Disability Discrimination in the Workplace (Liberalism)

           Employers have a responsibility to respect their employees and they have an obligation to make sure that their actions are not harmful or discriminate no matter what disability their employee may have. In Ontario, the Human Rights Code contains provisions for protecting employees from discrimination and harassment in the workplace. (NAALC, 2011) The Code outlines the prohibited grounds for discrimination religion, citizenship, colour, race, sex, age, sexual orientation, marital status, among others.

Workers with a disability are also protected by human rights legislation in accordance with the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Employment Equity Act.(NAALC, 2011) The Canadian Human Rights Commission ensures that both equal opportunity and non-discrimination occur in all areas under federal jurisdiction.  The Canadian Human Rights Commission is responsible for ensuring that all federally regulated employers provide equal opportunities for employment to individuals with disabilities.

Statistics show that working-age people with a disability are much less likely to hold paid jobs than are other Canadians (Statistics Canada, 2008). This may reflect an inability to work at all, or, in many other cases, discrimination and/or a lack of appropriate supports and accommodations. In 2006, just over one-half (51%) of persons with disabilities were employed, compared to three in four persons without disabilities. (Statistics Canada, 2008)

Employers cannot exclude workers from normal participation in the workplace when it is possible to make arrangements, such as changes to the workplace or working conditions, to include them. (Minken, 2012) When a worker’s special needs are covered by human rights laws, an employer must modify working conditions to meet those special needs where it is possible to do so without serious hardship to the operation of the business. Some things employers can do to help their disabled employees are as simple as adding wheelchair access to an office and providing flexible work hours to allow for treatments.(Minken, 2012)

                Employers must try to accommodate a disability or special need, and cannot discriminate against them. Employers must respect the dignity of their employees and must make sure that their actions and workplaces are not harmful. Unfortunately, many employers do not abide by this rule, they either don’t care or do not want the liability, and either way there needs to be another way to enforce the rule.

- Marquise 
 

Guide to Employment Discrimination Laws in Canada (2011). In NAALC. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.naalc.org/migrant/english/pdf/mgcanemd_en.pdf

Statistics Canada. 2008. Cat. 89-628-X, No. 007. Participation and Activity Limitations                          Survey 2006: Labour Force Experiences of Persons with Disabilities.

Discrimination in the Workplace: When it’s Prohibited and When it’s Permitted (2012). In Minken Employment Lawyers. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.minkenemploymentlawyers.com/employment-law-issues/workplace-discrimination-when-it%E2%80%99s-prohibited-and-when-it%E2%80%99s-permitted.

The Disadvantages of Social Security Disability (Neoliberalism)

          Social Security Disability provides income support to those completely unable to work due to a disability. Despite the benefits of SSDI it has certain limitations that must be taken into consideration when preparing to apply for and be on the program. There is really only one criterion - can you do substantial paid work? Their standard for "substantial" is $800 / month. And it doesn't have to be work you are used to, or work that is available in your community. Ability to do any kind of full time paid work at all can disqualify you. (Spero, 2003)

To attain Social Security Disability, proof of your disability mush be shown. You must be able to prove that you cannot work AT-ALL. If you are still able to do some work, you cannot receive any money; you must be completely unable to work because of your condition in order to qualify. The disability you have must also be severe enough to put you out of commission for at least a year or have death as a possible serious threat. (Lovering, 2012)

Benefits do not begin until you have been disabled for at least five full months, this means that there is a significant delay in the money people with disabilities need to support themselves. You will be told when the start date of your benefits is and how much you will receive only after your application is approved, so even if you qualify, there is no set amount to be expected. (Lovering, 2012) Throughout the term of a person’s use of the benefits, their case will be continually reviewed and if all the criteria are not continually met, you could be turned down.

The process of applying is emotionally draining on a person, so people need to have a friend or family member help with filling out forms. The application process being so long adds more stress to the financial issues and stress of the disability.

                These things mentioned may become an issue for individuals when applying for Social Security Disability. Many people would not be able to apply for the help they need because of the standards set. If we as a society want people to be well and receive all the help they can get, the criteria need to be shaped to fit the majority of those who need the help.

- Marquise

 

Lovering, C. (2012). The Disadvantages of Social Security Disability. In eHow. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.ehow.com/list_7380519_disadvantages-social-security-disability.html

Spero, D. (2003). What You Need to Know About Social Security Disability Insurance . In Learning Place Online. Retrieved November 20, 2012, from http://www.learningplaceonline.com/illness/living/know-ssdi.htm

Physical deformity related to impurity in the middle ages

            Through the middle ages, disabled people were looked upon with superstition and were rejected and persecuted.(Meltzer, 2006) A persons’ physical appearance was thought to be reflective upon ones character and they were looked at as objects to be treated and improved upon, rather than human beings who could still be independent and learn to handle their disability. (Meltzer, 2006)

Values and beliefs of society at the time were commonly accepted and the stigmas of the disabled were widely acknowledged. Our ideology and culture both, in past and future, alter our perceptions of normality and are mostly determined by others through learning and the natural transmission.(Metzler, 2006) This could be seen in the art and religious art of the time period. People with a disability were often depicted as unclean or deformed even if their disability was mental or not visible; there was something that set them apart. (Barnes, 1991) Also as for the evil being represented, the tormentors of Christ in religious art were depicted with sores or blemishes, to reflect the blemishes that were believed to be on their soul (Barnes, 1991), meaning that someone who did an evil thing and someone with a disability are on the same level.

             In medieval Europe disability was sometimes associated with the devil and witchcraft. Deformed and disabled children were seen as 'changelings' which are the Devil's substitutes for human children, and it was believed they are this way because of their parents' involvement with the black arts or that their mothers' had had intercourse with Satan. And the association between disability and evil was not limited to the layman. Protestant reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) proclaimed that he saw the Devil in a profoundly disabled child. If these children lived, Luther recommended killing them. They were the focus of a mixture of emotions which embodied guilt, fear and contempt. (Metzler, 2006)
          
            Individuals with disabilities were placed in the care of family members and would not be on their own and encouraged with independence.(Meltzer, 2006) I believe that this means that the disability of these peoples were not actually "dealt" with by society and was kept within the family.

 

The idea that any form of physical or mental impairment was the result of divine judgment for wrongdoing was pervasive throughout the British Isles in this period. All in all people with disabilities were treated as 2^nd class human beings who were unfinished and deformed due to a sin or cheat of nature. Being treated as though you are a sign of evil must have taken its toll on these individuals and made it hard for them to live full lives. Just because people have a physical disability that others can see does not mean that there is also a mental disability, for those individuals aware of their limitations and the view of society, life in the medieval era must have tormented these individuals.

- Marquise

 

Barnes, C. (1991). In ‘Disabled People in Britain and Discrimination : A case for anti-discrimination legislation (pp. 25-40). N.p.: C. Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/Barnes/disabled%20people%20and%20discrim%20ch2.pdf

Metzler, I. (2006). Disability in Medieval Europe: Thinking about physical impairment duing the high middle ages (pp. 53-55). New York: Routledge. Retrieved November 23, 2012, from http://books.google.ca/books?id=alRZIEijOtgC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=physical+deformity+in+feudal+europe&source=bl&ots=4HV3ieVIgt&sig=LsusGp9RgGY9dMEeSHDPaZogFQw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=m8euUPjnGIbJyAGVpYDIAw&ved

Helping to get the disabled back to work

In a social democratic view there is a value of social equality, justice and cooperations (Straka,2012). A person who is faced with disabilities meets circumstances in daily life where there is inequality and hardship that a person without disability will never have to face in a day. Texas tech was awarded a large sum of money to help them transition students who have disabilities into job (Avalanche Journal, 2012). By doing this to help students this encourages students that they will have an equal chance of getting the same jobs as there non-disabled counterparts. There are many  people who are disabled and play an active functioning role in today society.  The social democratic ideology goes along the lines of equality for everyone no matter what walk of life they have come from.

The article states that many Texans with disabilities experience higher then normal unemployment rates(avalanche journal, 2012). The point of this project is to help people with disabilities have an easier transition into a career and the workplace. This project will help alleviate some of the stress that a disabled person feels while having to compete against a non-disabled person. The project helps to qualify people to work in many different places, but this will allow for the disabled to have a more normal life.

By creating equal opportunities for people who have disabilities whether its physical or mental, it allows for the person affected to experience a normal life without being subject to hardships and a lack of job. This project will be very beneficial in the future and will show that even though a person many have a disability doesn’t mean they aren’t a useful as a person without one.

The social democratic ideology says that by just taking a reduction in inequality isn’t enough (Straka,2012). I believe it means that by choosing a starting point and removing the barriers that affect social inequality will help to eventually alleviate it altogether.  In everyday life you may have come into contact with a person who is affected with a disability and you may not even know it. Just because a disability isn’t completely visible to the eye doesn’t mean that the disabled deserve a lesser chance of being treated equal compared to another.

Reference:

Journal, A. (n.d.). Project to help students with disabilities secure integrated jobs. Retrieved from http://lubbockonline.com/education/2012-11-12/project-help-students-disabilities-secure-integrated-jobs 

Straka, S. (2012). Social Welfare Theory. Sault Ste Marie, Canada: Algoma University.

- Trista

Veteran Clawback

Conservative Ideology Issues – People with Disabilities

            Living in Canada is a blessing for everyone because we are a free country. Canadian soldiers fought for us, and gave Canadian citizens the pleasure of living safe, happy, and most importantly free. It is essential for us to recognize the soldiers and veterans, and do the best we can to show them that we are thankful. Unfortunately, the conservatives’ cut back on giving veterans who were disabled money within their pensions, and within their disability insurance (Canadian Press, 2012). Even though the “clawback” just ended in 2012, it has been ongoing for a long time and should have been dealt with sooner (Canadian Press, 2012).  

            Having a disability does not only affect you as a person, but it also affects your family. Sometimes there are additional costs when having a disability. You may need a wheelchair, lift, special kinds of bathtubs that are easy to access etc. None of these necessities are inexpensive, they can really cost immeasurable amounts of money that most families do not have. When the conservatives stopped giving money to veterans with disabilities, it really took a toll on their life. Younger ex-soldiers had families they needed to take care of and support, they struggled with having little money. They were on their own with 50% less of what they were receiving trying to pay for medicine, medical bills, and other products they might have needed (Robert Smol, 2007). This put families in debt, where they had a hard time financially and couldn’t fully support their family (Robert Smol, 2007). Perry Gray was a twenty six year old veteran who stated “When the financial difficulties were added, in along with the increased medical expenses, my life quickly deteriorated and my family and I suffered immensely as we struggled to cope financially…” (Robert Smol, 2007). This is unfair and sad that the conservatives’ took something so important away from people who truly deserve the money to help them.

            With the “clawback” in place, other issues started to arise. Veterans with physical disabilities had a hard time finding work. They felt as if the government didn’t care about them within this situation. Finally, when a veteran confronted a conservative about there being no work, the veteran was told that there actually was work (Canadian Press, 2012). There is a program called Helmets-to-Hardhats that gives the ex-soldiers work, although this is only good for soldiers who do not have physical disabilities (Canadian Press, 2012). Within this article you can tell by the people who spoke up against the issue, that there isn’t work and that veterans and their families are upset and struggling to pay for their finances. People who have physical disabilities can’t work for the Helmets-to-Hardhats because it is working for a construction company. As and example, if someone is in a wheelchair because they had only one leg, how are they supposed to do physical constriction work? To me this does not make much sense and it just proves that the government really isn’t helping. It would also baffle me if the government thinks they are helping.

            This relates to class because we discussed how the conservatives’ feel that you should take care of yourself and that the government should rarely step in only if necessary. I feel that they should take a bigger initiative to step in within this situation because it is affecting not only the veterans but their families as well. Conservatives focus is more towards economics and not the well being of people. With this view we can now be aware that they really don’t care about the veterans, they just care about money. Veterans do believe that the conservatives don’t care about them and just put a front onto the public. Dave Desjardins a veteran confronted Blaney and said “and tell me you really care” (Canadian Press, 2012). It is obvious that the conservatives within the government really don’t care about the well being of people.

            In conclusion, the “clawback” finally ended and the veterans are getting their money back. The Federal Court started a lawsuit against the government saying it was unfair for them to take the money away (Kenyon Wallace, 2012). They will be getting about one hundred seventy-seven point seven million dollars back between them, which is about three hundred eighty-two to about one thousand five hundred per month (Kenyon Wallace, 2012). This is great to see because it gives you hope that maybe the government will turn around and stop being so greedy. These veterans and their families will hopefully start to be financially stable and that added stress will be lifted off. Yes, they are a little late on giving them the money back and it should have been done years ago, but thankfully they actually are coming through.

Canadian Press. (2011). HELMETS TO HARDHATS. Retrieved from http://www.helmetstohardhats.com

Smol, Robert. (2007, September 17). Canadian Forces veterans fight against pension clawbacks, still waiting for government response. Retrieved from http://www.seanbruyea.com/2007/09/canadian-forces-veterans-fight-against-pension-clawbacks-still-waiting-for-government-response/

CBC News. (2012, October 10). Veterans Affairs ends clawback of benefits for 2,500 families. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/story/2012/10/10/pol-veterans-affairs-benefits-changes.html

Wallace, Kenyon. (2012, October 10). Conservatives end clawback on disabled veterans pensions. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1268925--federal-conservatives-cancel-clawback-on-disabled-veterans-pensions

Canadian Press. (2012, November 10). Veterans’ frustration cast shadow before Remembrance Day. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2012/11/09/pol-cp-veterans-widows-remembrance-day.html

Hunter

The Difficulties of Disability Insurance

When eleven-year-old Jaylynn Graham and her family left for vacation in Jamaica, they never realized how much the trip would actually cost them. Jaylynn's mother worked, and her father was receiving disability insurance (what kind of disability he had was unstated). While the family was on vacation, Jaylynn needed to go to the hospital. Doctors found fluid on her brain and decided that they needed to operate immediately. Jaylynn has been in Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay for a week since falling ill. The hospital bills totaled $100,000 as of November 15th and they are growing as her stay lengthens (Hilts). 

If the Grahams had purchased travel insurance before they went to Jamaica, they would have been covered for Jaylynn's surgery. They bills they face would have simply been deferred to their insurance company and not weighing on their shoulders. Why they chose not to purchase travel insurance is unclear. Many people are responding in like-mindedness to a neo-conservative/neo-liberal political view. Many people are responding to the Grahm's situation by asking why, if they couldn't afford to buy insurance, did they even go on vacation. Others are asking how they afforded a vacation on one income and disability insurance. 

According to Steven Hick, attaining disability benefits is very difficult. It is time consuming and very confusing because there is no one set benefit to supplement the income of people who have disabilities. Income Security Programs in Canada Include:

• Canada Pension Plan Disability Benefit (CPPD): Provides long-term disability benefits to people with "severe and prolonged disabilities" and who are under the age of 65. Applicants must also meet Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) requirements which is based on contributions by workers and employers. So, applicants must have had a job within the last four to six months of applying to receive benefits. 
• Employment Insurance Sick Benefits: Cover employees temporarily if they fall ill. Supplements income until long-term coverage is needed.
• Disability Tax Benefit: Available to all Canadians with Severe and prolonged disabilities. Applicants must have a doctor complete a form outlining their disability, have income great enough to tax which isn't always possible for people with disabilities.
• Veterans Disability Benefits (Pension Act): Provides benefits to Veterans and their dependents on the occasion that they become permanently disabled or die as a result of Military service. 
• Provincial Programs including the Ontario Disability Support Program(ODSP): For Ontario residents who have "A substantial physical or mental impairment that is continuous or recurrent, is expected to last more than one year or more, and results in a substantial restriction in his/her ability to: attend to personal care; function in the community or function in the work place" (Hick)

Notably, many of these programs are very exclusive to certain people with certain kinds of disabilities. The ODSP seems to be the program with the widest coverage. To relate to Jaylynn's story, it would seem that her father would be receiving very little benefits and because we do not know how much her mother makes at her job, it is very difficult to judge the family's actual financial situation. When reading about the Grahams, I found myself wondering why people who were probably not well off financially could take a a vacation. My thought process was very neo-liberal/neo-conservative. I found it hard to think that someone who was on disability, and therefore not working, was on vacation and not taking the precaution of vacation insurance. I then reflected on why I thought that way and realized how closed minded I was being. I didn't know the specifics of this person's life and I was judging whether he should actually be receiving benefits. Just because he isn't able to work, does not mean that he and his family don't deserve a break or to enjoy time away. The Graham's case clearly outlines examples of how difficult it can be to live the life you were used to once you have to go on a disability benefit program. 

My experience with the Graham's story shows that in order to benefit those with disabilities more, we have to educate the public about how important it is to consider personal and private circumstances when judging "worthiness" 
of benefits. The government needs to establish an inclusive benefit program that is widely available to people and provides more security to those in need. 


-Morgan

References

Hick, Steven . "Chapter 13: Disability and Social Welfare ." Social Welfare In Canada Understanding Income Security. Second Edition ed. Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc., 2007. 319-326. Print.

Hilts, Rod. "Social media spreads word about sick Sarnia girl | Column | Opinion | Sarnia Observer."Sarnia Observer. N.p., 15 Nov. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. <http://www.theobserver.ca/2012/11/15/social-media-spreads-word-quickly-about-sick-sarnia-girl>.

Disabilities & Education

As I talked about in my previous blog, it’s very hard for families to take care of children with disabilities when they are already living in poverty since it’s very costly to keep up with, but what about those children who have a disability and attending school. They have even more challenges to face because of the costs and struggles they face getting to and from school. It’s great though that they are able to attend school and get adequate education that they deserve and are entitled too, but how easy is it for them to access the help that they should be able to get. 

             Fortunately there are technologies out there that people can use to assist them when trying to learn and attend school with a disability. “To Ensure that disabled students can engage, they require adequate assistive technology.”(Hanafin, 2007). But it’s sad to see that these students can’t always get the help and technologies that they need. “Students with disabilities … are evaluated by schools to determine whether they are eligible for special education services and, if eligible, … which ones.” (Reschly, 1996). As an example we see that some of the people who needed to get notes from class printed off for them weren’t able to get them since the professor thought that they would then just go and pass on the notes to their fellow class mates. (Hanafin,2007). How is this sort of thing helping the students with disabilities strive for a better education? 

             When looking into this issue we can view it from a socialist or Marxist ideology we can see that they value freedom, collectivism and equality. This means that the people that follow this type of ideologies thinks that everyone should deserve freedom, so anyone would be able to attend school, including people with disabilities. They believe in collectivism which is basically a term that explains that idea that people need to rely on other people to live and get by with different everyday things. This really relates to my topic. People with disabilities need help (for the most part) from other people. They need assistance with mobilization, talking, hearing, reading, walking, etc. all things that would affect a person’s learning. With saying that they also believe in equality and that includes equality of people with disabilities, so these people with disabilities should be treated with respect and given the aid they need to attend school as much as another person who did not suffer from a disability. 

             Although we are doing what we can to make it possible for disabled students to attend and do well in school, I don’t think enough is being done. These people are facing an everyday struggle and now they want to attend school on top of that. That takes a lot of courage and strength which I idol. They are just as deserving of schooling as anyone else so why are there restrictions on the help that they can get? It just doesn’t make sense to me.

By: Chelsea L

 Hanafin, J., Kenny, M., Mc Neela, E., & Shevlin, M. (2007). Higher Education. Including Young People with Disabilities: Assessment Challenges in Higher Education, 45(3), 435-448. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/29735120

Reschly, D. J. (1996). The Future of Children. Identification and Assessment of Students with Disabilities, 6(1), 40-53. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1602493

Aid for Veterans in Canada

The ideological lens I decided to choose for this blog is neo-conservatism and the topic I chose to do was aid for veterans in Canada. One article I found that is called Growing frustration among veterans and widow casts shadow on Remembrance Day talks about frustrated war amputees who have not gotten the help from the government they expected to receive. A disabled war veteran who is paralyzed from the waste down speaks of how disgraceful the government can be by honouring them at this time of year around Remembrance Day when he feels that they have turned their back on them. The disabled man commented saying “the government recently threw its weight behind a so-called “helmets-to-hardhats” program, which aids ex-soldiers get into the construction industry — a wonderful resource for someone without physical limitations” (Brewster, 2012). The government is putting their efforts in place for those who can still work but what about those who are disabled?

           

These ex soldiers are not being honored in the way that they should be. They risked their lives and many ended up injured for life because they decided to honor their country. This is where the government needs to step in and honor their veterans. Two more stories were shared in this article, which I would like to share in my blog of another disabled ex veteran and one of a widow who lost her husband:

“Tracy Kerr, wife of a triple amputee who fought in Afghanistan, said she and her family have battled for years to get basic needs, such as a lift to get her husband in and out of the bathtub” (Brewster, 2012)

“Jackie Girouard, whose husband was killed by a roadside bomb in Kandahar in 2006, said the families of many soldiers are denied access to the veterans independence program, which helps with yard work and light housekeeping”. (Brewster 2012)

These are just few of the people who are struggling when the government should be helping them in any which way they can. Yes there are programs accommodated by the government with objectives to help aid vets but they have not helped all of the veterans in need, as many of them are dissatisfied. “Ex-soldiers say much of the dissatisfaction can be traced back to the 2006 New Veterans Charter, which overhauled the way ex-soldiers are compensated” (Brewster, 2012). These people are left to fend for themselves when the government is supposed to support the people who risked their lives for our country. Instead of support they have been deducting money from different services that are supposed to be supportive.

 It is in the next article that I found that the conservatives are trying to end the claw backs on disabled veterans. The article talks about stepping up and allowing more benefits for veterans and ending its practice of deducting veterans’ disability pensions. “NDP veteran’s affairs critic Peter Stoffer said the government deserves credit for “finally doing the right thing,” but noted that the Harper Conservatives are ending the practice only after the related Federal Court ruling” (Wallace, 2012). I find this to be very offensive because since 2006 there have been many veterans who have not received the help that they need and now the government is finally stepping up and doing the right thing. Sure the government deserves credit for finally doing the right thing but they should have started doing the right thing 6 years ago by honoring their Canadian Veterans and giving them the support and benefits they need when they really needed it.

Wallace, K. (2012, October 10). Conservatives end clawback on disabled veterans’ pensions. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/ 1268925--federal-conservatives-cancel-clawback-on-disabled-veterans-pensions

Brewster, M. (2012, November 8). Growing frustration among veterans and widows casts shadow on Remembrance Day. The Toronto Star. Retrieved from http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1284969--growing-frustration-among-veterans-and-widows-casts-shadow-on-remembrance-day

- Alysha