Employers Benefit From Hiring People With Disability
There is good reason for people with disability to be employed in the workplace. South African employers increase their BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) ratings not only when they employ black employees and women, but also when they employ people with disability.
Various research studies have been done and statistics compiled on the status of disability in South Africa. Although these studies are sometimes unclear and contradictory, it is commonly accepted that between 10-12% of the population is living with a disability. This means that:
• Approximately five million South Africans are disabled
• Approximately one in ten South Africans has a disability
• Yet, less than one percent of all people employed in South Africa are disabled
The National Skills Development Strategy
Three target groups of people have been identified as those most vulnerable in South Africa today. They are black youth, women and people with disabilities.
The Department of Labour announced, at the launch of the National Skills Development Strategy in February 2001, that 4% of the learnerships connected to each Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) should be offered to people with disabilities.
This legislation makes it possible for people with disabilities to enter the employment arena more easily, with or without tertiary education. It is therefore important to start preparing the disabled youth of South Africa for the workplace as early as possible.
Legislation
In terms of The Constitution, everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law. The state may not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone with regard to race, gender, sex, pregnancy, marital status, ethnic or social origin, colour, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, belief, culture, language and birth. Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have their own dignity respected and protected.
The Employment Equity Act seeks to achieve equity in the workplace, by promoting equal opportunity and fair treatment through the elimination of unfair discrimination and the implementation of affirmative action measures for black people, women and people with disabilities.
The Code of Good Practice
The Code of Good Practice gives guidelines to employers and employees on how to implement the key aspects of the Employment Equity Act in order to ensure that people with disability receive equal opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace.
The purpose of the Code is to help employers and employees understand their rights and obligations, and to reduce disputes so that people with disability can enjoy and exercise their rights at work.
Disability equity should not be seen only as a corporate social Investment, or as “the right thing to do”. It should also make good business, economic and social sense to employ people with disability.
What is Disability?
Many people (and organisations) get stuck trying to determine what a disability is – and what it isn’t.
As individuals we all have our own perceptions, ideas and opinions on what disability is, and these are based on our experience, exposure, knowledge, biases and prejudices about disability.
Disability is a condition caused by an accident, trauma, genetics or disease, which limits a person’s mobility, hearing, vision, speech, and intellectual or emotional functioning.
People with disability have a long term or recurring physical, sensory, or mental health problem, which substantially limits their prospect of getting employed or promoted in the workplace.
“Long-term” means that the impairment has lasted, or is likely to persist, for at least twelve months. A short-term or temporary illness or injury is not considered to be a disability.
A “recurring” impairment is one that is likely to occur again. A progressive condition is one that is likely to develop, change, or recur. People living with progressive conditions or illnesses are considered to be people with disabilities once the impairment starts to be substantially limiting.
An “impairment” may be physical or mental. A “physical” impairment implies a partial or total loss of a bodily function or part of the body. It includes sensory impairments such as being deaf, hearing-impaired, blind or visually-impaired. “Mental” impairment refers to a clinically recognised condition or illness that affects a person’s thought processes, judgment or emotions.
An impairment is “substantially limiting” if it imposes considerable difficulty on the person performing the essential functions of a job. This is determined by considering the extent, duration and impact of the person’s impairment.
If a person has more than one condition, these should be considered together to assess if their effect is substantially limiting.
The following instances would not fall under the umbrella of disability:
• The wearing of spectacles or contact lenses unless the person’s vision remains substantially affected in spite of wearing these visual aids
• Compulsive gambling, and a tendency to steal, or light fires
• Sexual behaviour disorders
• Disorders that affect a person’s mental or physical state, which are caused by the use of illegal drugs or alcohol, unless the person is participating in a recognised programme of treatment
• Normal deviations in height, weight or strength, common personality traits, and conventional mental and physical characteristics
• Self-imposed body adornments such as tattoos and body piercings
Educating Employers to Accommodate People With Disability
Site Audit
In conjunction with the facilities manager at the Company (or a suitable company representative), the disability management consultant conducts a physical environmental audit of a company’s facilities and offices to identify gaps and assist the company in making reasonable accommodation for individuals with disability.
The audit process entails:
• Assessing the business area
• Doing a risk analysis
• Ensuring that occupational health and safety procedures are in place
• Clarifying the types of disability that can be accommodated by the business
• Identifying suitable job positions for people with disability
• Stipulating the reasonable forms of accommodation that will be required
• Making adjustments in order to accommodate disabled employees
Reasonable accommodation includes, but is not limited to:
• Adapting existing facilities to make them accessible
• Adapting existing equipment, or acquiring new equipment including computer
hardware and software
• Re-organising workstations
• Changing training and assessment materials and systems
• Restructuring jobs so that non-essential functions are re-assigned
• Adjusting work time and leave
• Providing essential supervision, training and support in the workplace
Disability Recruitment
Siyakha Search and Selection has successfully completed multiple projects involving the recruitment of people with disability. In each instance, employers have been educated about the Employment Equity Act and the Code of Good Practice.
Employers should reasonably accommodate the needs of people with disabilities in the most cost-effective way possible. The aim of accommodation is to assist the disabled person to fulfil the essential functions of his or her job in order to enjoy equal access to the benefits and opportunities of employment. Providing reasonable accommodation also aims to reduce the impact of the impairment on the person’s capacity to fulfill the essential functions of a job.
At Siyakha, we present employers with a business case for disability that shows a direct benefit for both the organisation and the disabled employee. We also train and sensitize the current workforce before a person with disability is brought into the workplace. This allows for a smooth integration of the individual with disability into the workplace.
Fortunately, more and more organisations that recognise the value of employing people with disability are coming on board. Clients at Siyakha Consulting include Sun International, Discovery, Transnet Freight Rail, Standard Bank and Alexander Forbes, amongst others.
Quotes
“Less than one percent of all people employed in South Africa are disabled”
“The aim of accommodation is to assist the disabled person to fulfil the essential functions of his or her job”
“It should make good business, economic and social sense to employ people with disability”
For more information, please feel free to contact:
Dev Odayar
Disability Champion
Siyakha Consulting (Pty) Ltd
people performance productivity
Tel +27 11 706 9006
Cel +27 83 233 7983
Fax 086 664 5665
dev@siyakha.co.za
http://www.siyakha.co.za
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