Australians living with disabilities have a harder time finding work than those without disabilities.
The number of people with disabilities who are not in the workforce is more than double those who have no disability.
from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) yesterday indicated the 2012 unemployment rate - or volume of people looking for work - was 9.4 per cent for Australians with disabilities, compared to 4.9 per cent for Australians without disabilities.
“In 2012, the unemployment rate for people with disability continued to be significantly higher than for those without disability,” the ABS said.
The data was collected during the Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers in 2012 and 2013, the ABS said.
“In 2012, nearly half of all working-age people with disability were not in the labour force… one-fifth [of those people] had no employment restriction, reporting that it was not their disability which was preventing them from working,” the ABS said.
The participation rate for Australians with disabilities has not improved since 1993, when 54.9 per cent of people with disabilities were employed or looking for work. The rate of people with disabilities in the workforce was lower in 2012 than the 1993 rate.
In contrast, the employment and participation rates for Australians with no disabilities have improved since then.
Addressing barriers facing people with disabilities was a smart move for businesses, Human Rights Commission Acting Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan said.
Many people with disabilities were skilled, capable and keen to work, she said.
"Disability covers a very wide spectrum," Ms Ryan said.
"There are many whose disabilities would not stop them working."
However, some people have accessibility problems as soon as they leave the house, with not all train stations and bus stops accessible to people who have special needs.
Australians with disabilities were more than twice as likely to not be in the workforce at all in 2012.
Some were unable to seek work, but many others have lost hope.
Getting rejected for a position because of no wheelchair access, a lack of IT facilities for the vision-impaired or no accessible toilets would be disheartening, Ms Ryan said.
Other barriers exist in the minds of employers and human resources staff, who may not understand how much people with disabilities can contribute, or how easily people with special needs can fit in.
Many employers believe people with special needs will place a burden on resources, however, the for making reasonable changes so workplaces can adapt, Ms Ryan said.
An accessible workplace means employers have access to talent with special needs, who may be the best candidates for a range of jobs, she said.
