Today marks the 23rd anniversary the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA). This historic piece of civil rights legislation
was signed into law by President George H. W. Bush in the summer of 1990. President Bush, upon signing the measure,
said “let the shameful wall of
exclusion finally come tumbling down.”
As MS Activists,
it is our charge to ensure that inclusion is achieved. It is not enough
that folks living with chronic diseases gain employment; it is pertinent that jobs
gained are good jobs, including careers with the prospect of upward
mobility. Today just about one-fifth of
Americans living with disabilities are active in the workforce. Of these
individuals, almost fourteen percent were unable to garner employment in the
month of May, according to a report cited by Bloomberg Businessweek. In the same piece, the author points to the
company Walgreens, as a shining example of what all employers should be aiming
to emulate. Walgreens compared
variations in performance differences between its distribution centers; some
with workforces comprised of mainly people living with disabilities, and others
with non-disabled workforces. This
three-year study showed that employee turnover was cut in half with the more
diverse workforce, composed predominantly of people with disabilities. Of note,
productivity differences were virtually indistinguishable.
As we celebrate
the 23rd anniversary of the ADA, it should also serve as a reminder
that there is still work to do. We must
fight for job advancement opportunities and we must work to increase awareness
of the huge potential that an entire population has to offer in the labor market.
