There are many myths about hiring people with disabilities. Unfortunately, this is costing good, qualified people the chance for meaningful employment. Although some of these statistics come from the United States, it is still a good display of myths vs. facts when it comes to disability employment.
Article from the National Service Inclusion Project
MYTH
Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
FACT
Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization’s accident experience, not on whether workers have disabilities.
MYTH
Employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities.
FACT
Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.
MYTH
People with disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to overcome their disability.
FACT
People with disabilities are simply carrying on normal activities of living when they work at their jobs, go grocery shopping, pay their bills, or compete in athletic events.
MYTH
People with disabilities need to be protected from failing.
FACT
People with disabilities have a right to participate in the full range of human experiences including success and failure. Employers should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.
MYTH
People with disabilities have problems getting to work.
FACT
People with disabilities are capable of supplying their own transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.
MYTH
People with disabilities are unable to meet performance standards, thus making them a bad employment risk.
FACT
In 1990, DuPont conducted a survey of 811 employees with disabilities and found 90% rated average or better in job performance compared to 95% for employees without disabilities. A similar 1981 DuPont study which involved 2,745 employees with disabilities found that 92% of employees with disabilities rated average or better in job performance compared to 90% of employees without disabilities.
MYTH
People who are deaf make ideal employees in noisy work environments.
FACT
Loud noises of a certain vibratory nature can cause further harm to the auditory system. People who are deaf should be hired for all jobs that they have the skills and talents to perform. No person with a disability should be prejudged regarding employment opportunities.
MYTH
Considerable expense is necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities.
FACT
Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations, and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe. Studies by the Job Accommodation Network have shown that 15% of accommodations cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and $500, 12% cost between $501 and $1,000, and 22% cost more than $1,000.
Read full article here – http://www.serviceandinclusion.org/index.php?page=myths
