It's time for all workplaces to welcome people with disability

• 1. Discrimination

  The biggest issue people with disability face is discrimination during the recruitment phase as well as in the workplace, which is largely through unconscious bias.

  What you can do

  • Challenge what you think you know and unconscious bias
  • Download our campaign resources to create an inclusive workplace

  What is the worst part of a job interview for people with disability?

  Watch this video to hear the different experiences of interviews when you’re living with disability.

• 2. Poor understanding of the rights of people with disability

  People with disability have both legal and human rights, and yet often this is not known or understood, which means their rights are not met – or worse, breached!

  What you can do

  • Know and understand the rights people with disability have and promote their rights to build a more accessible, more inclusive community.
  • Australia is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
  • The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth), which makes disability discrimination unlawful in Australia.
  • Promote the rights of people with disability and build a more accessible, more inclusive community. Visit Australian Human Rights Commission Guides.

• 3. Lack of job availability

  Despite unemployment being low at around 3.5% (August 2022), there is very little marketing of jobs to people with a disability to encourage them to seek out great employment and to feel welcomed in the workplace.

  What you can do

  • The next time you advertise for a job, think about how you can encourage people with disability to consider the role.
  • Make sure your recruitment process is open and inclusive
  • Check out Life Without Barriers’ recruitment opportunities -visit our careers section.

• 4. Lack of assistance with job seeking

  People with disability experience more hardship when looking for job opportunities and insufficient support to sustain employment in a way that they feel included and valued in the workplace.

  What you can do

  Be a champion employer for people with disability. In order to change the experiences of people with disability across Australia, we all need to join together and positively influence the experiences people with disability have in their search for work.

• 5. Difficulty in accessing skills training and education

  People with disability are just like every other job seeker and employee and may require support and training.

  What you can do

  Challenge some of your own assumptions and talk with candidates about what they might need in the same way you engage all other potential candidates!

• 6. Workplace flexibility

  While many workplaces now have flexible work arrangements, they may not fully consider the needs of people with disability – both physical and wellbeing needs.

  What you can do

  Think about what else you can do to ensure your workplace is fully accessible and inclusive. Often this starts with a simple and positive conversation like, “What can we do to make your workplace environment comfortable for you.”

Resources to get you started

Access resources and information about barriers faced by people with disability and what you can do to change it.