One of the advantages of appearing at a later meeting of this committee is the opportunity to review the submissions of both HRSDC staff and my sector colleagues. The HRSDC staff provided a comprehensive overview of the state of employment for persons with disabilities and the programs the department offers to respond to the current reality.
When it comes to many submissions, especially those by my disability-related agencies, by my colleagues, I am continually disheartened by our approach. Many submissions state the weak employment statistics, followed by the challenges and issues faced by their specific disability group. To truly move forward, the tone of this conversation needs to be about what persons with disabilities can do and urge the Government of Canada to fund programs that assist them to pursue the goal of gainful employment.
In the employment equation there are really only two parties: the employer and the job seeker. All of us in this room are really only involved in that equation because the equation is currently unbalanced. The job seekers, persons with disabilities, are not viewed as competitively employable. If they could compete, if the equation were balanced, they would not need all of us.
As a long-standing provider of vocational rehabilitation services, March of Dimes would like to provide the standing committee with three key issues and solutions on both the job seeker and employer sides of the equation that we believe will make a difference.
We need to maximize the capacity and labour market relevance of motivated individuals with disabilities by providing comprehensive services and supports.
Issue number one includes leveraging existing abilities, enhancing skills, and providing work experience.
For many reasons, some of the disability-related job seekers may lack experience and the skills to be relevant in today’s labour market. Upon initial review, their resumés will not compare to those of other job seekers. In markets experiencing labour shortages, employers will view these resumés as not meeting even their minimum perceived job requirements. Lacking relevant skills and experience is not unique to persons with disabilities, but is a common reality for new grads, immigrants, and native Canadians.
The solution is one where employment agencies serving persons with disabilities must be able to provide continuous and comprehensive employment supports. Career exploration and a full assessment of the job seeker’s transferable skills will establish where the job seeker's abilities lie today. Specialized assessments will establish if the job seeker has the learning capacity to suggest an investment in enhanced skill training. Work experiences geared to the abilities of the client and the needs of the employer will provide real world, on-the-job training. A work experience may also provide a low risk opportunity for the employer to become familiar with someone with a disability, maybe changing a misconception.
Issue number two includes the systemic barriers related to social assistance.
While looking for a job, the majority of job seekers with a disability have their income supported through provincial social assistance systems. We hear time and time again that many of our clients fear that getting work will have a negative consequence on this support. Fears include being found ineligible for social assistance if they lose their job and the loss of health benefits. In today’s economy, work can be short-term or time-limited contracts. Even where safety nets are in place, they may not fully account for the changing realities of the labour market. These disincentives are either real or perceived. At March of Dimes we have a 30% attrition rate between intake and placement. While there are many reasons for attrition, a significant factor is the loss of benefits.
The solution is for governments at all levels to ensure that any disincentives to work, whether real or perceived, are eliminated. They must ensure that the safety net is secure and consistently re-evaluated as the labour market changes. The decision to work for a person with a disability must be based on their ability and motivation to do so, and not on systemic barriers.
Issue number three includes disability-related supports.
Where necessary, job seekers must receive assistance related both to the type and severity of their disability. The greatest need is in the placement or job retention supports. Job seekers need the support of an employment agency to assist them with on-the-job skill acquisition. Employers need to view the employment agency as a specialist or disability consultant with the knowledge to achieve the job outcomes perhaps using different approaches, techniques, or devices.
The solution is to create a successful job match. It is important that job seekers and employers be provided with the opportunity for post-placement assistance which could take many forms. These services should be provided by the same employment agency that provided pre-employment services, to ensure continuity.
I'll now turn to supporting employers.
The first issue is that employers need to understand the business case. Employers are not always aware of the benefits of employing persons with disabilities, and they state concerns that in reality rarely occur. These myths include high cost and the complex nature of disability-related accommodations, higher than usual sick time, safety issues, and low work output. Employers taking a risk-averse perspective, dwelling on the myths, and not recognizing the benefits greatly diminishes the hiring opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Solutions include further developing and promoting the business case for hiring persons with disabilities through business and industry umbrella organizations or peer-to-peer discussion, and eliciting the support of business leaders with real experience that can support researched realities.
A second issue is that placement must be based on the needs of the position. Often, employers require qualifications, education, and experience that are higher than necessary for the position posted. This can be a deterrent for job seekers who feel their abilities will not meet the stated requirements, although they may be fully capable of performing the work.
There is no question that recruitment and hiring is a risky business. Hiring managers have all experienced candidates who look great on paper and may even do well in the interview but are gone within six months. It is a risky and expensive venture. What is the solution?
It is essential that employment agencies take a needs-based approach to placement, and that they fully understand the business needs of the hiring employers with whom they are working. They must facilitate needs-based discussion that explores the essential hard and soft skills required for the position. Employers should forgo posting for the perfect candidate and focus first on the immediate and then the longer term needs. They must understand what is required for the position on day one and what can be trained for over time.
Employment agencies for persons with disabilities can provide suitable candidates who match these essential skills and support further skill development. Employers need only look internally to their own brightest and best. They probably didn't start out the company with all of the requisite skills and experience, but gained these over time.
Issue number three is that employers must leverage resources available within the community. To keep business moving, an open job, be it replacement or expansion, needs to be filled as soon as possible. Companies are either unaware or unwilling to utilize the expertise of employment service providers to present suitable candidates for their hiring needs. Having to launch a recruitment effort slows the pace of business, affects efficiency, and limits the ability of employers to access underutilized segments of the labour market, including persons with disabilities.
At March of Dimes, we job prospect up to 3,000 employers a week. In Ontario, for example, our employer catalogue has more than 250,000 employers. Over the last three years we have worked with only 1,500, or less than 1% of those we have contacted. This demonstrates the hesitancy of employers to take advantage of the services we offer.
I'll turn to the solution. It is concerning that employers are unwilling or unaware of how to leverage existing resources, which are available to them at no charge. There must be a concerted effort by employment service providers, post-secondary institutions, and those that fund us to promote the advantages of our services and the job seekers we represent. We must adopt a professional business-to-business, value-added approach that fulfills the hiring needs of employers better than they can themselves.
In summary, March of Dimes makes the following recommendations to the Government of Canada. Ensure that all employment funding and resulting programs at both the federal and provincial levels facilitate the matching of work opportunities to motivated job seekers. Provide work experiences to gain real-world skills. Invest in individuals who have the capacity to acquire skills needed in the labour market. Remove systemic disincentives to work. Ensure that all employment funding and resulting programs at both the federal and provincial levels include post-placement support facilitated by the same agency that assessed and placed the client. Act upon the recommendations of the report from the Panel on Labour Market Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, which calls for a strategy to assist employers to understand the value proposition of bringing persons with disabilities to their companies. Continue to support and promote the essential skills project under HRSDC, so that employers can develop suitable and realistic job requirements. Promote to the business community the expertise and resources available to it, primarily employment agencies and post-secondary institutions, services the federal government funds.
We believe these recommendations will balance the job seeker-employer equation and facilitate enhanced opportunities for persons with disabilities in the workforce by focusing on their assets, abilities, and potential.
Thank you.