Making It Work

By Wayne Forster

Hiring an employee is arguably the most important thing any organization does. The performance of employees, more than any other single factor, determines the success or failure of an organization. The hiring process, therefore, is very stressful for the employer. He or she is concerned about getting the right person for the job. Hiring the WRONG person can be very, very costly!

When the job candidate is a person with a disability, the concerns and fears of the employer are compounded. In addition to the usual apprehension about hiring the wrong person, the employer is concerned, firstly, that the disability will negatively affect the candidate’s ability to do the job, and, secondly, that the disability will present a whole host of other workplace problems.

As a person with a disability, you need to be sensitive to these concerns and fears - whether legitimate or imagined - and help the employer overcome them. If the employer does not directly raise them during the interview, it may be to your advantage to draw them out yourself so that you can dispel them.

Here are some of the major concerns employers have about hiring people with disabilities, and suggestions on what to say to help alleviate these concerns.

Will the disability negatively affect the candidate’s ability to perform the tasks of the job to the required standard?

This is a legitimate concern. By law, an employer may not ask you if you have a disability, but he or she does have the right to ensure that the person hired can do the job. You have two possible ways to respond. Firstly, if you’ve done the same or similar job before, you simply can relate how you were able to perform effectively in previous positions. Secondly, if you can perform the required tasks with some form of reasonable accommodation or adjustment of the work process, indicate so to the employer. Tell him or her that you are experienced in using these accommodations and that they can be implemented with minimum cost and inconvenience to the employer.

Do I have to change the way we do things around here to accommodate a person with a disability? Won’t that be difficult and expensive?

Since you should be much more knowledgeable than the employer about what accommodations would be necessary, it’s to your advantage to educate the employer about the nature of your disability and how it can be reasonably and inexpensively accommodated. Clearly indicate what accommodations will have to be made and how they can be implemented. Inform the employer about organizations that provide consultation on how to accommodate various disabilities in specific workplace situations. The more he or she knows about accommodating disabilities, the less concern he or she will have.

Will my customers be reluctant to deal with a person with a disability?

Perhaps some customers initially may react negatively to being served by a person with a disability because they are concerned that service will suffer. This fear is soon dispelled when the customer sees that the person with the disability can perform the job quite adequately. You can also inform the employer that approximately 15 per cent of the population has a disability, and that they all have families and friends, all of whom are potential customers. Having a person with a disability on staff may even help INCREASE business! It’s good PR to have a diverse work force that includes people with disabilities. It’s also good for the employer, who benefits from such a diversity of skills and experiences.

Will my insurance premiums rise if I hire a person with a disability?

This is a common but unfounded fear. Group insurance premiums or workers’ compensation premiums do not rise if an insured employer hires someone with a disability.

Is a person with a disability an added safety risk to the organization?

You can help alleviate this fear by reminding the employer that you are just as concerned about your own personal safety as the employer would be. Explain how you’ve had to deal with safety issues in previous jobs and in your everyday life, and indicate the measures you have taken to avoid accidents and injury risks.

If I fire a person with a disability because they can’t do the job, will I be open to charges of discrimination?

Tell the employer that the laws regarding termination of employees for cause are no different for a person with a disability than for a person without a disability. If the employer has given them every opportunity (including reasonable job accommodations) and they can’t or won’t do the job, they can be fired for cause. You can’t fire them, however, simply because they have a disability - no more than you could fire someone because you disagreed with their religious beliefs.

Won’t other employees feel awkward or uncomfortable about working with a person with a disability, or resent some of the special treatment they get?

Relate how you’ve always gotten along well with fellow employees in other jobs and have never encountered any resentment. Don’t get defensive or take the concern personally. It’s usually based on lack of understanding about disabilities or lack of experience interacting with people with disabilities.


In dealing with all of these concerns and others that may arise, it’s your attitude that’s absolutely critical. You may feel these concerns are unreasonable, unfair and based on ignorance. And you may be right. You may feel frustrated because of the employer’s lack of knowledge or understanding about disabilities. But if you react defensively or show impatience, you’ll kill your chances of getting the job! You’ll play to the belief of some that people with disabilities have "a chip on their shoulder" - that they’re bitter, resentful, negative people. And with all the other fears and concerns an employer has about hiring, he or she doesn’t need bitter, resentful, negative people.

Respond to these concerns as patiently as possible. Handle misunderstanding and misinformation in a professional manner, using it as an opportunity to educate and enlighten the employer.

Be as positive a person as you can be. Your positive attitude will help the employer see beyond your disability, and see your abilities first!

(Wayne Forster is an international speaker, trainer and consultant specializing in human resource development. He is the author of three books, including "Six Steps to Employment for People with Disabilities," published by Cambridge Educational. For more information, contact him toll-free at 1-800-858-6570 or by e-mail at wf@wayneforster.com.)