Disabled individuals are one of the segments of the populations that have low representation in the workforce. People with disabilities that live in Florida and across the nation should know that there has been an increase in the filing of discrimination charges.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission processed nearly 27,000 charges of disability discrimination in 2015. This was as disabled individuals lacked employment at a much higher rate than individuals without a disability, as shown by data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Only 17.5 percent of disabled individuals were employed in the same year. In comparison, 65 percent of individuals with no disabilities were employed.
The factors fueling the increase in the filing of discrimination charges include the fact that disabled individuals are more open to submitting claims and that there have been changes in the regulations and laws pertaining to employment discrimination. There has also been more outreach efforts conducted by support groups for disabled persons.
In addition to the discrimination of disabled individuals on the part of employers, the low employment rate for the disabled may be caused by additional factors. There may be work positions that cannot be accommodated for disabled persons. There is also no law that compels a disabled person to report his or her disability if it is not work-related. However, even considering these factors, they cannot account for the substantial number of charges filed by the EEOC, court cases lost by employers and the low percentage of employed disabled individuals.
If someone who is seeking employment believes he or she has been discriminated against because of a disability, having the assistance of a workplace disability discrimination law firm might be advisable. After a review of the situation, the attorney might find it advisable to file a claim with the EEOC.
