International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

Is it Right to Blame Employers for not Hiring Persons with Disabilities?

Open access
Many associate the low participation of persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the workforce with the employers’ attitude towards PWDs. Employers are said failed to acknowledge the disabled population as the talent pool of skilled workers. However, little attention has been given to the issues and challenges that employers faced in hiring and managing PWDs. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to explore employers experience in hiring and managing PWDs at the workplace and issues that they faced. To uncover these issues, input from 19 employers were gathered through an on-site semi-structured interview. As cited by the employers, among the crucial issues employers faced in hiring PWDs include the difficulties to locate potential PWDs, PWDs lack of needed skills to perform task and employers’ lack of communication skill to deal with PWDs. In terms of issues relating to managing PWDs at the workplace, the findings showed that PWDs who been hired need extra training in order to perform the given task. Apart from that, employers also shared that they are facing difficulties in dealing with PWDs negative attitude and mentality, communication problem, difficulties in handling PWDs, managing PWDs safety, matching work with PWDs ability, negative perception from co-workers and management and cost in managing PWDs. Based on the findings, several suggestions and recommendations were put forward to increase participation of PWDs in the workforce.
Bruyere, S.M. (2000). Statistics about people with disabilities and employment. Retrieved August 5 2013, from http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek01/stats.htm
Garske, G.G., & Stewart, J.R. (1999). Stigmatic and mythical thinking: Barriers to vocational rehabilitation services for persons with severe mental illness. Journal of Rehabilitation, 65(4), 4-8.
Gordon, C. (2018). Why don’t employers hire people with disabilities? Retrieved from https://risepeople.com/blog/why-dont-employers-hire-people-with-disabilities/
Kaye, H. S., Jans, L.H., & Jones, E. C. (2011). Why don’t employers hire and retain workers with disabilities? Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 21(4), 526-536.
Khoo, S. L., Tiun, L. T., & Lee, L. W. (2013). Unseen challenges, unheard voices, unspoken desires: Experiences of employment by Malaysians with physical disabilities. Kajian Malaysia, 31(1), 37-55.
Lengnick-Hall, M. L. (2007). Hidden talent: How leading companies hire, retain, and benefit from people.Westpot Connecticut: Praeger Publisher.
Marrone, J., & Golowka, E. (1999). If work makes people sick, what do unemployment, poverty and social isolation cause? Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 23(2), 187-193.
Peck, B., & Kirkbride, L. T. (2001). Why businesses don’t employ people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 16(2), 71-75.
Pratt, C. W., Gill, K. J., Barret, N. M., & Roberts, M. M. (1999). Psychiatric rehabilitation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press
Roessler, R. (2002). Improving job tenure outcomes for people with disabilities: The 3M model. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 45(4), 207-212.
Serajul Haq, F. (2003). Career and employment opportunities for women. Asia Pacific Disability Rehabilitation Journal, 14(1), 71-78.
Stacher, J., & Hendren, G.R. (1992). Employer agreement with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: Implications for rehabilitation counselling. Journal of Rehabilitation, 58(3), 13-17.
Tiun, L. T., & Khoo, S. L. (2013). Challenges faced by Malaysians with disabilities in the world of employment. Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, 24(1), 6-21.
Wright, G. E., & Multon, K. D. (1995). Employers’ perceptions of nonverbal communication in job interviews for persons with physical disabilities. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 47, 214-227.
In-Text Citation: (Manaf, Othman, Saad, & Jamaluddin, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Manaf, A. R. A., Othman, S. Z., Saad, Z. M., & Jamaluddin, Z. (2019). Is it Right to Blame Employers for not Hiring Persons with Disabilities? International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(2), 1–9.