Physical Disability Policy for Australian - Report Example

Physical disability policy for Australian Disability in the workplace Disable persons in our society are vulnerable group. Disability is the state where an individual is impaired and cannot perform the tasks done by a healthy person efficiently. There has been a misconception that disability on refers to the physical challenged. This is not correct because other people are emotionally impaired. Emotionally impairment arises due to mental instability. They are affected by both physical and emotional sphere of life. A handicapped person requires the basic needs just like a normal human being. It is unfortunate that disabled brothers and sisters are still being discriminated at workplace. However, we have to give credits to civil societies that have championed the rights for the handicapped. Many nations have identified the role played by the disabled and appreciated their status and contribution to the economy. Disabled have faced challenges when in their workplaces over the past years. According to (Barnartt, & Seelman, n.d), employers to be precise view the handicapped as an additional cost to the production of goods and services. Views like this one have stereotyped the disabled thus initiating the process of developing policies that will take into consideration the status of the handicapped in their daily endeavor. Physical disability policy in USA The Republic of United States of America recognizes the disables citizens in the country and tries to create a legal framework that will enable them coexist with others. Life of a disabled requires the essential needs, but the ways of life is different. They try as hard as possible to place at the table. The policy termed as Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990; had the following elements. Attitude The Act places the employers who have a negative attitude towards their employees who are disabled on spot. According to the article, (An Act of Transformation; Law for Disabled to Change Workplace”, 1992) employers regard the disabled as merely a liability to the corporation, the worsening bit of it, is that they are considered to be desperate for employment. The employers take advantage for this and exploit them to their advantage. It was reported that a multinational company had employed a disabled who performed exemplary, but her salary was 50% to that of her junior. These sorts of biases by employers are the reason for the rise in cyber crime. If an employee is not satisfied with a number of bosses she has worked, he/she will resort to crime to meet ends. Accessibility Wisconsin Fair Employment Act identified the challenges the handicapped went through their life time and tried to harmonize their proceedings. An employer is supposed to have the workplace comfortable to the disabled. He/she might adjust some services within the workstation. For instance, designating lavatories for the physical challenged. It will make it easy for them to work in a new environment feel loved irrespective of their status. According to the article, (“EU pushes for better access for disabled at workplaces”, 2003), accessibility to the workplace should be designed for ease moving of the employees. Especially the building should wide corridors, ramped approach or use of lifts. Abuse and neglect Tarnishing the reputation of any person irrespective of his/her nationality, race, or any other status is a breach of American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the offender has to be apprehended to face the of the law. However, nowadays the abuse has been expounded to include sexual, physical, and emotional abuses. The act recognizes all these form abuses as capable to undermine the performance and esteem of disables. Handicapped people are vulnerable to social injustices and regarded as second citizens by other normal persons. The policy seeks to bring justice to the perpetrators of such kind of injustices. Prior to the signing of ADA employers in Milwaukee had been detected to be prone in abusing their employees, whom they felt were junior (An Act of Transformation; Law for Disabled to Change Workplace”, 1992). Neglect arises when the employer fails to accomplish or adhere to what the Act dictates on service provision to employees. It is absolute negligence for the employer to fail to include considerations of the disabled persons in the designing of the office layout. Normal office layout may become uncomfortable to the disabled and may subject him/ her to discomfort, or perhaps even injuries at extreme circumstances. Employment Employment should be conducted on the basis of merit alone. No form of discrimination subjected to the citizens of Americans would be condoned. The disabled persons have a right to work at the place of their choice without either coercion or false information (“Disability Resources”, n.d.). The working environment should not subject the disabled in a humiliating position. Wisconsin Fair Employment Act emphasizes that Promotion, hiring, transfer, and firing a disabled should be done on the basis of his/her competency. Discriminating anyone because of disability is an infringement on the rights of an American specifically a resident in the state of Wisconsin Analysis of the policy The Act addresses three persons, in particular, the disabled, employer, and the property (building) developers. The Act is a great victory to the disabled since their status in USA is being appreciated and works towards harmonization of the disabled and ordinary persons. According to (“Plight of disabled silenced, 2006”), there is no victory in life than be compared as victory of right especially the disabled feeling he belongs where he/she is and can contribute to the economic development. The sanity for the development of this Act in its current state has much to do with the plight of the disabled in the United States of America. The rate of unemployment among the disabled in Wisconsin state had escalated, and their living standards had deteriorated. The Wisconsin Fair Employment Act was formulated to defend the minority members of the society firmly because they were Americans and, therefore, entitled to equal rights just like other Americans in other states. Pros and cons of the policy The benefit of both policies Wisconsin Fair Employment Act and Americans with Disabilities Act cannot be underestimated. It has revitalized the disabled persons in Wisconsin. According to (Barnartt & Seelman, n.d) the Acts brought soberness in the job sector, and disabled are being given an equal chance in employment. As a result, the social status of the disabled has significantly enhanced and no longer depends on grants for survival. Above all the Act has restored the human dignity that was “stolen” from the disabled. Though the policies have made a tremendous effort in enhancing the social lives of disables, one cannot ignore the pressure it has exerted on others. The policies put the employers on spotlight and with high expectation from its implementation. The protectionism exhibited by the American with Disabilities Act will be considered as cost by employers who will have second a thought before employing disabled persons. It will undermine the realization of the both policies objectives and, in the long run, crumbles. Recommendation for the policy It is clear the idea behind the two policies developers were to enhance the lives of the disables, but with the formulation of some of the pieces makes it hard for it to be achievable. Especially the one demanding employers to have their workstations disabled-friendly. It would be prudent if the policy developers would have at least a round table meeting with the employer and organization representing the disables in USA like American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). According to Fleming, (1998), sharing of ideas regardless of the realistic nature opens avenue for creation of new ideas. He argued that the authorities should set funds aside for a new organization to refurbish the workstation to conform to disability policies. The funds should be awarded as soft loans with low interest attached to it. References An Act of Transformation; Law for Disabled to Change Workplace. (1992, July 25). The Washington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2015, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1017001.html? Barnartt, S., & Seelman, K. (n.d.). A Comparison of Federal Laws Toward Disabled and Racial/Ethnic Groups in the USA. Disability, Handicap & Society, 37-48. Disability Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2015, from http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm EU pushes for better access for disabled at workplaces. (2003, December 3). AP Worldstream. Retrieved February 25, 2015, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-87992455.html? Fleming, M. (1998, August 1). Overcoming adversity. (the disabled in the workplace). Paraplegia News. Plight of disabled silenced. (2006, September 19). Australasian Business Intelligence. Read More