5 March 2007

Companies eschew disabled people, despite the value they can add


Pretoria-based IT recruitment company, Abacus Recruitment, has formed a new division that will focus on seeking to Place disabled candidates in employment positions, although the company states that finding employment for disabled individuals is "proving extremely difficult" as companies justdon't "make posts available".

This is according to Org Geldenhuys, a director of Abacus Recruitment, who said he is disappointed with the attitude of corporate SA when it comes to employing disabled people. "In terms of the government's employment equity act (no 55 of 1998) we all know that there is a move towards empowering black South Africans, but, there is also a push to try and employ a certain percentage of disabled people.

The Act was revised in 2006, with industry generally having to provide posts for disabled people equal to 2% of their workforce if their company boasts more than 50 staff members, or a turnover of more than R5 million.

"But since we launched this division to try and find employment for disabled people we have received a lot of reticence from companies. They are not impolite, but there are just no policies in place - there are no posts available - and it looks like there is a mindset against employing disabled people. It is disheartening, to say the least." Commenting further, Geldenhuys said that the company recently placed a wheelchair-bound former security guard who was shot on duty and ended up as an paraplegic ( paralysed in his lower extremities). "We found employment for our client, Andre Jansen van Vuuren, at Computer Science Corporation where he does insurance administration. He is totally independent and productive adding value to his company. According to Jansen van Vuuren minimal adaptation at the workplace was needed to accommodate his specific needs.

Geldenhuys said it was quite an incredible experience to see him adapting to his workplace and actually adding value to the company.

Heloise Conradie, an occupational therapist who works with the new division as a consultant, said companies seem to have the misguided perception that disabled people cannot add value to a company.

"It's essential for persons with a disability to engage in a vocational rehabilitation program to prepare them for the work place but after rehabilitation they need a change to prove their skills and abilities in the industry.

"We market our clients skill and not there disability. Yes, some adaptations is needed to function in the workplace, when that is in place, the person with a disability can function and compete in the the open labour market.

"But there is unfortunately still a mindset out there. Companies think that disabled people are liabilities, but there are many functions they can perform......there are myriads of posts they could fulfil. We are working very closely with Rehabilitation institutions to identify candidates and to forge a network. This is not going to be an easy task - in terms of finding employment for disabled people- but I just think corporate South Africa needs to play ball.

There is a lot of great talk out there, a lot of politeness, but not much hiring at the end of the day. There is pressure to empower previously disadvantaged people - and there are developments in this area - how come we are failing dismally when it comes to empowering disabled people?"

In the draft for public comments on Code of Good Practise on key Aspects of Disability in the Workplace, the minister of labour, MM Mdladlana, said: Widespread ignorance, fear and stereotypes cause people with disabilities to be unfairly discriminated against in society and in employment. As a result, people with disabilities experience high unemployment levels and, in the workplace, often remain in low status jobs and earn lower than average remuneration.

"Unfair disability discrimination is perpetuated in many ways. There are many unfounded assumptions about the abilities and performance of job applicants and employees with disabilities. Employers set criteria for selection that exclude disabled people. Workplaces are inaccessible and training is inappropriate for people with disabilities or not available at all. "