Disability inclusion goes far beyond making sure your building is wheelchair-accessible. Creating a workplace that’s welcoming of those with disabilities, whether obvious or invisible, means giving them what they need, writes Honeywell chief HR counsel Lisa Morganstern Bickel.
The signing into law of the groundbreaking Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the United States more than 30 years ago was a historic achievement toward equality for people with disabilities. The significant progress made since then is worth celebrating. The importance of vastly improved access to buildings, transportation and reasonable workplace accommodations for employees and job applicants cannot be overstated.
But in both the U.S. and globally, the work is far from complete. More must be done to eliminate barriers and promote a true sense of belonging for the 1.3 billion people worldwide living with a disability, 70% of whom have non-apparent disabilities like dyslexia or autism.
There have been many advances in the U.S. because of the ADA, but the fact is that disabled individuals still face barriers. They deal with inaccurate assumptions about their abilities, are underrepresented in the workplace, remain reluctant to self-identify and have higher rates of poverty than those without disabilities.
