Disability in the workplace

Stacey Samuel-O'brien

PEOPLE with disabilities have ideas and skills to offer, and want to succeed just like everybody else.

One of the main places that they can contribute is in the workplace.

In my last instalment, I mentioned that I am protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with respect to public accommodation. That protection also extends to the workplace.

The ADA contains language that requires some companies to provide reasonable accommodation for their employees with disabilities. The accommodation ensures that skilled, talented, and disabled employees are able to access, and function comfortably in, their workplace.

I am lucky to be employed by a large company that has an accommodations department that is responsible for ensuring employees’ medical needs are met in the workplace, if needed. That team works with the employee to ensure that they have what they need to function and succeed in their job.

For example, voice recognition software was downloaded to my laptop when my left hand became spastic and started curling. Having the software allows me to dictate, instead of type, everything.

This is just another argument for laws and regulations to protect disabled citizens who live and work in TT.

While I understand that I cannot compare the resources available between the US and TT, there are basic rights that can, and should, be provided to our disabled population at home. Some things have been done – for example, I noticed that there are curb cuts in the pavements on Ariapita Avenue – but more can be done. The government needs to enact legislation so that modifications are uniform, regulated and address all disabilities.

A young man, Brent, who lives in TT, lost a leg as a result of health complications. When he returned to work, at a large, reputable company, he was assigned an available handicapped-parking spot.

A few months later, his manager took away that “privilege.” He wasn’t given a reason and nothing was explained. He just could not park in the spot any more.

Every time I visit home and go out with my parents, we park in handicapped spots if they are available. The availability of these spots is a plus, but we have nothing to put in, or on, the car to indicate that it is legitimately parked.

I had a conversation with someone who was in the process of getting something to hang from their rear-view mirror. When I asked where they were getting it, the response was “a man from South.”

I’ve stopped being nervous about using the spots, because they are obviously unregulated.

Laws that mandate official, government-issued "handicapped" decals wouldensure the spots are available for those who need them and they are not abused by those who don’t. If Brent had had a handicapped decal, his manager would not have had the power to stop him from parking in the spot.

Without a private car, transport can be further complicated for disabled people. A physically disabled young lady, Carol, had to find a way to commute to work. She researched her options and discovered there was a Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) service available for the disabled.

When she called to get more information, she was told that only one bus was used for the service, and it was out of commission at the time.

She inquired a few more times to no avail and eventually hired a private driver, which, while more convenient, was also much more costly.

Carol does not use a wheelchair but walks with a cane, and climbing stairs can be challenging. After solving the issue of her commute, she still had to deal with unsuitable conditions at work. Carol works in a multi-storey building and has worked on various floors over her tenure. This multi-storey building has ramps for wheelchair users to enter, as well as large handicapped stalls in restrooms on every floor, but no elevator! This is a glaring oversight.

Currently, Carol works on the ground floor, while the rest of her team is on the third. It is an accommodating move by the company, but it is not optimal for her professional development on the team.

Regulated guidelines would ensure that basic, necessary accommodations or features for disabled people are not omitted when a building is constructed or modified.

Disability accommodations must not be an afterthought. They will foster greater inclusivity and significantly improve the lives of the disabled. What's more, the sick and elderly will also benefit from reasonable and strategic infrastructural modifications.

My experiences have shown me that the people of TT, as a whole, are more accepting of the differently-abled, so now we need our legislation and government to catch up. With the correct accommodations and modifications, TT can become a more inclusive and even more welcoming place to be.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system.

In MS, the body’s white blood cells attack the protective covering of nerve fibres. When nerve fibres become exposed, electrical messages between different parts of the body and the brain are no longer transmitted effectively. MS can lead to sensory, cognitive, digestive and muscular issues.

It is a degenerative disease for which there is no cure.