MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT EMPLOYING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Myth: Hiring employees with disabilities increases workers compensation insurance rates. 

FACT: Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization’s accident experience, not on whether workers have disabilities.

Myth:  Employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities.

FACT:  Studies show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.

Myth:  Persons with disabilities are inspirational, courageous, and brave for being able to overcome their disability.

FACT:  Persons with disabilities are simply carrying on normal activities of living when they drive to work or school, go grocery shopping, pay their bills, or compete in athletic events.

Myth: Persons with disabilities need to be protected from failing.

FACT: Persons with disabilities have a right to participate in the full range of human experiences including success and failure.  Employers should have the same expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.

Myth: Persons with disabilities are unable to meet performance standards, thus making them a bad employment risk.

FACT: Studies conducted by DuPont found that 90%-92% of employees with disabilities rated average or better in job performance compared to 95% for employees without disabilities.

Myth: Persons with disabilities have problems getting to work.

FACT: Persons with disabilities are capable of supplying their own transportation by driving their own car, choosing to walk, use a car pool, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.

Myth:  Considerable expense is necessary to accommodate workers with disabilities.

FACT: Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe.

Myth:  Employees with disabilities are more likely to have accidents on the job than employees without disabilities.

FACT:  In a DuPont study, the safety records of both groups are identical.