Myths and Facts |
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Myth: It is too expensive to hire someone with a disability.
Fact: Most employers report no cost or low cost for accommodating employees with disabilities. According to the Job Accommodation Network, more than half of accommodations cost less than $500, and many cost nothing at all.
Myth: Employees with disabilities will miss a lot of work and will not be able to perform their job responsibilities well.
Fact: Employers report performance ratings of average or above average for 90% of employees with disabilities. Other studies found that:
- 86% of employees with disabilities have average or above average attendance records
- 39% of employees with disabilities were found to be more reliable than other employees
- Employers report that 46% of employees with disabilities actually work harder
Myth: I cannot hire an individual with a disability because I do not know anything about that condition or how that person could do the job.
Fact: The individual is an expert about his/her condition and will have ideas on what is needed for accommodation, if anything. Individuals can do the same work, only they may do it differently. Listen to what employees say about this and ask questions if you do not understand. If additional assistance is needed, there are excellent consulting services to assist.
Myth: The main reasons individuals with disabilities are under-represented in the workforce is cost of accommodations and lack of skilled people.
Fact: There are over 4,000 current students with disabilities at Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo, University of Guelph and Conestoga College as well as many highly qualified and skilled alumni. Individuals with disabilities often cite attitudinal barriers as one of the main reasons for lower employment rates. There are often misperceptions of disability by others who do not experience the same issues. Disability is seen as a "socially created problem" and the full integration of individuals into society, is an "attitudinal or ideological issue". (World Health Organization)