I am continuing my toolbox series with a piece that brings together some of the ideas I’ve shared in recent issues of the Affinity News. The piece talks about the intersection of organizational infrastructure, the Theory of Planned Behavior, and disability employment awareness.. Not too sexy, but I hope you will find it an informative read.

Comments and sharing are always welcome.

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In this post:

 

Story: Disability employment and organizational infrastructure

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The theme this year is, “Access to good jobs for all.” A video for NDEAM watch the video points out that “companies identified as leaders in disability inclusion had, on average: 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit than their counterparts.” It is very likely these companies provide an environment where all employees are able to be their best and do their best. It is likely coincidental that they are inclusive of persons with disabilities (PWD).

In 1990, Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was seen as a significant civil rights law, clarifying the rights of persons with disabilities as (pretty much) full citizens. Enforcement of the law was implemented over a number of years and many legal battles were fought to avoid full enforcement. The ADA was revised in 2008 to restore the original intent of the law.

Title I of the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, except when such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The undue hardship clause allows for a wide interpretation of what is a “reasonable accommodation.” The terms undue hardship and reasonable accommodation are key elements of disability employment awareness.

The United States Department of Labor provides a wide variety of resources supporting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workforce. Reasonable accommodations under the ADA include:

• Making existing facilities accessible
• Job restructuring
• Part-time or modified work schedules
• Acquiring or modifying equipment
• Changing tests, training materials, or policies
• Providing qualified readers or interpreters
• Reassignment to a vacant position

Reasonable accommodations are presented as a simple list that covers a broad range of situations. The list is intended to be descriptive rather than prescriptive. Additionally, the U. S. Justice Department has developed regulations and design standards primarily focused on accessible facilities. These standards ensure organizations and agencies have information they need to be inclusive of persons with disabilities. Implementation of reasonable accommodations is a function of processes governed by organizational infrastructure outside the scope of the ADA. See the Affinity News for September for more information.

Organizational infrastructure has a significant impact on an organization’s ability to be inclusive of persons with disabilities. Well-defined policies, clear procedures, adequate budget allocations, appropriate decision-making authority, and open communication channels are essential for being inclusive of employees with disabilities. When the organizational infrastructure is designed to prioritize flexibility, inclusion, and accessibility, it facilitates the seamless integration of accommodations and promotes a more equitable and supportive workplace.

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), see the August Affinity News suggests that the intention to engage in a specific behavior is predicated on attitudes, subjective norms, and control beliefs. Organizational infrastructure that does not provide for clearly defined processes and procedures for inclusion of persons with disabilities supports neither subjective norms nor control beliefs supportive of inclusion. In the absence of cohesive organizational infrastructure, it is more likely a hiring authority will conclude that the provision of reasonable accommodations to a qualified individual with a disability would be an undue hardship to the organization. In this way, organizational infrastructure can be a natural, but unseen, barrier to inclusion.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is observed each October. Someone came up with the mnemonic NDEAM with the hope that it would be an easy memory tool. I have to admit NDEAM doesn’t do much for me. My work has led me to believe that subjective norms and control beliefs are more likely a function of organizational infrastructure, and that disability employment is more likely driven by organizational infrastructure than general awareness campaigns.

. So how about National Organizational Infrastructure Drives Disability Employment Month (NOIDDEM)? Needs a bit more work but I think you get the idea.

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