The compelling case for disability employment in Australia
Overview
This research update looks at myths and misconceptions about disability employment and examines the benefits of businesses that embrace disability inclusion.
The lack of employer confidence and awareness has contributed to poor labour outcomes for people with disability in Australia, with just over 50 per cent of people with disability of working age in the workforce versus 84 per cent of those without disability. This employment gap of over 30 per cent has remained unchanged since 2003.
This paper was informed by a scoping review conducted in late 2022. The review systematically explored the past 15 years of peer-reviewed literature and relevant statistics on the topic of the costs and benefits of disability employment. It examines 5 myths about disability employment.
Myth 1: The cost to employ people with disability is high.
Myth 2: Employees with disability have a high turnover rate.
Myth 3: Employees with disability won’t fit in.
Myth 4: Productivity for people with disability is lower.
Myth 5: There is a higher risk of injury for employees with disability.