By: Kaela Denny
As a person with disabilities, I have first-hand experience with the difficulties of finding and keeping employment. The statistics for people with disabilities are dismal. The majority of these people are either unemployed or underemployed. Unemployment for people with disabilities remains twice as high as people without disabilities. Nearly eighty percent of people with disabilities are considered “Not in the labor force.” Meaning they are not employed or seeking work.
As a person with several disabilities including autism, non-verbal learning difficulties, etc., I am very lucky to have found employment. However, finding the job I have today was not an easy task. I experienced a lot of discouraging aspects. First, I received feedback that had nothing to do with my work or my work effort but reflected upon my own disabilities. I received feedback on my attire which was very rigid and did not allow for the specific needs of someone with sensory issues. There was no opportunity to resolve this through compromise, instead it would become a warning or infraction. Unfortunately, I feel as if this is a very common situation that people with disabilities face within the workplace. I believe this is a recurring issue which can lead to trauma, low self-esteem, and anxiety. There were times after receiving this so-called “feedback”, that I didn’t want to come to work the next day due to major anxiety. Secondly, I felt like my voice was not heard. Ideas and suggestions that I provided were not recognized as coming from me. Oftentimes other people received credit for them. This made me feel angry, disappointed and less-than. People with disabilities deserve to be critiqued on their actual work duties and not criticized for their disabilities.
Another thing I have noticed is that many people with disabilities struggle with communication. This can be with coworkers or employers. I personally get very confused with social gestures that are not spoken, or directions that are vague. Others who have disabilities even prefer to have no face-to-face interactions. It can be helpful to have their responsibilities written on a piece of paper for them to complete. Employers need to recognize that there are different kinds of learners; there are visual learners, auditory learners and kinesthetic learners. Perhaps the employer can ask the individual how they best receive information. We often communicate differently than our neurotypical peers and this can make social interactions with coworkers/employers confusing and difficult. My current employer, Matthias Academy, has been very accommodating in this area. For example, my coworkers provide me with detailed instructions that are clear and to the point. This allows me to successfully complete tasks without having to guess what they mean and what is needed.
One of my bigger challenges at work is dressing the part. Whether you're in a job that allows clothes that can get a little messy or a job that requires formal wear only, many struggle finding the proper clothes due to sensory issues. It takes me a long time to find comfortable clothing, spending way too much time in stores trying clothes on, when I’d rather be at home doing something less irritating. Oftentimes after purchasing and getting clothes home, I refuse to wear them due to anxiety. Even when I do find clothes for me that I’m comfortable in, I notice my wardrobe is still quite limited and small. As such, this requires a lot more loads of laundry to be done throughout the week….Ugh! When I say uncomfortable, I mean that the clothes physically feel painful to my skin. For example, sometimes the seam is not in the normal place…. can you believe they make pants now where the seams are running down the middle of our legs?! So uncomfortable!
As you can see, people with disabilities face a lot of struggles within the workplace or even finding a job in general. I was very lucky though, in finding my job today. I work part time at Matthias Academy as an Assistant Professor. Before being an Assistant Professor, I was a work study. This allowed me to “try” the job out, without being held ultimately responsible for the daily tasks. This also allowed Matthias Academy to learn my strengths, weaknesses, and what did and did not work for me. My employer supports me and also accepts me the way I am. My mom calls that a “compassionate employer”. My coworkers or what I call “my team” are always very happy to work with me. They are very inclusive of me and support the decisions I make, include me in coffee orders, and in conversations/job responsibilities. I could never imagine finding employment that could accept me and my disabilities for what they are. I’m very grateful to be working at Matthias Academy!
People with disabilities can have jobs like anybody else, but to be able to complete our jobs successfully, employers need to be giving feedback that is based on our work and work ethic, and not based on our disability, be aware and implement a person's preferred communication style, and be aware of the challenges people are faced with when it comes to dressing the part. Lastly, I cannot fit everything into this article, but INCLUSION and ACCEPTANCE goes a long way!
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