants or employees with disabilities from enjoying the “benefits and privileges” of employment or applying for employment equal to those enjoyed by similarly-situated employees or applicants without disabilities. The Center for an Accessible Society argues that this piece of legislation “profoundly changed how society views and accommodates its citizens with disabilities. Universal design – the practice of designing products, buildings and public spaces and programs to be usable by the greatest number of people – has helped create a society where curb cuts, ramps, lifts on buses, and other access designs are increasingly common.”
Eighteen years later, on September 25, 2008, President George W. Bush, signed the first significant change to the ADA, called the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) in an effort to clarify the definition of “major life activities” to include working, communicating, concentrating, thinking, reading, and other life activities of central importance, which in turn, expands the eligibility for many people with disabilities. Thanks to the ADA and the ADAAA laws, there are more individuals in the workforce pool from which to choose.
Why is all this so important? Businesses now have to compete on a global scale as they never have before. The need for diversity and inclusion has become even more important in maintaining a competitive advantage, which means that businesses must hire employees with a broader understanding and/or experiences in order to help the business market to and position themselves within these global markets and successfully meet the needs of the customers. In the process, you might find that “an accessible society is good for everyone, not just the people with disabilities” (The Center for an Accessible Society).
References:
“The Americans With Disabilities Act.” The Center for an Accessible Society. n.d. 11 May 2009 http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/ada/index.htm
“Diversity and Disabilities.” The Empowerment Zone. n.d. 12 May 2009 http://www.empowermentzone.com/diverse.txt
Filed under: Diversity Committee
