Disability, workplace inclusion and organizational citizenship behavior: an exploratory study of the legal profession

PurposeMany workers with disabilities face cultures of exclusion in the workplace, which can affect their participation in decisions, workplace engagement, job attitudes and performance. The authors explore a key indicator of engagement—perceptions of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB)—as it relates to disability and other marginalized identities in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachUsing an online survey, legal professionals answered questions about their workplace experiences. Ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression analysis with progressive adjustment was used to investigate the effect of demographic and organizational factors on perceptions of OCB.FindingsThe authors find that employees with disabilities have lower perceptions of OCB, both before and after controlling for other personal and job variables. The disability gap is cut nearly in half, however, when controlling for workplace culture measures of co-worker support and the presence of an effective diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policy. Disability does not appear to interact with gender, race/ethnicity and LGBTQ + status in affecting perceptions of OCB.Originality/valueThe results point to the workplace barriers faced by people with disabilities that affect their perceptions of engagement, and the potential for supportive cultures to change these perceptions.

The Untimely Dismissal of Workers with Disabilities in the Private Sector, during the Covid-19 Pandemic in Ecuador

Since March 2020, as a result of the health crisis caused by Covid-19, Ecuador has faced a sensitive panorama in the field of labor relations. The so-called states of emergency, which gave rise to restrictions on freedom of movement and assembly, led to the suspension of activities to safeguard the health of the population;and;consequently, in the issuance of new rules and guidelines for workers. Undoubtedly, a devasting scenario wordwide;and specifically for Ecuador, where, in addition to losing human lives, significant sources of work were lost and working conditions were modified to the detriment of workers, regardless of their condition. From this perspective, in this paper the labor regulations that were applied during the pandemic caused by Covid-19 are analyzed, in contrast to the norm applicable to disabled workers subject to the Labor Code, to finally, propose the procedural scenario that faces this priority care group in the courts of the country.

The Impacts and Experiences of COVID-19 on Employment for Individuals with Disabilities

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic is the most pressing public health challenge currently faced by populations around the globe;yet, little is known about specific experiences and impacts of the pandemic on the employment of people with disabilities. This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the employment of people with disabilities and their lived experiences. Methods: Data were drawn from a larger online survey study designed to describe the experiences of people with and without disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. From the larger dataset, 318 individuals reported having a disability and having been employed prior to the pandemic. A mixed-analysis using quantitative and qualitative data from those respondents was conducted to analyze and describe how COVID-19 impacted the employment of people with disabilities. Results: Out of 318 respondents with disabilities who were employed prior to the pandemic, 195 reported that their employment was impacted as a result of the pandemic. Specifically, 50.3% moved to work from home, 23.6% experienced a change in work hours and/or income, 22.6% were laid off or dismissed from employment, and 19.5% chose not to work due to personal or health reasons. Respondents described these impacts both positively and negatively. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic poses risks to the employment and economic well-being of persons with disabilities worldwide. There is a need for comprehensive, systemic, and collaborative systems of care to address the impacts on employment now and once the pandemic is over.

Analysis of the Return to Work Program for Disabled Workers during the Pandemic COVID-19 Using the Quality of Life and Work Ability Index: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Occupational accidents are rising, but there is little evidence on the outcomes of patients who received case management during Return to work (RTW) programs. This study examined the case management-based on RTW program features that improve the work ability index (WAI) and quality of life (QoL). METHODS: This cross-sectional research involved 230 disabled workers due to an occupational injury in Indonesia, 154 participated in RTW, and 75 did not participate in RTW (non-RTW) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sociodemographic and occupational factors were used to examine the RTW results. We used the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health's WAI questionnaires to measure the work ability index and World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) for quality of life. RESULTS: The study found a statistically significant difference in working duration and preferred treatment for RTW between the groups (p-value = 0.039). Furthermore, the quality of life in the domain of environmental health and work ability index score also demonstrated a significant difference between the groups (p-value = 0.023 and 0.000, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, this study found that the RTW program improved the quality of life and work abilities of disabled workers.

Guest editorial The benefits of inclusion: disability and work in the 21st century

(2002) explains that the human rights paradigm for persons with disabilities is inspired by the values of dignity, autonomy, self-determination and equality. [...]the human rights paradigm considers that “each individual is deemed to be of inestimable value, and nobody is insignificant. [...]the onus is on all actors in society to create a new normal that ensures accessibility, inclusion and belonging for all people regardless of their abilities. Disabled World notes “a disability confident organization is a company that puts policies into practice to ensure people with disabilities are included […] thinks about the needs of people with disability when designing products and services […] knows what people with a disability can do and has identified ways to address barriers to employment or promotion for persons with disabilities” (Disabled World, 2014). An innovative approach, known as demand-side capacity building, switches the focus to increasing workplace accessibility and employer capacity to leverage the full potential of persons with disabilities through more inclusive hiring, mentorship and career advancement opportunities;responsive and inclusive management and effective strategies for sustainable employment relationships for all individuals who can and want to work.

Remote Work "Reasonable"? Why the COVID-19 Pandemic Calls for a Reinterpretation of the "Reasonable Accommodation" Standard, and How Companies Can Respond

Headrick discusses the effects of the shift to telework on individuals who are disabled. While telework presents exciting opportunities for some individuals who are disabled, it also threatens to isolate others - disabled and not - from the workforce, or from their own companies and co-workers. In order for any accommodation to become reasonable, it cannot unduly burden fellow workers, and so it is key that moving forward employers and employees keep an open mind as to what may in fact be a reasonable accommodation. Employers should consider both the effects of telework on physically and mentally impaired individuals, as well as employees who are not disabled. Providing training on accommodations to all employees and supporting nondisabled employees' decision to telework may be one way of promoting a mutually beneficial workplace, but at the same time employers should remain free to choose the work format that works best for them and their teams.

Exploring the Differential Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Employees with Disabilities: A Call for Organizational Action

Across the United States, attention has focused on the differential impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on caregivers, women, and people of color in organizations, especially in higher education institutions. Yet there has been little attention paid to the impact of the pandemic on individuals with disabilities, even though disability and health have never been more salient. The current study aims to address this gap by discussing the impacts of the pandemic on individuals with disabilities in a university setting. In particular, the results indicated that individuals with disabilities experienced a greater increase in the hours they worked, as well as a greater reduction in time spent sleeping and for personal/social time relative to their colleagues without disabilities. Finally, the paper makes recommendations for supporting these individuals throughout the remainder of the pandemic and into the future.

Managing cancer in contemporary workforces: how employees with cancer and line managers negotiate post-diagnosis support in the workplace

PurposeThis paper explores how deservingness features in how line managers and employees with cancer negotiate post-diagnosis support in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachIt draws on narrative interview data from people with cancer in the UK who were employed when diagnosed and line managers with experience of managing an employee with cancer. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of occupational health and human resources staff and staff from a UK cancer support charity.FindingsIt shows that post-diagnosis support for employees with cancer was negotiated in subjective, individualised ways, drawing on pre-diagnosis workplace contribution as well as the perceived deservingness of cancer as an illness. Managerial support for employees with cancer was also influenced by post-diagnosis employee behaviours, particularly those that implied a readiness to return to work.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample size and methods limit the generalisability of the results. However, sampling choices were instrumental in reaching a rich set of data, which enabled deeper understanding of individual workplace negotiations.Social implicationsPervasive and unhelpful notions of deservingness in the context of ill-health and disability have distinct and worrying implications for ageing workforces, particularly across the Global North. This has been exacerbated by the ongoing uncertainty and insecurity triggered by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As a result insight into the management of ill-health at work has never been more relevant, and can be used to inform policy and practice.Originality/valueThis exploratory paper extends debates usually reserved for social welfare and health provision to a new domain by exploring how deservingness features in line manager–employee interactions in the context of an employee diagnosis of cancer.