DISABILITY AND EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION

Hey guys!

It is Monday and I am at work. This is not the case for thousands of qualified, trained and eligible adults of working age who live with one form of disability or the other in Nigeria. This is really sad just thinking about it. 

A lot go through my mind everyday and my heart goes out to this individuals who really want to work, be independent and pay their bills without depending on anyone but, can't find work because they are being discriminated because of their challenge. 

For those of us that do have jobs, we sometimes appear invincible in the workplace. Some employers feel they are doing you a lot of good by having you work for them therefore, it is a struggle to get paid premium for the job you do. 

This discrimination is a huge problem for people who live with evident physical impairment like wheelchair users, the blind, other aid users, people with facial disfigurement or those considered "ugly" or unpleasant to look at. 

We all know that employment discrimination is illegal. There are laws against it written on paper, companies, government establishments and organizations put out " equal opportunity employer"disclaimers but we all know where it all ends right?

People have been denied jobs based on their physical disability and those who eventually find one, can barely access the work environment due to barriers and sometimes, the environment can be a hostile place to be in. 

Employers see hiring persons with disability as a risk. They feel hiring disabled people will often mean refurbishing, giving accommodation, more pay, liability, inability to predict how they will work etc. All of this excuses employers give can be overwhelming when they haven't tried. What happened to diversity? what happened to difference? what happened to variety? 

When we have a combination or little of everything, we will appreciate the beauty of life and humanity. 

It is totally wrong to assume that having persons with disability in the workplace or just because someone lives with a disability only mean they are incapable. We need to make disability more common place. Persons with disability need to be more visible not invincible in our environment. 

The representation of of this class or category of persons in the positive is downright low and that needs to change. We need to see more persons with disability in school, doing business, at workplace, getting training's in different skills and generally being productive rather than on the streets begging. 

The government can't do it alone. It is a collective call to give persons with disabilities a job, trade and skills etc. 

WE ARE NOT INVINCIBLE!!!

Sharonxxx