Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, is encouraging Central Coast workplaces to welcome job applicants with disability, following an NDIS Jobs and Skills forum.
“People living with disability often face significant barriers to entering and remaining in a job,” Tesch said.
“As the labour market strengthens, however, a number of businesses are quickly learning the value of employing people living with disabilities.
“An inclusive workforce is a productive workforce, a creative workforce, and overall, a stronger workforce.
“We are missing out on a wealth of talent and ideas from outdated and prejudiced employment practices, so it is incredibly important that we work both with businesses and people with disabilities to foster those important connections.”
Tesch said those who want to work should work.
“Having a disability, be it physical or mental, should not be an impossible barrier to access employment, especially when employers across the country are struggling to fill positions,” she said.
“With the unemployment rate at a near-record low of 3.4 per cent in July 2022, the unemployment rate for those with disability remains at around 10 per cent on latest figures, highlighting the challenges faced.”
Tesch’s staff member Natalie Mallia, who lives with low vision and chronic pain, has experienced the challenges first-hand.
“It is vital that employers can see the ability beyond the disability, and Liesl is certainly supportive of my adjustments like all employers should be,” Mallia said.
“I never thought that I would be able to work in an office environment again.
“I am so happy Liesl and the team are supportive and flexible with my tasks, and they have helped me understand that it is in fact OK that I sometimes need a bit more time to do my job.
“I am back doing what I love, and it’s even more fulfilling working for someone who is a passionate advocate for disability rights.”
Tesch said she hopes to see a labour market that fully values differences and is welcoming to job applicants with disability.
“We are getting there in terms of seeing and celebrating difference as a strength rather than a weakness,” she said.
“As a person living with a disability and employing a very talented person with a disability, this is an issue that is deeply personal to me.
“I invite all employers to educate themselves and look for some amazing opportunities in being part of creating a fully inclusive workforce, let alone benefiting from the amazing things that can come from giving someone a fair go.”
Employers interested in learning more about ways diversity in ability strengthens a workplace, as well as ways to get involved, can find information at https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/09_2014/emloyers_guide_to_employing_someone_with_disability_0.pdf.
Source:
Media release, Sep 6
Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch