This fall is an historic time in the disability community. In Septem ber, President Bush signed into law amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act that were championed by both the business and disability communities, and had bipartisan support in Congress.
This new version of the ADA law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, expands the civil rights of nearly 50 million Americans with disabilities, including nearly one in five Pennsylvanians. The new law also overturns several recent Supreme Court decisions which had limited their protections.
The volatile economic times have provided another reminder that such conditions affect everyone, including people with disabilities, who are often more adversely affected during times of recession. The ADA was originally passed just as the country was on the cusp of an economic recession. While a number of things have changed positively, the unemployment rate for workers with disabilities remains significantly higher than the average unemployment, even when considering some of the economic boom times in the last two decades.
Access to employment is one of the greatest barriers for people with disabilities and studies prove misconceptions by employers around hiring and employment are the primary cause, though we express gratitude to entities such as the Pennsylvania Business Leadership Network, the AT Collaborative, the U.S. Department of Labor and others for developing written pieces and Web sites to address these myths.
One of the biggest myths is that people with disabilities, especially someone using a wheelchair or other mobility devices, cannot work in a "normal" environment. On the contrary, most people with disabilities who use wheelchairs are strong and mobile. Just because someone cannot use their legs for walking does not mean they cannot use their mind for thinking. A wheelchair, for example, assists in the worker's mobility, not in their ability to perform a job.
A recent study by DePaul University and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity found employees with disabilities performed equally or better than workers without disabilities. In other words, employers can actually save money. The DePaul study found workers with disabilities often stay at a particular job longer and have less absenteeism. This can reduce the cost of training new employees. Plus, the amount of supervision needed and job performance ratings of employees with and without disabilities are nearly identical. WHILE BROAD statements should generally be avoided, these findings offer a good snapshot of the employment of workers with disabilities.
Many employers believe that if a worker requires assistance technology equipment, it will be costly to the employer/company. While some forms of AT may be costly (and there can be assistance available from government or foundations to help with payment), many forms of utilized AT are very cost-effective. Additionally, many forms of AT are not only helpful to people with disabilities in the workforce but also to an aging workforce. Why lose or replace a trained, dedicated worker when a small investment in AT would retain him/her with a particular business? THERE ARE SEVERAL state and federal tax breaks available to large and small businesses that hire a person with a disability. For example, employers hiring workers through the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation can be eligible for the federal work opportunity tax credit that provides a 25 percent credit for the first $6,000 of pay after 120 hours of work. The credit jumps to 40 percent after 400 hours. Other tax credits will provide up to 80 percent of the cost to make a small business accessible to an employee with a disability.
As we raise the community's awareness regarding the employment of people with disabilities, take a moment to thank your employees for their contributions. And the next time you are filling a position, give consideration to the person with the disability -- he or she may turn out to be one of your most valuable assets.
ZAINAB JAMA is executive director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Independent Living Council.
