Publisher: Government of New Zealand > Ministry of Social Development
Topics: Supported Employment Practice - Inclusive Employment, Supported Employment Practice-Business Intelligence, Supported Employment Practice-Best Practices, Workplace Solutions - Accessibility & Universal Design, Workplace Solutions - Accommodations, Workplace Solutions - Jobseeker and Employee Engagement, Workplace Solutions - Innovations, Workplace Solutions - Disability Specific Workplace Inclusion
Year published: 2012
Type of resource: PDF

The Employer attitudes towards employing disabled people report was commissioned by the Ministry of Social Development to better understand New Zealand employers’ attitudes towards employing disabled people.

The research and report found that there appears to be an apparent `hierarchy’ of disability where the type and severity of the impairment does appear to have an impact on employers’ perception of the employability of disabled people, regardless of whether someone is perceived as being capable of doing a job or not. It appears that perceptions about how staff, customers and clients might react might be giving employers social permission not to hire disabled people. Despite New Zealand employers having a belief that disabled people deserve a fair go, and despite the largely positive experiences of those who have employed disabled people, it appears that addressing issues such as the perceived mismatch between an ideal employee and disabled people, and perceptions of others’ discomfort may need to be further explored to see whether they offer promise in helping to redress the underemployment of disabled people