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| No | 22% | 73 votes | Total: 327 votes | |
| Yes | 78% | 254 votes |
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Add to FavoritesEqual opportunity for disabled people is a global matter which we are learning to address. Before government intervention through the agencies of Human Services and Social Welfare, the Australian experience was that disability was a sentence, not just a word. As recently as the late twentieth century, institutionalization was the norm for housing people with severe mental and physical disabilities.
Today, those people arguably enjoy as human an existence as can be provided. There are no institutions and no person can be discriminated against on the grounds of race, gender or disability when applying for employment.
The extent to which this proactive stance has progressed is encouraging. Last year I attended the first 'Futures for Young Adults' Expo, in our region, which was convened to assist senior secondary students of disability to map their career paths. Many of those students having spent several years in special school education' go on to college, albeit that the curriculum is modified to suit their requirements and special abilities.
While privatization in my experience is not normally associated with improved infrastructure services, the disbanding of the government Commonwealth Employment Service has led to the establishment of better service through delegated private agencies. Many of them are specialized in certain fields. Some are community based, while others are private consultants. Most importantly, they all have the expertise to understand and address the job market appropriately. As a result vast opportunities exist for special needs people to integrate in a normal working environment, rather than to stagnate in a sheltered workshop.
Support from the agencies goes a lot further than merely finding jobs. The consultant ensures, through visiting sites and liaising with prospective employers, that the work place is appropriate for the client and that Occupational Health and Safety is strictly observed and complied with. Having placed an employee the consultant monitors his or her progress closely.
The biggest change in workplace attitude is that disabled people are now employed on the basis of what they can do, not what they can't. In other words, they are being trained on the job to work to the best of their ability and in some cases, in spite of it.
In terms of the government assisting, I have no doubt that the agency receives a subsidy for their specialized role. If the job of securing futures for people of such individual needs was left to the state however, it is hard to perceive a result of the high standard presently attained, due to the intensive resources required.
Some of the agencies in service for your further reading;
http:www.wis eemployment.com.au WISE
http:www.mambour in.org Mambourin
http:www.scopevic.or g.au SCOPE
Learn more about this author, Leonard J Sherrott.
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Yes
Disabled workers mostly do need government assistance to get employed. Many companies are afraid to hire disabled people, as they are likely to claim for a long-term disability pension. First, there would have to be a classification of degrees of disability for any government intervention, as the main culprit of disabled peoples not working is the Insurance Industry. There are different levels of disability, and that would have to be taken into account. As well, geographical Locations are factors as well, since in Canada, if a company hires a disabled worker, then they have to give them the same benefits and coverages that they give everyone else in their employ; meaning, after 2 years, or whatever is in the contract, has gone by, then the Disabled Person would be able to apply for Long Term Disability Benefits, and receive approximately 85% of their pre-taxed salary, tax-free.
Believe me, I am living it now, and have been for over 11 years now. My problem is different from many; I am a chronic pain sufferer, and am heavily and constantly medicated for pain management; the brain just doesn't know when to say enough is enough, and needs a little push. Understandably, not too many companies are interested in hiring someone who is constantly under the influence of strong narcotics. The insurance industry, upon seeing the medical information for the potential "hiree", will tell the company how much their Insurance for that employee would be. Upon seeing what this heavily back-ended and extremely costly liability insurance package and indemnity, and perhaps medical, dental and other benefits would cost the company if it were to hire said disabled person, the Company would be more inclined to move on him/her and take the next best person available, if the disabled person was, indeed, the best applicant.
It is understandable, a disabled person is more likely than others to become sicker and declare Long Term Disability Benefits from them, and many insurance companies, upon seeing the extent of the person's disability, will outright refuse coverage. This is something that would need Government Intervention, let alone assistance. Because, once hired, the company has to provide the coverages and benefits to the disabled person, otherwise it is called discrimination.
While still able to work, I was applying to companies that had hired me in the past, and who had given me rousing Letters of Recommendations, as well as letters from Generals in several foreign Air Forces. One Company Owner, who had hired me on contract Terms twice before, told me that his personal Insurance Costs would be too great, and, to make things equal, he would have to pay me less than $12 an hour, for a job I was getting $45 an hour for up until my diagnosis and medical procedures.
The difference was the cost of Insurance Coverage. He was extremely apologetic, and told me that if I was willing to sign waiver papers, that he would hire me "under the table", to work at home for him and submit my work as needed. I asked him what would happen if he got caught, and that was my mistake, I guess, but the right thing to do; he wasn't thinking about that, he just wanted a proven Technical Writer who was noted for bringing in projects before due date and well under budget. Unfortunately, he was looking at criminal charges if caught, and possible heavy monetary charges and penalties. You just don't lie to the Insurance Companies, it will catch up to you.
Wouldn't it be nice, if a company were allowed to hire a person, disabled or not, that they think would benefit their company? Government intervention, in the form of Insurance Waivers, or Insurance Coverage, would make life a lot more enjoyable for a lot of disabled people. Wouldn't it be nice if insurance companies were on board with this?
Understandably, a company would not hire a quadriplegic for a labor-intensive job. But, If there is a job that that person can do, and can do it as well as any other person who applies, then that person should be given the opportunity to prove that they can do what is being asked of them. When the cost of Insurance is the breaking point in getting employed, then Government Intervention, and assistance, is required.
Learn more about this author, Marc Phillippe Babineau.
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