Unfortunately, discrimination is something that many different people have to deal with in the workplace. Disabled people face these problems just about every day. For whatever reason, employers don’t think a disabled person can do the job the same as an able-bodied person. Maybe they simply don’t want to deal with needing to make accommodations for them. Either way, it is illegal and you have the right to work and make a living.
It is simply a matter of knowing what your rights are and what an employer can and cannot do. You are in a protected class of workers so you can’t be fired for your disability and can hire a law firm specializing in unfair dismissal if you are. In this article, we will go over what your rights are when it comes to working with a disability.
Americans with Disabilities Act
There is a very well-defined and enforceable law called the ADA. Companies are required to consider disabled candidates as long as they are capable of doing the job described. There are also accommodations that must be provided to allow the disabled person to be able to enter the building and do the work required. This could mean that ramps have to be installed, or that there is equal access to the building for disabled people.
These types of accommodations and more will mean that having disabled people working for you will make the workplace more diverse. Diversity at work brings many benefits so it is definitely well worth it for employers to make sure that they are hiring disabled people and other protected classes of workers.
The law also covers many other aspects of daily life such as education and transportation, but when it comes to employment the law is clear. The gist of the law is that a person can’t be turned away from getting a job that they are qualified for when they are disabled. They also can’t be fired unfairly when they are disabled as long as they are completing the job as required.
Use available resources
If you are unsure of how to find a job or to understand what your rights are when you have one already then go to your local job center for information and a helping hand. There are thousands of them across the country so you should find one close to you.
They can help you in a number of ways. The most obvious way is that they commonly have job listings for specific people so you can always go through the possible jobs available to you through them. They also have computers to use to do your search free of charge. There are volunteers that will help you make a good resume to help you land the job and also how to interview to get hired.
Take advantage of these types of resources so that you are not trying to do this on your own.
