The NDIS has been a hugely important step in the right direction for those living with a disability in Australia. But establishing true equality and a society free of bias is a journey, and we still have a way to go.<\/p>\n
Many people will probably be surprised to learn that Australia is a laggard when it comes to disability employment. The gap between employment rates of people with and without disability sits at 32% in this country. In Italy, it\u2019s 13.3%. Sweden, 9.5%.<\/p>\n
It makes sense, therefore, when we also learn that the majority of complaints heard by the AHRC (Australian Human Rights Commission) fall under the category of the Disability Discrimination Act \u2013 37%. The next biggest category is the Sex Discrimination Act at 21%.<\/p>\n
Why is this the case?<\/p>\n
Why Is It Hard For People With A Disability<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n To Find Employment<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n For the most part, ignorance. Many employers simply assume it is too difficult and expensive to hire somebody with a disability.This ignorance seems to stem from the fact that many employers simply don\u2019t have any experience working with those who have a disability.<\/p>\n Research<\/a> conducted by The Conversation found that many disability services have no people with disabilities in their workforce. Fewer still have any on their board or in a management position. This is surprising given that it\u2019s logical to think that disability services should value the lived experience of people with a disability.<\/p>\n We\u2019re confident that if more employers had experience working with people with disabilities, they would find them to be incredibly valuable assets in the workplace. The simple fact that many have faced more adversity and had to demonstrate more perseverance than the average person is indication enough. Other benefits<\/a> to the workplace include improved productivity and staff morale.<\/p>\n Factors such as these far outweigh the potential costs of slight modifications to the workplace.<\/p>\n What Can You Do About It?<\/p>\n Of course, discrimination against people with a disability isn\u2019t limited to workplaces and employment. It extends to housing, restaurants, clubs, schools and so much more. Governments need to do more; the current federal government has put in some soft legislation which amounts to not much more than encouraging businesses to employ more people with disabilities.<\/p>\n In terms of the individual, you need to know your rights and the services out there that you can prevail upon.<\/p>\n The<\/p>\n This Act protects those with a disability from discrimination in the following areas:<\/p>\n More specific examples include getting a job, receiving training for a job, dismissals, enrolling in a course, getting a home loan, renting or buying, using parks or restaurants, among others.<\/p>\n What Do I Do If I Feel I’ve Been Discriminated Against<\/p>\n If no satisfactory result comes from talking to those directly involved, you can make a complaint to the AHRC in writing that details what happened, when and where, and who was involved. The Commission isn\u2019t a court and cannot determine if discrimination actually took place; their role is to talk to all sides and attempt to resolve the conflict.<\/p>\n Who Can<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Help Me?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n We\u2019d like to think of ourselves as the first place our participants would come if they felt they were being discriminated. We can act as your advocate, help you navigate government agencies, or simply provide advice.<\/p>\nKnow Your Rights & Your Advocates<\/h2>\n
Disability Discrimination Act<\/h2>\n
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Due To My Disability?<\/h2>\n
\nOf course, you can have an advocate do this for you, such as us, or a solicitor or even the relevant trade union.<\/p>\n\n