Do people with disabilities face staggeringly low employment rates and discrimination in hiring practices?
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A Washington, D.C. newspaper is facing rebuke after an editorial written by its own staff criticized federal efforts to hire more people with disabilities.
The opinion piece from The Washington Times editorial board focused on a recent U.S. Department of Justice memo informing employees about the agency’s plan to hire more people with so-called targeted disabilities including cerebral palsy, deafness, blindness and severe intellectual disability.
“Most employers would balk at even minor mental disabilities in hiring a lawyer, let alone severe ones. But the policy states that the Cabinet department run by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. must ‘achieve a work force from all segments of society,’ which includes those who are teetering on the edge of sanity,” The Washington Times said in its Aug. 22 editorial.
The commentary is drawing strong backlash from disability advocates who say the criticisms are baseless and rely on untrue information.
“While the Times editorial suggests applicants with disabilities would be fast-tracked into jobs at the DOJ without due screening and assessment, the DOJ memo clearly states otherwise,” said Jonathan Young, chair of the National Council on Disability. “To mischaracterize the DOJ initiative with fear-mongering and hyperbole misses the point.”
Under a 2010 executive order signed by President Barack Obama, all federal agencies are supposed to dramatically increase hiring of people with disabilities. The presidential initiative calls for an additional 100,000 employees with disabilities in five years.
“The fact is that since the 1970s, the law requires federal agencies to be model employers and hire qualified people with disabilities. This practice has had bipartisan support ever since President Nixon signed it into law,” said Julie Ward of The Arc. “It is still needed today as people with disabilities face staggeringly low employment rates and discrimination in hiring practices.”
A recent Government Accountability Office report found that federal agencies have a long way to go toward meeting Obama’s goal, with just 20,000 new hires added under the policy in 2010 and 2011.
The Justice Department did not respond to requests for comment on the newspaper editorial and the agency’s hiring practices.
I worked WITH a handicap for almost 9 years at the SAME PLACE until I was assaulted by a client and went on Workman's Comp to recover.
To make a very long story short, I decided to quit that job, because I was afraid of being assaulted again. I was a Client Service Caseworker in a shelter/rehab center.
I arrived early to work, left late, trained interns, volunteers, those new to my department, the residents in the alcohol drug program, took only 2 vacations, rarely took sick leave, volunteered to help out on my own time without pay to serve our clients during Christmas.
After I left the job, I looked for a job for one year, without success. My degree in Human Services didn't help because I was told I was either over qualified or needed a Masters Degree.
I went to many non profits, as well as getting desperate enough to fill out an application with Social Services as a technician, not a client.
I would love to work, if given a chance. I am now receiving disability, which is about a third of what I made while working. I've done a lot of changing to merely survive.
NOBODY IN THE POSITION OF HIRING WILL ADMIT THIS, BUT MY DISABILITY HAS BEEN A HUGE FACTOR REGARDING MY WORK STATUS.
I worked twice as hard many times, to be considered just as good as others.
i am a disabled person who has experienced this.
You are right. People should hire who they want. I worked at the same place for almost 9 years and NEVER once received a write up, bad yearly performance, or complaints.
When our department was looking for a replacement for my supervisopr I was in charge. I was very capable, but unfortunately over or under qualified for other places.