Disabled people fear losing their jobs and hide impairments to stay in work

Over half (58%) of disabled people feel at risk of losing their jobs and one in two (53%) have experienced bullying or harassment at work because of their impairments, according to new research by disability charity Scope.
 
Ahead of the closing of the Government consultation on work, health and disability, the survey of disabled people has highlighted the issues disabled people face in work and the risk they face falling out of work.
 
The Government has made a welcome commitment to halving the disability employment gap. Yet the employment gap between disabled people and the public has remained static at nearly 30 percentage points for the past decade.
 
The research also found that:

• One in five (21%) go as far as hiding their disability from employers
• One in eight disabled people (13%) have been overlooked for a promotion
• One in four (24%) say their current employer is not supportive of their disability.

 
Catherine, 47, from Yorkshire said:
"I've been disabled for five years and a wheelchair user for three. I had been working for my employer for 13 years when my condition began to affect my work.
 
“I fought hard not to let it affect my job and got support through Access to Work in order to keep working. I asked for a very minor adjustment to my workload but was told by my employer that I wasn't fit for work, but if I went on sick leave my job would be at risk.”
 
Mark Atkinson, chief executive at disability charity Scope, said:
 
“There is no reason why someone with an impairment should be discriminated against at work or feel at risk of losing their job– this level of exclusion in the work place is not acceptable.
 
“These figures demonstrate that employers and Government need to be doing much more to support disabled people in the workplace.
 
“Disabled people are pushing hard to get jobs and progress in their careers but the labour market is stacked against them.
 
“It’s clear that support for disabled people both in and out of work place need to radically improve.
 
“If the government is serious about halving the disability employment gap it must set out reforms which not only lead to a change in employer attitudes but also offer disabled people better access to in work support.”
 
In October 2016, the government launched its Green Paper on work, health and employment. Scope wants to see this consultation lead to a significant change in attitudes and expectations, with employers taking a proactive approach to ensuring workplaces inclusive and flexible and disabled candidates and employees are treated fairly.