Physical disabilities at work

Author(s): Bonaccio, S., & Connelly, C. E.

Date: 2017

Resource: In S. Rogelberg (Ed.), The SAGE encyclopedia of industrial and organizational psychology (2nd ed.).Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.

In the United States, nearly 20 million working-age Americans have disabilities, representing approximately 10% of the population. This figure includes both physical and psychological disabilities, but physical disability is the most prominent type of disability among people of working age. Individuals with disabilities rarely experience the same access to work opportunities as do their able-bodied and comparably educated counterparts. This finding is noteworthy given that the United Nations has proposed that the full and effective participation and inclusion in society is a basic right for all and that work is an important marker of participation and inclusion. Additionally, there is legislation aimed at protecting people with disabilities, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Despite legislation and the social awareness it instills, it appears that individuals with disabilities still fare poorly in employment settings.

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Related Research Areas: Disability in the Workplace