Myths are roadblocks that interfere with the ability of persons
with disabilities to have equality in employment. These roadblocks usually
result from a lack of experience and interaction with persons with
disabilities. This lack of familiarity has nourished negative attitudes
concerning employment of persons with disabilities. Listed below are some
common myths and the facts that tell the real story.
MYTH: Hiring employees with
disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates.
FACT: Insurance rates are based solely on the relative
hazards of the operation and the organization's accident experience, not on
whether workers have disabilities.
MYTH: Employees with
disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities.
FACT: Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees
with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without
disabilities.
MYTH: Persons with
disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to
overcome their disability.
FACT: Persons with disabilities are simply carrying on
normal activities of living when they drive to work, go grocery shopping, pay
their bills, or compete in athletic events.
MYTH: Persons with
disabilities need to be protected from failing.
FACT: Persons with disabilities have a right to participate
in the full range of human experiences including success and failure. Employers
should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all
employees.
MYTH: Persons with
disabilities are unable to meet performance standards, thus making them a bad
employment risk.
FACT: In 1990, DuPont conducted a survey of 811 employees
with disabilities and found 90% rated average or better in job performance
compared to 95% for employees without disabilities. A similar 1981 DuPont study
which involved 2,745 employees with disabilities found that 92% of employees
with disabilities rated average or better in job performance compared to 90% of
employees without disabilities. The 1981 study results were comparable to
DuPont's 1973 job performance study.
MYTH: Persons with
disabilities have problems getting to work.
FACT: Persons with disabilities are capable of supplying
their own transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take
public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as
varied as those of other employees.
MYTH: Persons who are deaf
make ideal employees in noisy work environments.
FACT: Loud noises of a certain vibratory nature can cause
further harm to the auditory system. Persons who are deaf should be hired for
all jobs that they have the skills and talents to perform. No person with a
disability should be prejudged regarding employment opportunities.
MYTH: Considerable expense is
necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities.
FACT: Most workers with disabilities require no special
accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many
employers believe. Studies by the Office of Disability Employment Policy's
Job
Accommodation Network have shown that 15% of accommodations cost nothing,
51% cost between $1 and $500, 12% cost between $501 and $1,000, and 22% cost
more than $1,000.
MYTH: Employees with
disabilities are more likely to have accidents on the job than employees
without disabilities.
FACT: In the 1990 DuPont study, the safety records of both
groups were identical.
October 1994 |