Finding and interviewing for a new job can be difficult B次元官网网址� and even cause anxiety B次元官网网址� for many.

For those who have a disability, it can be even harder just to get the chance to be interviewed.

Surrey resident Ekamjit Ghuman, who has cerebral palsy, has been having difficulty finding work since her last position, which was working as a constituency assistant in then-Surrey South MLA Stephanie CadiuexB次元官网网址檚 office, ended. Cadieux stepped down to become CanadaB次元官网网址檚 first Chief Accessibility Officer in May of 2022.

B次元官网网址淎s of 2017, more than 6.2 million Canadians are living with a disability,B次元官网网址� Ghuman said in an emailed statement.

B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, a large number of working-age adults with disabilities are unemployed and live in poverty and the post-pandemic inflation and cost of living crisis is causing further financial hardships for persons with disabilities.B次元官网网址�

With September being Disability Employment Month in B.C., and October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month in Canada, Ghuman thought it would be a good time to draw attention to the plight of people with disabilities who want to work B次元官网网址� but arenB次元官网网址檛 given the opportunity.

With Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University and a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Human Resources Management from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, it took Ghuman five years to find the job working for Cadieux.

Still on the job hunt since last year, the 34-year-old noted that cerebral palsy affects her speech, hand co-ordination and dexterity, as well as her ability to walk, which requires her to use a walker, but she uses HandyDART to commute. While she mainly uses text and email to communicate, people can understand her speech once they get to know her, Ghuman said.

B次元官网网址淎s an individual living with cerebral palsy (CP), I struggle to obtain employment.

B次元官网网址淪earching for employment with a disability is demoralizing and demeaning at times,B次元官网网址� she continued.

B次元官网网址淚 seldom make it past the phone interview to the (in person) interview, as my CP affects my speech. I have been hung up on more than once after disclosing my disability to the hiring manager. Just recently, an executive director hung up on me.B次元官网网址�

The constant rejections are hurtful, she said.

B次元官网网址淚 only apply for jobs that I know I am fully capable of doing and will require minimal accommodations. If I could say one thing to all of the hiring managers that have rejected my applications over the years, it would be: B次元官网网址業 wish you had given me an opportunity to demonstrate my skills, knowledge and abilities instead of making assumptions about my abilities and how you think I might perform. My disability is something I deal with every day and as a result, I am adept at innovating to do the things I want and need to do.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Cadieux, who has used a wheelchair since she was 18, said that while there have been successes when it comes to employers hiring people with disabilities, the challenges B次元官网网址渞un deepB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渨eB次元官网网址檝e got more to do but weB次元官网网址檙e getting there.B次元官网网址�

Hiring Ghuman didnB次元官网网址檛 present any particular difficulties, Cadieux noted.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really not that difficult. You just have to ask the employee what they need to be successful in the job,B次元官网网址� she said, adding it could be a laptop versus a desktop computer that is required, or a different mouse, or an ergonomic chair. B次元官网网址淚t just takes having that conversation and being open to it.B次元官网网址�

Cadieux pointed out thereB次元官网网址檚 plenty of research that shows hiring a diverse workforce with people of all abilities is not only good for the employer, as workforces that are diverse are more likely to exceed their financial targets, more likely to be innovative and more productive, with reduced turnover.

B次元官网网址淭he reality is, people with disabilities are the largest untapped resource for talent in our country and around the world.

B次元官网网址淧eople with disabilities are underemployed compared to the rest of the population,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e know that right now, about 645,000 people in Canada are waiting on the sidelines, wanting to work B次元官网网址� and almost half of them have a post-secondary education.B次元官网网址�

Seema Tripathi, director of employment and innovative services for UNITI, said barriers still remain for people with disabilities in finding employment.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the biggest barriers I see is the lack of expectation we have for people with disabilities,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淭he social construct we have B次元官网网址� the way our society is organized B次元官网网址� is that weB次元官网网址檙e always focusing on the disability part.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not focusing on the ability part.B次元官网网址�

At UNITI, theyB次元官网网址檙e not only there to support individuals looking for job, but also, the employers who are looking to hire them.

Sometimes, a traditional job interview might not work, but digital literacy has advanced in many ways, largely due to the COVID pandemic, Tripathi noted.

B次元官网网址淚 think there needs to be platforms where (the) focus is on there is a job for everybody, regardless of the disability they have. It needs to become a best practice B次元官网网址� universally B次元官网网址� among employers,B次元官网网址� she said.

She and Cadieux noted that often, people think a disability means a wheelchair and a ramp or van, but that is not always the case.

B次元官网网址淒isabilities are much larger in range of issues, from cognitive to physical and, in some cases, it might affect somebodyB次元官网网址檚 speech or somebodyB次元官网网址檚 dexterity or eyesight or hearingB次元官网网址� all of those things might require a slightly different approach, but it doesnB次元官网网址檛 make the people any less competent or capable,B次元官网网址� Cadieux said.

B次元官网网址淚 think sometimes if it looks scary and we havenB次元官网网址檛 experienced it before, weB次元官网网址檙e not sure how to do it, and so we shy away from it. We need to be a lot more open and a lot more enquiring B次元官网网址� we need to ask the questions so that we can learn.B次元官网网址�

Ghuman agreed, adding that employers often, B次元官网网址渇ail to understand that people with disabilities, too, have dreams and ambitions.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淟ike able bodied individuals, persons with disabilities also desire to establish themselves as independent and contributing members of society,B次元官网网址� Ghuman said.

B次元官网网址淎wareness of inclusive employment opportunities for candidates with disabilities is imperative, as it will enable individuals with disabilities to establish financial stability and make viable contributions to the workforce while achieving their dreams.B次元官网网址�