There are a few things companies should consider before they commit to employing people with disabilities. The employment of persons with disabilities has become an important consideration for businesses, as employers have to comply with legislation and reap the benefits that are associated with the employment of persons with disabilities....

Many companies mistakenly believe that hiring people with disabilities is inconvenient, but there are benefits. From qualifying for tax allowances to ducking hefty penalties, here are some of the perks. Disability employment is sometimes regarded as cumbersome for an employer. However, it is no different than the complicated processes that...

Making special learnership arrangements in the workplace for people with a disability might not be as helpful as you might expect South African Employers for Disability recently held a workshop where delegates examined the issues of transformation, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. There were some fascinating inputs, but one...

What kind of effect does competition have in the workplace? Watching the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games on television, and seeing the way in which these competitions spur the participants to amazing achievements, made me think about one of the great debates in the work arena: is competition in the...

What can people with disabilities expect when they have to take additional time off work because of a complication or consequence of their disability? In terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, every employee is entitled to one day’s sick leave per month – or 36 days in a...

Overcoming prejudice in the workplace is an important step towards ensuring the fair treatment of all employees. One of the greatest barriers to the employment of people with disabilities is not the physical access to business premises (although that remains a major issue), it’s attitude. Fear, ignorance and stereotypical views...

The “reasonable accommodation” of employees with a disability is not open-ended. There is often some confusion regarding the legislated requirements that organisations (public and private) provide for the “reasonable accommodation” of people with disabilities without causing the organisation “unjustifiable hardship”. The Disability Code of the Employment Equity Act states that...

So you landed an interview; you read up about the company beforehand … now it’s face-to-face time Congratulations! You’ve made it to the interview stage of your employment journey. But there is still a way to go. How you present yourself in the interview could mean receiving a job offer...

When’s the best time to disclose your disability to a prospective employer? In the September-October issue, I noted that all businesses and organisations must employ people with disabilities if they are to comply with various pieces of employment legislation and related regulations. As SAE4D members who are committed to the...

The news about careers for people with disabilities is good and getting even better While people with disabilities continue to experience disproportionately high unemployment levels in South Africa, the good news is that the environment for their employment has never been better. That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty...