Unlocking Opportunities for Severely Disabled Workers in Thuringia
In Thuringia, over 24,000 people with disabilities are currently employed. The majority of these workers are employed by public sectors and manufacturing industries, but severely disabled individuals still face challenges gaining a foothold in the job market, according to Markus Behrens, the head of the responsible regional directorate at the Federal Employment Agency in Erfurt.
"Prejudices persist," Behrens remarked before International Day of People with Disabilities (December 3). Despite being well-trained, loyal, and contributing to diversity within companies, severely disabled individuals haven't benefited from the labor market's positive developments at the same rate as their able-bodied counterparts.
The labor shortage and numerous vacancies call for companies to leverage this untapped potential. Since 2010, the overall unemployment rate in Thuringia has halved; however, unemployment among severely disabled individuals has only decreased by 25%. Over 4,600 severely disabled people in the state remain unemployed, with over 75% holding completed vocational training. The average duration of unemployed severely disabled individuals, about 346 days, exceeds unemployed individuals without disabilities by approximately 100 days.
Compared to the national average, companies in Thuringia meet employment obligations for severely disabled individuals less frequently. Companies with twenty or more employees should fill at least 5% of vacancies with disabled workers, but less than a third of companies in the state consistently do so.
Encouraging inclusion and addressing challenges for severely disabled individuals in the workforce can be achieved through several strategies:
- Training and Awareness Programs Unconscious Bias Training: Educate employees about unconscious biases and provide strategies to mitigate their impact. Cultural Competence and Inclusive Practices: Mandate diversity training programs that cover cultural competence, anti-discrimination, and inclusive practices.
- Inclusive Hiring Practices Blind Recruitment: Remove identifiable information from applications, ensuring candidates are judged solely on merit. Diverse Interview Panels: Utilize panels of diverse interviewers to minimize the influence of personal biases.
- Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) Support Networks: Establish support networks for employees with disabilities within the company, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging diverse perspectives.
- Language Support Multilingual Resources: Offer multilingual resources and translation services to ensure equal participation in the workplace.
- Accessibility Measures Physical Accessibility: Ensure the workplace is physically accessible for employees with disabilities, providing accommodations such as ramps and adaptive equipment. Technology Accessibility: Provide accessible technology for employees with disabilities, like screen readers and other assistive tools.
- Ongoing Support Partnership Plus Program: Collaborate with vocational rehabilitation agencies and Employment Networks to offer ongoing support to employees with disabilities, assisting them in maintaining and advancing their careers. Career Development: Offer specialized training and career growth opportunities for employees with disabilities, enhancing their job skills and productivity.
- Feedback Mechanisms Regular Feedback: Obtain employee feedback through surveys and continuous feedback platforms to better understand the challenges and needs of employees with disabilities.
- Documentation and Policies Non-Discrimination Policies: Document and consistently update non-discrimination policies for employees to peruse and reinforce through annual training courses.
Implementing these strategies will create a more inclusive and supportive workplace, promoting the employment opportunities and diversity of severely disabled individuals. By leveraging the untapped potential of these individuals, companies can both overcome discrimination and benefit their businesses.
References:
[1] National Fact Sheet: Hiring People with Disabilities. (n.d.). U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Retrieved from .
[2] Partnership Plus. (2018, February 11). U.S. Social Security Administration. Retrieved from .
[3] Carroll, H. (n.d.). Inclusive Hiring, Training, and Onboarding. University of Iowa College of Public Health. Retrieved from .
[4] Disability Inclusion in the Workplace: An Employer's Guide. (n.d.). Disability:IN. Retrieved from .
[5] Accessibility. (n.d.). (n.d.). OSHA. Retrieved from .
