Why This Matters
People with disabilities remain systemically underemployed — not because of a lack of capability, but because of how exclusion is built into the world around them.
From inaccessible job applications to employer assumptions about “fit,” barriers to employment are structural. Inclusion begins not with accommodations, but with redesigning what we value, what we measure, and how we hire.
Understanding the Barriers
Physical and Environmental
- Inaccessible workspaces: entrances without ramps, restrooms without grab bars, offices with overwhelming noise or lighting.
- Transportation limitations: unreliable or nonexistent paratransit, especially in rural or suburban areas.
Attitudinal and Cultural
- Ableist assumptions about capacity, professionalism, or availability.
- Low representation of disabled people in leadership and policy-making roles.
Policy and Systemic
- Complex or punitive benefits systems that penalize employment.
- Long waitlists for vocational supports like job coaching, interpreters, or assistive tech.
- Lack of intersectional policy thinking — especially across disability, race, and class.
What We’ve Seen Work
At AstroPraxis, we’ve partnered with individuals and agencies to design access-centered employment strategies.
Examples:
- Visual workflow diagrams for neurodivergent job-seekers.
- Reframed resumes and portfolios that validate nonlinear paths.
- Co-advocacy for accommodations — with training for both employer and employee.
Designing Systems Differently
Reframe “Job Readiness”
- Build from strengths, not gaps.
- Let clients define success on their terms.
- Use narrative, not deficit-based assessments.
Design for Access from the Beginning
- Plain language job descriptions.
- Flexible formats for communication, scheduling, and onboarding.
- Normalize access needs — everyone has them.
Train Employers — and Stay Involved
- Run recurring disability literacy workshops.
- Build policies that evolve through feedback and accountability.
- Help teams learn how to respond, not just that they should.
What We Recommend
| Focus Area | Inclusive Practice |
|---|---|
| Job Listings | Use plain language and state accessibility upfront |
| Accommodations | Offer proactively, normalize in culture and policy |
| Interviews | Allow alternatives (asynchronous, untimed, 1:1) |
| Culture | Center disabled voices in design, not just compliance |
Resources
- Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
- W3C: Accessible Hiring Practices
- Autistic Self Advocacy Network – Employment Toolkit
- Disability:IN Inclusive Workplace Resources
In Closing
This isn’t about checklists. It’s about shifting power.
Employment access is about dignity, sustainability, and interdependence — not just hiring someone and hoping for the best. If you want to build systems that actually include disabled people, you have to center their experience from the start.
Want support creating that kind of system? Let’s talk.