Disabled workers fear hiring hurdles

More than three-quarters of disabled people would not disclose their disability in a job application, according to YouGov figures cited by Evenbreak, a disabled people’s career support network.

The survey found that only 23% of disabled job applicants felt comfortable disclosing their disability, 22% would not mention it during the recruitment process, and 30% think employers only hire disabled people to fill a quota.

Evenbreak chief executive Jane Hatton said the data shows how little most employers have done to make disabled workers feel welcome, and reveals how many fear the barriers they may face in finding work.

“It’s clear that many disabled people have to think carefully about when, or if, to mention their disability,” she said. “This is a stress not encountered by the non-disabled candidates they may be competing against for jobs.”