Introduction
Disability discrimination happens when an employee is reprimanded or fired from their job because of their disability. It may be difficult to pinpoint the causes of disability discrimination at first, but things would become clearer when someone takes a closer look at the most common issues faced by those who have been discriminated. Disability discrimination is a modern problem, and reports about disability discrimination are being broadcasted all over the country. One of the most recent memories in mind showcasing this type of discrimination would be the case filed against Ford Motor Company by a woman who requested to work from home due to her irritable bowel syndrome. Another similar case involves a poultry processor working at the House of Raeford Farms who is diagnosed with anemia, who requested to work in warmer climates. However, the request of the employee working with the House of Raeford Farms is denied, and she was eventually fired from her job.
The United Nations Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, more commonly known as the UNSCRPD, stated that companies should discuss the issue with the employees involved, and check for other alternative solutions that would not deprive them of doing their jobs. It is important to note that people who are feeling excluded because of their disability can file a case against their employer, and it would be a noteworthy case to talk about. International organizations who are protecting the human rights of the majority of the population are stating that the companies around the world should always consider the welfare of the public, and their rights to secure their job should always be protected.
Is there a law protecting citizens from disability discrimination?
In the United States, some laws specialize in taking care of those who wanted to work but are disabled, called the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It prohibits discrimination against those who are disabled, especially when it refers to their jobs. Disability discrimination attorney, also referred to as an employment lawyer, study the disability discrimination law, pointing out the flaws that some companies commit when it comes to the welfare of their employees. West Coast Employment Lawyers, based in the United States, is an example of an organization that works directly with the people to help them out whenever they feel like their rights are not being exercised to its full extent.
Based on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, individuals should not be discriminated only because they are handicapped. When they are terminated from their jobs, there should be a definite reason why, and it should not be based on their disability. Companies that do not follow the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 can be penalized heavily The West Coast Employment Lawyers have pointed out that there are several cases of disability discrimination in California, and employers who have committed the act have been penalized for discriminating handicapped individuals. Most companies are doing their best to prevent them from breaking the disability discrimination law.
Despite the existence of laws that protect the people with disabilities from discrimination, a lot of these situations are still happening in the United States, and people could not do anything to stop these businesses from firing those who are disabled from doing their jobs. The disability discrimination attorney, or the employment lawyer, should work hard to protect their clients from big businesses, and they are looking for pieces of evidence that would support their claim stating that their clients should not be fired because of their disability.
What are the most common causes of disability discrimination?
Cultural and Social Barriers
One of the most common reasons why people experience disability discrimination is because of their race and belief. When combined with their disability, these people would experience double jeopardy. This is more common in racist communities, and people who experience this type of discrimination should speak with a lawyer to discuss their situation. In the past, when the United States is still experiencing racial segregation, people of color would receive a tiny chance of being hired by an employer. The worse thing is that disabled people of color would have virtually no chances of being hired. Cultural and social barriers can be a huge problem, and lawyers should work closely with their clients to help them understand their rights and fight for it. Lawyers are telling their clients who have experienced disability discrimination that their race and belief should not be a basis for their subsequent termination from their jobs.
Lack of accommodation
Some people with disabilities might need to use a different entrance, exit, or comfort room that would suit their needs. However, lawyers who are specializing in disability discrimination have pointed out that some businesses in the country do not accommodate people with disability because they lack the facilities to take care of them. Lawyers have encouraged these businesses to build a separate facility for those who are disabled because it is important for them to feel included in the corporate family. There are businesses in the United States that are aware of the issue, and they start to become more sensitive when it comes to taking care of their disabled employees. They are now working to accommodate them and building their entrances, exits, and comfortable rooms to make their stay inside the company more convenient.
Lack of inclusion to those who are disabled
This is the unsettling reality for other people who have disabilities, and they are pointing out that other businesses see them as a burden. They state that inclusivity virtually does not exist for other businesses, and once they found out that they are disabled, they are barred from being a part of the company. Disabled people are pointing out that this should not be the case, and the companies should always consider them as someone who should be an asset for the company. Disabled people wanted to feel included, and they appeal to the population to respect their rights to work. Disabled people, once employed, are doing their best to mingle with other employees, showing them that they can also become a great companion for others.
Unemployment
Lawyers are pointing out that unemployment can also be an underlying cause of disability discrimination. When companies accommodate people with disability into their interviews, they see them as a liability for the company, immediately discouraging them to pursue their dreams of joining the team because they are disabled.
Poverty
Lawyers are also pointing out that poverty is playing a major role when it comes to disability discrimination. People who are living in extreme poverty has a lower chance of being employed because they do not have access to medication and treatment of their disabilities. Lawyers advised them that they should be working with a good attorney that can help them out with their problems. Poverty causes the disabled person to feel like a burden to society, and it would change their outlook in life. Instead of discriminating these people because they are poor and disabled, people should work together to ensure that they can exercise their rights, and they should be protected at all costs. Poverty should not be a reason for them not to reach for their dreams, and companies should avoid discriminating them only because they are handicapped because some disabled people are skilled and talented.
