From Bias to Barriers: The Harsh Reality of People with Disabilities in The Workplace

20 Feb

Did you know that around 15% of the world’s population, an estimated 1 billion people, live with disabilities? This makes them the world’s largest minority, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). [1]

One striking fact is that about 80% of people with disabilities are of working age.[2] However, while many persons with disabilities successfully integrate into the workforce, far too many face disproportionate poverty, unemployment, and exclusion.

Barriers in the world of work

For people with disabilities, the workplace is often filled with obstacles that limit their opportunities. They tend to experience higher unemployment rates, lower earnings, and less job security compared to persons without disabilities. Many are relegated to low-level, low-paid jobs, or worse, and completely excluded from the mainstream labour market. As a result, many individuals become discouraged, leading to a drop in self-confidence and workforce participation.

A decent work deficit for persons with disabilities is evident in many countries. Consider the United Kingdom, where in Q2 2024, the disability employment rate stood at 53.0%, compared to 81.6% for non-disabled people.[3] The disparity extends beyond employment, 43.1% of people with disabilities were economically inactive, meaning they were neither working nor seeking work, compared to just 15.4% of non-disabled individuals.[4]

Even for those who do secure jobs, wage inequality remains a major barrier. On average, disabled workers earn 12% less per hour than their non-disabled colleagues.[5] In low and lower middle-income countries, the gap is even more severe, with disabled workers earning 26% less, and nearly half of this disparity remaining unexplained by socio-demographic factors.[6]

For women with disabilities, the situation is even worse. A study across 14 countries found that women with disabilities face a gender pay gap of 6% in developed nations and 5% in developing countries, compared to men with disabilities.[7] This means they experience double discrimination—both for their gender and their disability.

These statistics expose a deep and persistent inequality in the labour market which continue to hold back millions of workers with disabilities from reaching their full potential. Until real change is made, the promise of decent work will remain out of reach for too many.

Why Does This Happen?

Several factors limit job opportunities for people with disabilities. Prejudice about productivity, inaccessible workplaces, and a lack of support systems all play a role.

One of the most prominent factor is discrimination. Many employers unfairly judge disabled job seekers based on assumptions rather than their actual abilities.[8] Many employers unfairly judge disabled job seekers based on assumptions rather than actual abilities. This discrimination often takes two forms:[9]

"Taste-based discrimination" occurs when employers overlook candidates simply because of personal bias.
"Assumption-based discrimination" happens when employers rely on stereotypes about productivity instead of assessing individual skills.

As a result, even highly qualified disabled workers struggle to be seen as capable, regardless of their experience.

Beyond discrimination, inaccessibility is another major obstacle. While people with disabilities may require specialized equipment, workplace adjustments, or additional planning, these resources are often unavailable. Poor office layouts, narrow spaces, stairs without alternatives, and a lack of adaptive tools can make it difficult—even impossible—for disabled employees to perform effectively.[10] Many workplaces are not designed with disability in mind, making it difficult for disabled employees to succeed at workplace.

In addition, people with disabilities often face broader socioeconomic challenges, including limited education, poor training opportunities, and a lack of past work experience. These factors, combined with intersecting disadvantages related to race, gender, and class, further restrict access to stable and well-paying jobs.

Workplace Accidents and Disability

While many people with disabilities are born with their conditions or develop them due to illness, a significant number acquire disabilities due to workplace accidents. Unsafe working conditions, lack of proper safety measures, and inadequate employer accountability lead to thousands of workers becoming disabled each year.

A striking example comes from India’s automobile supply chain. According to Safe in India’s (SII) Crushed report, workers are being disabled while working for suppliers of major automobile brands.[11] Even more concerning, an increasing number of women workers are suffering life-altering injuries from operating the same hazardous machine—the power press.[12]

Unfortunately, many of these individuals receive little to no compensation and struggle to reintegrate into the workforce. Dilip Yadav, a 28-year-old from Stana, is one among many. He lost his right index finger in a workplace accident on August 3, 2024, while working as a contract labourer at an automotive parts factory.[13] The accident happened due to a loose bolt and the lack of a safety sensor on a power press machine. Instead of being taken to the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital, where he was entitled to treatment, he was sent to a private hospital. Although Dilip was eligible for ESIC benefits, his employer failed to provide him with an ESIC card or file an Accident Report, leaving him without official recognition of his injury. Even wors, Dilip was pressured into signing an agreement that weakened his claim for compensation. Without proper medical support, he struggled to get the care and financial help he needed.

This case highlights the widespread difficulties workers encounter, particularly in hazardous workplaces where poor safety standards and employer negligence can result in severe injuries and disabilities. Even when workers have a right to benefits, delays, bureaucratic obstacles, and a lack of awareness or support make it even harder for them to access what they are owed, forcing them to navigate a complicated system with little help.

How to Ensure Decent Work for People with Disabilities?

A truly decent job is one that is accessible, inclusive, fair, and empowering for all, including people with disabilities. But ensuring decent work isn’t just about meeting quotas or ticking boxes—it requires real action. This means actively promoting employment for people with disabilities by ensuring equal opportunity, fair treatment, workplace integration, and full participation in the community.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has championed this cause for nearly 90 years, pushing for policies that guarantee people with disabilities can work with dignity. The Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention No. 159 (1983) requires countries to create and continuously improve employment policies for disabled workers. Further reinforcing these rights, Article 27 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also explicitly protects the right to work. It mandates that governments prohibit discrimination in hiring, employment, and career advancement, ensuring that disabled workers have the same opportunities to succeed.

To fully achieve decent work for all, states must adopt stronger policies, enforce anti-discrimination laws, and create inclusive workplaces. At the same time, businesses must go beyond compliance and integrate a rights-based approach to disability within their policies and practices. This includes developing and implementing a human rights policy that explicitly references persons with disabilities.

Additionally, businesses must conduct ongoing human rights due diligence to identify and mitigate any negative impacts their operations may have on the rights of persons with disabilities. They should also establish effective remediation processes for any harm they cause or contribute to.

In order to contribute to the full realization of persons with disabilities’ right to work, they also need to promote equal opportunities in the workplace by ensuring a recruitment process free of discrimination, promote an accessible working environment. As the ILO states in its guidance:

"Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and including them in society—as managers, employees, suppliers, and consumers—is a triple win: a win for persons with disabilities, a win for businesses, and a win for society in general."

[1] https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health

[2] https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health

[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024

[4] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2024

[5] https://www.ilo.org/publications/study-employment-and-wage-outcomes-people-disabilities

[6] https://www.ilo.org/publications/study-employment-and-wage-outcomes-people-disabilities

[7] https://www.ilo.org/publications/study-employment-and-wage-outcomes-people-disabilities

[8] https://webapps.ilo.org/static/english/intserv/working-papers/wp124/index.html#ID0EAC

[9] https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/11/feature-ada

[10] https://www.baillawfirm.com/blog/2024/01/how-wide-is-the-employment-gap-between-people-with-disabilities-and-those-without/

[11] https://www.safeinindia.org/_files/ugd/4afbce_45db5aaad2b84740ba746ba1e29f3648.pdf

[12] https://www.safeinindia.org/_files/ugd/4afbce_45db5aaad2b84740ba746ba1e29f3648.pdf