Having a job and being economically autonomous represent a big step towards independent living. But what is the reality out there for people with disabilities when it comes to looking for a job and working? In the following weeks, we will be examining several aspects of this reality and welcome any feedback, comment, experience (either positive or negative) that you may have.

In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 and the United Nations (UN) Convention promote equal rights for disabled people, which include employment and education. Disabled people have the same rights in regards to recruitment, promotion and pay as non-disabled people.

Where recruitment is concerned you will often read in many job advertisements that the company does not discriminate in terms of sexuality, gender, age, race, disability, religion etc… Sometimes, the “positive action” symbol (two ticks) is also part of the advertisement: it guarantees an interview to those disabled people who meet the basic criteria for the role.

Some people may regard this as an act of positive discrimination arguing that giving someone an interview primarily because they are disabled is as derogatory as denying them one for the same reason. In an ideal world, people would be interviewed, hired and promoted based on qualifications and experience, regardless of their level of ability.

However, during the recruitment and interviewing processes, the candidate may be asked to provide information regarding their disability. And while the more cynical among us might think the company’s policy on diversity will be to their advantage, other disabled job seekers worry that a company will be reluctant to invest time and money installing new adaptations. In other cases, a person’s medical history may explain certain gaps in professional and personal history that are otherwise not easily justifiable.

At the end of the day it is entirely up to the applicant whether or not they disclose any information about their disability. And the real advantage of disclosing it should be that it enables the company to make reasonable adjustments should an interview take place. E.g. it may be necessary to conduct the interview on the ground floor if the candidate is a wheelchair user, or they may require large-print documents in case of visual impairment.
Please bear in mind that asking about disabilities is absolutely legal and acceptable as long as the answers are used to make the interview experience more comfortable for the candidate and not to discriminate against prospective candidates.
Additionally, every piece of information is strictly confidential under the Data Protection Act and cannot be communicated to others without the candidate’s consent.

As to salary and promotion, the Equality Act states that disabled people have the same rights as their colleagues and should not, in any circumstances, be refused an equal pay and/or a promotion due to their disability.

Some organizations offer assistance and guidance to disabled people for their integration in work environments. Many of these help with the pre-hiring phase; others provide the opportunity to be part of a paid scheme. Among the former, three government programmes stand out. One of these programmes is called Work Choice and it covers professional confidence, CV and interview advice, as well as training. More information regarding this programme can be found at https://www.gov.uk/work-choice .
Access to Work, instead, offers a grant that covers the costs of practical support, such as special equipment for the employee’s needs and the adjustments made on existing equipment. See https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work/overview for more details.
If unemployed and over 18, the job seeker can take advantage of the Residential Training that helps achieving a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), also in financial terms towards living and travel costs. Please check https://www.gov.uk/residential-training/overview for more detailed information.
On the contrary, if the job seeker is a student or a recent graduate, one of the paid placements of Change100 (https://www.leonardcheshire.org/what-we-do/change100#.VecIJGdzOUk) might be an interesting option. Change100 is one of the programmes launched by Leonard Cheshire DisAbility (https://www.leonardcheshire.org/what-we-do/work-and-skills#.VecKHmdzOUk ), aimed at enhancing professional skills and it involves top businesses across the UK and disabled students.

Shaw Trust, instead, deals with job seeking as well as the obstacles and difficulties the job seeker may find during their professional life. However, the local Job Centre will have to refer the candidate first. Have a look at their website for more details: http://www.shaw-trust.org.uk/individuals/

Photos are courtesy of, Hampshire County Council website, Facebook Shaw Trust page and Leonard Cheshire brochure.