Disabled workers 'getting a raw deal' new report claims
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MANY disabled people in Scotland have been “frozen out of work” due to their condition, according to research by disability charity Leonard Cheshire.
Three out of four said they left their jobs because they had not received the support they needed to fulfil their role, and nearly one out of five who applied for a job in the past five years felt the employer had chosen not to consider them for the post because they had a disability.
Kenny Shand from Inverness who found himself in this situation, said: “Not everyone is treated with respect. Whether you have additional support needs or not, the system needs to be more transparent. Workplace adjustments don’t need to be expensive – they just need to be done.”
Stuart Robertson, director at Leonard Cheshire in Scotland, said the findings lift the lid on a “tough and unwelcoming” employment landscape.
He said: “Most people with disabilities in 2019 remain frozen out of the world of work. All of us must redouble our efforts to challenge outdated attitudes to disability and accelerate the positive change that enables everyone to thrive in the world of work.”
The research also suggests more than half of all managers consider the cost of workplace adjustments a barrier to employing people with disabilities.
In more promising news, Leonard Cheshire’s research found a fifth of employers say they are more likely to employ someone with a disability.
The charity said the latest research shows an increased awareness amongst employers of the UK Government’s Access to Work scheme giving people grant and other support based on their needs, is up to 59 percent in 2018 from 41 percent in 2017.
But many recipients are waiting more than three months for their application to be approved and the charity wants government action.
