According to the Center for Talent Innovation, almost one-third of college educated full-time workers in white collar jobs are disabled. However, employers in Texas may not be able to tell that people are disabled just by looking at them. These are referred to as invisible disabilities, and 62 percent of disabled workers have them. The CTI study found that one-third of respondents faced what they called a negative bias from employers.
Of respondents who have visible disabilities, 44 percent said that they faced some sort of negativity from employers. For instance, their employers may assume that they lack skills or are unable to complete a task in a timely manner. The fear of being thought poorly of at work may make it difficult for employees to ask for accommodations. For instance, those who have migraines may benefit from different lighting or other small changes.
While 80 percent of respondents with disabilities said that they felt ambitious, 57 percent said that they felt stalled in their careers. This was compared to just 44 percent of respondents who did not have a disability. Employers may lose because they miss the opportunity to develop an employee who may want to learn more and be capable of doing so given the conditions to succeed.
The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to companies with 15 or more employees. Those who feel like their rights have been violated may wish to pursue legal action. An attorney may review a case and help gather evidence to bolster an employee’s claim. This may be done by looking at performance reviews or direct evidence that may suggest a worker was discriminated against. If successful, an employee may be entitled to compensation or other forms or relief as appropriate.
