Top 10 myths about disability and employment

1 in 5 people in Australia have a disability. Yet disability is often misunderstood.

There are many misconceptions about people with disability and work. Here we present the top 10 myths.

Myth 1: People with disability don’t want to work.

Fact: People with disability have goals, dreams and needs like everyone else. This includes finding long-term work that brings not only financial independence and security, but a sense of purpose, self-esteem and social connectedness to their lives.

Myth 2: People with disability have a low level of skills - they won’t be able to do the job.

Fact: People with disability can offer a lot of value to your business. They bring high potential and a diverse range of skills and abilities. Many have completed tertiary education and one-third are managers and professionals.

Myth 3: Other employees won’t be comfortable working with a person with disability.

Fact: Some disabilities are invisible and have little or no impact on how people go about their daily lives. A disability can also be temporary. There are many benefits of hiring a person with disability and your other employees will only benefit from this diversity in the team.

Myth 4: It costs more to employ a person with a disability - and we’ll have more OHS issues.

Fact: Hiring a person with a disability is extremely cost effective. People with disability have fewer compensation incidents and accidents at work compared to other employees and lower levels of absenteeism. Plus your business could be eligible for up to $10,000 in wage subsidies.

Myth 5: People with disability use wheelchairs, they can’t do the job.

Fact: Less than 5% of people with disability use a wheelchair. If modifications are required for a person with physical disability, financial assistance is often available to cover the cost of this.

Myth 6: My customers/clients will be impacted.

Fact: Disability is part of human diversity. A diverse workforce is part of a diverse society. People with disability build relationships with customers across a wide cross-section of the community which is beneficial for business.

Myth 7: An employee with disability will have more sick days.

Fact: Research shows that people with disability have less sick days and absences from work than their colleagues without disability. 83% of people with disability do not need time off work because of their condition.

Myth 8: Workplace adjustments or modifications will be expensive.

Fact: Many people with disability need little to no adjustments in the workplace. The most common arrangements for employees with disability are casual, part time or flexible hours. When workplace modifications are required, there is often financial assistance available.

Myth 9: It’s difficult to know how to interact with an employee with disability.

Fact: 1 in 5 Australians have a recognised disability. So chances are you’ve already worked with a person with disability. Connecting with a person with disability is no different to another employee - it’s a matter of common courtesy, respect and clear communication.

Myth 10: There’s no support available for employers who hire staff with disability.

Fact: The Australian Government provides support for the recruitment and employment of people with disability through the Disability Employment Services (DES) program. This includes no-cost recruitment, wage subsidies and financial support for workplace modifications.