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Inclusive strategies for supporting people experiencing disability
Editorial by Christian Saint Cyr
National Director / Canadian Job Development Network
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How common is it that people experience a physical, sensory, intellectual/cognitive, developmental, or mental health / psychosocial challenge; what we've historically categorized as a 'disability'? According to the 2022 Canadian Survey on Disability, approximately 27 per cent of our population has some form of disability.
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This is obviously a significant portion of our population but this has accelerated in recent years. During the 2017 Survey, only 22.2 per cent of respondents identified as having a disability. This is an astounding 20 per cent increase in just five years for something that shouldn't change much between surveys.
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Likely, the pandemic had a major impact. A global health crisis would make us more conscious of emotional and physical challenges.
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It's also likely that as our population ages, we are more likely to develop a disability. Over 40 per cent of individuals over 65 identify having a disability.
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In Canada, pain and flexibility are among the most common types of disabilities, often occurring together with mobility issues, affecting over 10% of adults, with pain being the leading type, encompassing conditions like arthritis or back pain that limit movement and daily activities. These are certainly challenges more frequently experienced by an older population.
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The final reason more Canadians might identify as having a disability strikes at the very heart of disclosing disability. In recent years, having a disability has become more normalized.
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When respondents to the Disability Survey were asked in previous years, they might have dismissed pain, vision loss, mental health difficulties or even physical challenges as just a 'difficulty' that didn't rise to the importance of a 'disability'. Normalization of disability has allowed individuals to feel more comfortable identifying in this manner.
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While there is still a significant portion of employers who will refuse to hire someone with a disability, are less likely to promote individuals with disabilities and typically provide less job security to these individuals, increasingly a growing portion of employers are seeing value in these individuals and want to support their participation in the workforce.
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Increasingly, employers are focused on workers' skills. If an individual is capable of doing the work, employers are much more willing to overlook other factors.
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Recognizing this growing interest while acknowledging existing prejudice towards those with disabilities, the Conference Board of Canada has released a new study titled: 'Overcoming Workplace Stigma Inclusive Strategies for Supporting People Experiencing Disability'. This research forms a playbook job developers can use in coaching their clients in how to address a disability with employers but also a valuable resource in supporting employers in developing more proactive policies.
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The research reveals job seekers and employees are extremely concerned about the perception of a disability.
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Nearly half of the people experiencing disability who participated in the Conference Board's survey (47.4 per cent) chose not to tell their employer about a disability because they didn’t want to be seen differently, and approximately one in three (29.6 per cent) were worried about discrimination.
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Nearly one-third (32.6 per cent) of survey respondents chose not to disclose their disability to their employer because they feared it would limit their opportunities.
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Employees with disabilities typically disclose only when necessary—such as to request accommodation (53.6 per cent), to explain performance issues (50.3 per cent), or to account for absences (42.7 per cent). Concerns around stigma and discrimination factor into decisions not to disclose.
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Among employees who requested accommodations, one in four (25.6 per cent) said their employer didn’t know how to handle the process, and one in five (20.9 per cent) said communication about the process was insufficient.
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Interviewees described differences in how they were treated, depending on whether their disability was visible or not.
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Employers are much more willing to support those with visible disabilities. Those with apparent disabilities noted managers and coworkers were more empathetic, while individuals with non-apparent disabilities experienced either a lack of sensitivity or outright rejection when disclosing their disability.
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Nearly one in five employers (19.7 per cent) told researchers that a lack of knowledge hindered their efforts toward disability inclusion. When employers don’t know how to support employees with disabilities (29.5 per cent) or how to foster accessibility (16.4 per cent), the authors argue this makes it harder for employees to seek support.
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One in four employees identified employer knowledge gaps as a challenge. The following is a list of outcomes employees experienced:
- I had to provide sensitive, private information (31.4%)
- I had difficulty deciding when to request accommodation (30.7%)
- The approval process was lengthy (26.9%)
- My employer didn't know how to conduct the process (25.9%)
- The accommodation(s) provided was inadequate (24.1%)
- I experienced stigmatization (23.2%)
- I had trouble understanding my rights in the process (21.6%)
- Insufficient communication from the employer (20.9%)
- My accommodation(s) request(s) were denied (20.0%)
- I experienced retaliation (16.3%)
- Other (14.3%)
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Most respondents only disclosed their disability when they had no other choice. Respondents were asked if any of the situations listed below played a part in their decision to disclose to their employer?
- I needed specific supports/accommodations
- to do my job (53.6%)
- My disability was a affecting my job performance (50.3%)
- I had to explain work absences (42.7%)
- Some people at work noticed my disability and asked me about it (37.8%)
- I was asked if I needed accommodations and disclosed in response (37.5%)
- Changes to my disability forced me to disclose (35.7%)
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The Conference Board study demonstrates there is a portion of employers who want to be better educated in this area and develop proactive workplace solutions. To support these goals, the survey provides detailed information on each of the following suggestions:
- Ensure that workplace accommodation policies are clear, easy to understand, and accessible.
- Engage leaders in conducting regular (at least annual) open, honest, and respectful conversations with all employees about disability inclusion processes.
- Train all people leaders on how they can support employees with disabilities by ensuring they are equipped to understand and navigate organizational accommodation processes.
- Provide all employees with training that enhances their understanding of disability.
- Reduce the need for disclosure by enhancing overall workplace accessibility through proactive employee supports.
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While having a disability might be more normalized in the year 2026, many employers lack information and understanding. This report, which we've linked below, provides a framework for furthering this dialogue with local employers. I would encourage you to share it with employers and employer organizations. Perhaps there is an opportunity to write an article, share a social media post or conduct a presentation at the local chamber of commerce.
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You may not work exclusively with individuals with disabilities but it's likely at least 27 per cent of your clients have a disability. This is a huge population that can make an enormous contribution within workplaces. Normalization requires education and we are in a great place to champion this approach with local employers.
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We’ll be discussing the impact of disclosing disabilities at our #MotivatingMondays meeting of the Canadian Job Development Network, Monday January 19th at 8:30am Pacific; 9:30am Mountain; 10:30am Central; 11:30am Eastern; 12:30pm Atlantic and at 1pm in Newfoundland.
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On the morning of Monday Jan. 19th 'Click this Link' to join the session LIVE.
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Labour Market 101 Training Modules
for British Columbia and Ontario
20% Discount Until Feb. 12th, 2026
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It's time for our annual Labour Market 101 Training Modules. This is an excellent introduction to important LMI divided up into five different occupations:
Resource Room Advisors (Mon. Mar. 2nd);
Employment Case Managers (Tues. Mar. 3rd);
Facilitators (Wed. Mar. 4th);
Job Developers (Thurs. Mar. 5th); and
Managers / Supervisors (Fri. Mar. 6th)
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Up until Thursday February 12th, everyone who registers is going to benefit from a 20% Discount on their registration.
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We have two series planned, one for British Columbia career professionals and another for Ontario. To learn more, click on one of these links:
BC LMI 101 Training Modules
Ontario LMI 101 Training Modules
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or to learn more, email Christian Saint Cyr, at: csaintcyr@labourmarketonline.com.
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