To get annoyed that other posters assume disabled can't work

[lesley33]

I know its hard to get an employer to take on someone who is disabled. But I hate the assumption by some posters that because someone is disabled they won't be able to work. I know loads of people with severe disabilities who are employed including people who are deaf, paraplegic, bipolar or have severe cerebal palsy. People with severe disabilities can work and there are some employers who will employ people.

I suppose its one of those mindset things - where what you need to do is look at a persons abilities relative to a job not their disabilities.

Where I work we have had lots of disabled people, deaf people, blind people, bipolar people, dwarfism, wheelchair bound, and even a guy who is basically a body and head with hands and feet. When I see people as badly disabled as that who just get on with it, I find it very moving and inspirational.

It also really annoys me when people like an ex-acquaintance claim full disability because of a bad leg.

The problem imho lies in thinking of all disabled people as the same. Whereas they are all different- and employers are all different too.

Someone without arms or in a wheelchair might find far fewer paths closed to them than someone whose disability involves chronic pain.

Someone who is academically bright will find it easier to compensate for a physical disability.

An employer who has plenty of desk work that needs doing will find it easier to keep a physically disabled employee than an employer whose firm only deals in heavy physical labour (remember what heavy losses dh's boss took over an employee who became unable to lift and did not have the academic qualifications needed to do the only desk work this small firm needed to be done).

Agree - people with disabilities can and should work wherever and whenever possible, and employers should do their utmost to make the workplace as open to disabled people as is feasible.

I also agree with Crazy - I know of someone who claims full disability, has never worked since before having her children, and now leads a full, active life running helping out at the school, gardening, etc etc. Believes that women should be at home, so is quite happy with her lot.

I did have a disabled person working for me once. It was a disaster. Not because of his disability (spina bifida) but because of his attitude that the world owed him a living. It was a desk job, so he was perfecetly capable of working the pc and doing the admin. Only he didn't do the admin, kept finding excuses not to do stuff. He was eventually moved to a nice easy job, where he didn't even have to think. He was never promoted as far as I know.

I'd be happy having disabled people working for me if they were willing to work. I have a disability but I have managed to find ways of working around it, and have done quite well. I think it's all down to attitude, both on the part of employers and on the part of disabled workers.

YANBU but you'll find that the government thinks this too, as I found recently when I qualified for a disabled person's travel card that gives me free travel on busses after 0930. Cos, y'know, disabled people like me don't need to get to work in the morning

Perhaps part of the assumption that disabled people don't work is the knowledge that employers won't employ them, rather than that the people themselves can't work?

Given my experiences with the crapness that is Access to Work (on my own behalf and for other people), it's amazing anyone who needs any support to work manages it at all. As someone said upthread, it depends so much on the condition - where I work if you're blind or an independent wheelchair user you fit standard boxes and they give you set kit and everything's easy.
Whereas if you're deaf and can't understand most people on the phone and need induction loops set up by staff, or have pain issues or fluctuating conditions, the same employer suddenly becomes much less good - essentially any issue that involves them changing how they do things is a problem, but anything that can be solved by buying a widget and then you go away is OK.

Anyone who needs access issues sorted out will have a lot more difficulty getting any temp work, which when that's the only way to progress to a permanent job, means it's a lot harder to get that job.

YANBU though that people should get a clue and realise that claiming DLA (despite the inaccessible forms and assessment centres...) does NOT mean someone is incapable of work!

YANBU. It bugs me too.

I know a lot of disabled people through a voluntry job, and the nature of that job means that I deal with people with lots of different disabilities, but they are all the type of people who do focus on their ability and don't let the disability become anything more than a challange. The vast majority of those people work, and even those that don't do take part in very valuable voluntry work.

I do wonder sometimes if the disabled people that I know are just particularly positive, brave and inspirational, and if that gives me a skewed view towards other people with disabilities that don't try to find work, or struggle to find work even when they want to. I read on here about people that don't work due to disability and then think of the people I know, and I really don't see why more support can't be put in place fairly easily. It's not rocket science.

Perhaps part of the assumption that disabled people don't work is the knowledge that employers won't employ them,

It's sad that there is that perception. People shouldn't have that knowledge because it's just not true. I know there will be employers that won't employ disabled people, but there are also employers that positively discriminate towards disabled people to boost their equal opportunities scheme.

Also my is that often people who are severely disabled can actually be better employees. They are used to dealing with personal limitations and so don't take time off work for a sniffle for example.

I know this is completely not the same thing but seeing the discrimination I came up against trying to seek temp work whilst pregnant gave me a whole new view on the disabled seeking work situation. Especially for those who have been out of work for a long time/without qualifications. I was turned down for contracts which I could have easily completed (worked until 4 weeks before Due Date) and the people who did eventually hire me wanted me to work even longer, and have since offered me a perm position when DD was 5 mo which I turned down. But if you don't get given a chance because the interviewer can't look past the "impediment" you don't get a chance to prove yourself.

You seem to be getting anooyed with lots of mumsnetters for lots of different things these days!

You are right I am! I guess its more accurate not to say I am annoyed, just mildly irritated.

heehee!

YANBU in that the assumption that a person with a disability cannot work is horrible. Of course many people can.

Unfortunately, most access to work schemes that I've come across are bloody awful and many disabled people find it very hard to find work, especially now.

My sister is blind with learning difficulties and has a job, has held it for 7 years now and is very good at it.

yanbu
but sadly just like on mn, people don't want to see disabled people.
I know of only 2 people who I come across in their work place that are in wheelchairs for instance,
also a lot of disabled people can't work, my dd for one will never be able to work, but she is still a valuable member of the community and society

Depends on disability: will post a link to my friend who ahs severe CP and works in a mo

OTOH ds3 won;t work (DS1 will) because he has an attention span of about 3 minutes and would need someone hovering over him the whole time to get him to do a task- can't even put a bag in his room (10 foot away) without forgetting what he is doing. TBH I don't know if ds4 will even manage a shop alone. He is bright and physically able in regards to mobility but speech imapred and more important extremely vulnerable, much in the way a toddler would be. As he grows it seems to worsen rather than anything else.

but yes- employers do seem anti SN: I worked with a lady in a chair in one job but OTOH in another job (a charity) when it looked as if my eyesight was failing faster than expected they made loud comments about having to work for RNIB instead.

It's entirely individual. Either the assumption that people with disability CAN or CAN'T work is wrong- look at the person.

yes but the term disability covers such a broad spectrum.

some disabilities don't restrict you so badly, some do.
Some employers are knowledgable about the differences, some aren't.

I don't think it's wrong to acknowledge that having a disability will make finding employment harder.

Dammit This Is Bristol site playing up

If you google Nathan disability This Is bristol you will find a story about a friend who has severe CP and employs 11 people in his business and is not yet out of uni.

BUT note he is self employed! A route we encourage ds1 to take as frankly his lack of social graces DO make it hard to be around him and in his hoped for field there are fifty great-company people for every job already.

But the assumption that all disabled people can work is crap, as is that none can, yet the ATOS tests seem to base ability on things like walking and ignore crucial things like functioning levels.

sadly though the ones that can't work are labeled scroungers by mn and the press and government.
well if any one can tell me wtf a non walking/talking needing 1 to 1 for every need person can do let me know at [email protected]

PMSL seven

Wonder if that's free on hotmail?

YANBU. DH has a chronic condition which has led to other health problems but works full time. There are a lot of other people with the same problems who do not work and are very angry about ATOS etc.

While I think the ATOS tests are fundamentally flawed and should be reconsidered, the problem with many of these people working is around lack of education or additional SNs rather than this particular condition, although the condition is what defines them as 'disabled'.

This goes back to the job market though - it is substantially easier to accomodate physically disabled people in office type jobs rather than construction or manufacturing.