Majority of disabled workforce remains hidden

Some of Britain's largest and best-known employers do not know how many

disabled workers they employ, according to a survey by Disability Now,

the monthly newspaper of the disability charity Scope.

The paper surveyed the 21 "Gold Card" members of the Employers' Forum on

Disability (EFD). The EFD provides advice and information to around 380

affiliated employers on promoting equal opportunities for disabled

employees. The Gold Card members provide the EFD's core funding.

Only three of the 21 knew the number of their disabled staff. Of 136,800

workers at telecoms firm BT, 1.8% have a declared disability; rail

operator Railtrack's 11,300 staff include 1.5% with a disability; and

the UK as a whole, 20% of the working age population is disabled.

Twelve of the 21 organisations said they did not know exactly how many

disabled workers they employed and six did not respond.

Susan Scott-Parker, chief executive of the EFD, said employers may not

have accurate figures because many workers did not see themselves as

disabled, some may be afraid of declaring a disability and others may

not feel the need to do so.

But Dave Cooke of the Trade Union Disability Alliance told Disability

News: "The responsibility is on the employer to encourage self-

identification and provide a climate that gives disabled people the

confidence to do that without feeling threatened."