When Missouri companies hire disabled workers, they enrich, enhance and diversify their workplace culture. While all employers should strive to include employees with disabilities as part of their workplace, some fall short of this laudable goal.
Below are some signs that indicate whether your company is committed to accommodating disabled workers.
— Is the disability policy enforced from the top-down? Has the chief executive officer made a commitment to providing a disability-friendly workplace?
— Does the corporate commitment include having shareholders with disabilities?
— Are there any disabled workers in senior management or executive positions?
— Does the job site have disabled access work areas, communication systems, buildings and parking facilities?
— Are job applicants and employees accommodated with assistive technologies and equipment if necessary?
— Do supervisors and managers routinely train and advance their disabled workers, promoting those who qualify to management and supervisory positions within the company?
— Have all staff members been through an orientation that included disability awareness training?
— Are disabled workers encouraged to mentor new hires who are without disabilities?
— Have co-workers been briefed on acceptable ways to interact with disabled employees and know whom to contact with any questions about working with disabled colleagues?
Companies that comply with all or most of the above regarding the disabled population in the workforce likely are doing, at a minimum, what the law requires. Many are likely to being going the extra mile to include the disabled and make sure that their contributions are valued.
If, however, you are disabled and work for a company that you believe has discriminated against you for your disability, you may need to seek professional legal advice.
Source: United States Department of Education, “Disability Employment 101” Dec. 16, 2014
