The Accessible Canada Act supports the development of a barrier-free Canada across seven different priority areas, including employment. Persons with disabilities may experience barriers to accessibility when looking for a job, carrying out their work activities or in their career development. The Survey Series on Accessibility – Experiences with Accessibility and Employment (SSA-EAE), provides a snapshot of the experiences of persons with disabilities or long-term conditions while navigating accessibility barriers to employment.
Nearly three in five persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experience a labour market-related barrier
The SSA-EAE found that nearly three in five (59%) persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced a labour market-related barrier to accessibility. Types of barriers include those experienced at work or during a hiring process, or those that discouraged or prevented one from working due to their conditions.
Employed persons with more severe disabilities or long-term conditions are more likely to experience a work-related barrier
Nearly 7 in 10 (69%) employed persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced at least one barrier to accessibility while at work. Research has shown a lower employment rate among persons with more severe disabilities, as compared to those with milder disabilities. Those with more severe disabilities or long-term conditions were more likely to experience work-related barriers (81%) than those with less severe disabilities or long-term conditions (66%).
The most common type of work-related barrier to accessibility is related to the physical environment
The SSA-EAE collected information on the types of barriers persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced at work. The most common, reported by almost half (49%) of employed persons with disabilities and long-term conditions, were barriers related to the physical environment, followed by barriers related to communication (41%), transportation (35%) and technology (35%). Among the different types of barriers in the physical environment at the workplace, lighting or sound levels (31%) and sidewalks or pedestrian paths (11%) were the most frequently cited physical environment barrier types.
Difficulties disclosing their disability to their potential employers are the most commonly experienced barrier by those not working
Barriers may also occur during the hiring process or can discourage or prevent people from working or looking for work. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) persons with disabilities or long-term conditions experienced a barrier to accessibility during a hiring process or one that discouraged or prevented them from working or seeking employment. The most common types of barriers experienced were difficulties disclosing their disability to their potential employers (54%), difficulties related to accommodations such as unmet accommodation requests, unable to request accommodations or unaware accommodations were available (32%) and lack of support or respect from hiring staff or past colleagues or manager (31%).
Contact information
------For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).