Employers' concerns before hiring a

Most employers are concerned about hiring people with learning disabilities. These fears are often not justified and employers in Austria have had help to overcome these problems. Many employers share them:

• Will people fit into my team? One of the main concerns is the social (in)capacity of these people. Many employers fear that people with an intellectual disability will not fit in the team or will have difficulties in dealing with customers when applicable. On the other hand, they also fear the negative reactions of customers or other employers on the new disabled employee.
• Will people do less work for their pay? Another major point of concern is the (absence of) economic benefit of hiring a person with a learning disability. Will they be able to do their job properly and will they understand what they are expected to do? Many employers fear that people with a learning disability will slow down the working process or will not be capable to take their responsibility and to grow in their job.
  Will people need more time from supervisors? Another additional cost they fear is the need of extra support and supervising.
• Are people sick more often? Employers are also worried about high absenteeism due to illness and fear that employing a person with a disability will bring along a lot of administrative work in order to get financial support.
• Are people less safe? Especially in the manufacturing industry, there are worries on the safety of employees. Employers fear that accidents and injuries will occur more frequently if they employ people with a disability.
• Can I dismiss people who are poor workers? Protection against dismissal is a last main concern of Austrian employers.

Many employers received reassurance that these were not common problems, or practical help from service providers and Government, to ensure there were no significant problems to their business of hiring a person with a learning disability.

 
For advise and support, most employers turn to the local Arbeitsassistenz, to local service providers or to their own experience. Good job shaping, a long probation period, education and information and supervision from social workers are the main points to help overcome the worries.

 
One employer, Jugendhotel Notburgahof, who employs one person with an intellectual disability, puts it this way:

 
Not all employers share the concerns. Some consider people with an intellectual disability as normal employees and hiring them should not be a bigger risk than hiring any new employee. The Kärtner Botanical centre is very clear on this:

Back

Although it is clearly the aim to get as many people as possible at work in the open labour market, most people with a disability are still employed in sheltered workshops and social firms. To be eligible for such a position, people need a number at the Flemish Fund. Furthermore, most sheltered workshops want their employees to fit in the team, to be able to do the job and to have some fun at work.
In the open labour market not that many people with learning difficulties are at work. To find out what is stopping employers from hiring these workers, we asked employers who do employ people with learning difficulties what doubts they used to have.

• Are employees with learning difficulties less productive? Employers doubt whether people are capable of doing the job. Are they cost-effective or do they bring along extra wage costs despite the subsidies? Are they punctual and independent enough? Many employers fear that people with learning difficulties cannot handle the work rhythm and will slow down the work process.
• Do employees with learning difficulties fit in the company? Many employers doubt whether people have the necessary social capacities. Do they have the right attitude and are they reliable? Will they integrate with the rest of the team?
• Are colleagues able to deal with people with learning difficulties? Employers fear that employees with learning difficulties can be very demanding for their colleagues. Can the colleagues handle this psychologically? How can they be prepared to the coming of someone with learning difficulties?
• Do employees with learning difficulties demand more time? Many employers wonder whether these people need more guidance. Furthermore, they do not know whether they can take part in the normal in-company training.
• Is there an appropriate job available for these people? Can they handle just any kind of job? How can employers define their tasks? Can these people build up a career in the company?
• Is the safety of all employees guaranteed? Mainly in the industry employers fear a higher risk for accidents when employing someone with learning difficulties.
• Will there be a lot of bureaucracy to overcome? Many of the problems above are solved or eased by subsidies. But employers fear that in order to get these subsidies, they will have to work through an enormous pile of paperwork.

Most doubts soon prove to be incorrect or solvable. Employers can count on the support of service providers and the authority. They can find more information at the Flemish Agency for Persons with a Handicap (Vlaams Agentschap voor Personen met een Handicap).

The first contact between employers and employees with learning difficulties is mostly organised by Job Coaches (trajectbegeleiders) of a CBO (Centre for Vocational Training – Centrum voor Beroepsopleiding) or of the ATB (Service of Guidance towards a job - Arbeidstrajectbegeleiding). The job coaches provide a description of the person with learning difficulties, which allows the employers to see whether he has the right profile for the job. They also provide guidance for the preparation of the employment, and for the training and evaluation. Many employers also receive support during the actual employment and get administrative assistance.

 
Many employers decide to hire a person with learning difficulties after a training period in their company. Sometimes employers use the IBO training (Individual Vocational Training – Individuele Beroepsopleiding) of the VDAB (Flemish Service for Workers Mediation and Vocational Training – Vlaamse Dienst voor Arbeidsbemiddeling en Beroepsopleiding). Via the IBO training they can train a person within the company. They do not have to pay wages nor taxes, only a fee. Moreover, they can receive extra subsidies for training unqualified people.

 
Possible loss in revenue is compensated by the CAO 26 (Collective Labour Agreement – Collectieve Arbeidsovereenkomst). The CAO 26 stipulates that a person with a disability, who is working in the open labour market, should get the same minimum wage as any other employee. The employers get a reimbursement for the possible loss in revenue.
The loss in revenue determines the amount of the wage subsidy. The wage subsidy amounts to minimum 5% and maximum 50% of the total labour cost. The total labour cost is the addition of the gross income of the employee, the employers’ taxes and the premium for the insurance for accidents at work.

 
Employers also make use of the Activa-employment plan (Activa-banenplan) to lower the wage costs. The aim of this employment plan is to get the long-term unemployed back to work by decreasing the employer’s contributions and activating the unemployment benefits.

 
Employers can apply for the VIP (Flemish ‘call in’ premium – Vlaams InschakelingsPremie). A wage subsidy of 30% is provided to make it possible to call in a person with learning difficulties to employment. This sum can be used to cover for lower productivity and/or to partly exempt a colleague so he or she can take care of the support.
 

Via the Flemish Agency employers can also apply for subsidies for specific tools that the employee needs due to his or her disability to be able to carry out the job.

  
Thanks to the subsidies and the professional support, some employers were convinced to hire a person with learning difficulties.

 
The Federation of adult education in Flanders in Louvain employs one person with learning difficulties since 2003. The subsidies and the support of a CBO were decisive.

 
B.R.A.M. Bouwtechnologie BVBA works in the field of joinery. Since 2002 one person with learning difficulties is working there, although the employer was worried about his ability to adapt.

Back

Most employers have doubts about hiring people with learning difficulties. Often these fears are not justified and can be easily overcome with the right support. The main concerns of the employers are:

• Will people fit into my team? Many employers are concerned about the social capacity of people with learning difficulties. They fear communication problems and behavioural problems. They are also concerned about the reaction of other staff or customers. Will they be able to deal with people with learning difficulties?
• Will they need extra care and more of my time? Employers are worried that people with learning difficulties need more support and follow-up than other workers. They fear that people with learning difficulties are not independent and therefore are more expensive employees.
• Will people be able to do their job properly? Many employers fear a lack of productivity and of quality of work. They are afraid that people with learning difficulties will be slow and inconsistent. The disabled employee might not understand the work or might lack responsibility and obedience.
• Will people be safe? In some cases employers also fear the safety of people with learning difficulties and their co-workers. In case of mistakes, accidents and injuries might happen.
• Will there be transport to come to work? People with learning disabilities are often depending on public transport to go to work. They need regular and easy connections from home to work and back. Furthermore, public transport is often not accessible.

Some employers say they didn’t have any concerns. They regard people with learning difficulties as regular workers with the same duties and expectations as anyone else. Yet, most employers had support to overcome their worries and possible problems.

The main help came from the Christos Stelios Ioannou Foundation and mainly from the job supervisors who follow up and support workers with learning difficulties.
Most employers received extensive information on the skills and qualifications of people with learning difficulties and also on vocational training possibilities and support programmes. If difficult moments would occur, they can count on continuous assistance of job supervisors.

In the end, employing a person, disabled or not, is always a risk. Most of the times it works out fine, but sometimes it doesn’t.

One person with learning difficulties works since 1998 for Chr. A. Papaellinas & Co Ltd, a company that produces and distributes handkerchiefs. Before he got the job, his employer had to overcome some worries.

Back

Most employers are concerned about hiring people with learning difficulties. Their fears are often not justified and a lot of employers in Finland have had help to overcome these problems. Here are some concerns of the employers:

• Will people need extra time from supervisors? Another additional cost they fear is the need of extra support and supervising.
• Will people be able to do their job properly? Will people be able to carry out the tasks that are assigned to them? Many employers fear a lack of productivity and problems in completing the given work. There is a fear that people with learning difficulties will be slow and inconsistent.
• Will people fit in my team? Many employers are concerned about the social capacity of people with learning difficulties. They fear communication problems, a disturbed relationship with colleagues and behavioural problems. Will the co-workers accept the new worker(s) with learning difficulties?
• How do we get information about learning disability? Some employers are concerned about the fact that they have no experience in working with people with learning difficulties. They are looking for some sort of education about the subject.
• Will the customers accept a worker with learning difficulties? How will clients react on the presence of a worker? And how will workers with learning disabilities behave in commercial working circumstances?

Most employers had support to overcome their worries and possible problems. The main help came from the Supported Employment Service (workshops: Epilä, Somero). Most of the workers with a learning difficulty are visited by a personal mentor every week. One worker with a learning disability even is supported by her former teacher of the vocational school.

 
A few employers have chosen to discuss eventual problems within their staff and to make decisions on their own. One employer is an educated social worker and he used his own experience. In another company, the director had a daughter who is intellectual disabled, so she was very experienced and she shared her experiences with her staff.

 
A Finnish home for people with mental health problems and for old people employs one person with learning difficulties since 1997.

A Junior Level school employs one worker with learning difficulties since 2003. The responsible for the kitchen explains why he employed a worker with learning disabilities:

Back

Before hiring a person with learning difficulties most employers have certain doubts and concerns. These fears are often not justified and most employers have had help to overcome potential problems. The main concerns of the French employers are:

• Will people fit into my team? Most French employers doubt the social capacity of persons with learning disabilities. They fear that people with intellectual disabilities will not fit in the team or will have difficulties in dealing with customers when applicable.
• Will there be more work accidents? Especially in the manufacturing industry, there are worries on the safety of employees. Will people be less safe? Does that mean that there will be a higher absenteeism?
• Will people be able to do their job properly? And will they understand what they are expected to do? Some employers have doubts about the workers’ capacity to communicate.
  

Some employers act out of idealism, but still most of them remain reluctant to employ people with learning disabilities. French employers had support to overcome their worries and potential problems. One employer stayed in touch with his employee’s former sheltered workplace. They also receive a lot of support from contact with colleagues who employ people with learning disabilities. But the main help came from educators of the French CAT (Centre of support trough work). One employer also mentioned le S.I.S.E.P. de Lille.

 
The director of a factory that produces and recycles palettes had some fears before employing workers with learning disabilities. Now he employs one person since 2001.

 
The manager of a fruit company (transformation and packaging of fruit and vegetables) was worried before hiring a worker with a learning disability. But in the end, it turned out to be a success.

Back

Many employers have reservations about employing people with learning difficulties. Often these concerns stem from a lack of awareness about or experience in working directly with this target group. The primary concerns are:

• Can these people live up to the work given to them? An essential issue is whether someone’s disability will prevent them from carrying out professional tasks satisfactorily. The common prejudice is that they work too slowly and that their impaired ability to reason means that they cannot work quickly and only with close supervision.
• Do these people work well as part of a team? Employers fear that their disability will prevent them from accepting fellow workers, and that they will have difficulty in their relations with others. Furthermore, there are serious concerns that people with learning difficulties do not have the necessary social skills to work as part of a team or with other members of staff.
• Do such people need more support? These people need more support in the work place, which both costs time and requires more control of their work.

 
Employers with no experience in working with and employing people with disabilities often show more reservations based on prejudices.   
Experience has shown, however, that prejudices can be broken down through education on the one hand, and close cooperation with providers of employment arrangements on the other. Supervision from an outside contact person who is available to solve problems and answer general questions has proven to be very successful, and many companies are taking on people with learning difficulties. In the period preceding employment, checks can be made, for instance, to determine which position is appropriate for which person. Positive experience has shown that employees with learning difficulties are faithful and loyal members of staff who are more than able to carry out tasks matching their abilities.

 
Integra e.V. works in the area of production and services. It employs around 10 people with learning difficulties.

Back

All employers have doubts about hiring people with learning difficulties. Often these fears are not justified and can be easily overcome with the right support. The main concerns of the employers are:

• Will people fit in my team? Many employers are concerned about the social capacity of people with learning difficulties. They fear communication problems, a disturbed relationship with colleagues and behavioural problems. Is it above all possible for workers with learning problems to feel equal with the others? The employers are also concerned about the reaction of other staff or customers. Will they be able to deal with people with learning difficulties?
• Will people be able to do their job properly? Will people be able to carry out the tasks that are assigned to them? Many employers fear a lack of productivity and problems in completing the given work. There is a fear that people with learning difficulties will be slow and inconsistent.
• Will people easily adapt to the standard working conditions? Some employers doubt the grade of adaptation of workers with learning difficulties. They fear a lot of specificities to deal with. For example in the supermarket: How will people behave in direct contact with lots of people on a daily basis?
• Is full employment possible? Employers often fear that workers are not capable to work full-time.

 
Most employers had support to overcome their worries and possible problems. The main help came from vocational training centers as ESEEPA (Vocational Training Center for Disabled Individuals) or the Theotokos Foundation. On the other hand the employers got help from job coaches who follow up and support workers with learning difficulties. The employers received extensive information on the skills and qualifications of people with learning difficulties. One employer learned a lot out of the personal relationship with his daughter who also has a learning difficulty.
The manager of an Athens’ beautyshop had a concern whether people with learning difficulties would be able to carry out the tasks assigned. Since the year 2000, The Body Shop employs one person with learning difficulties. The manager concludes:

 
The Chairman of the board of directors of a Greek clothing shop for children employs one person with learning difficulties since 2002. About the advice given to him to help him overcome his concerns, he says:

Back

Not many disabled people in Hungary work in the open labour market. Most are still working in sheltered workshops, but also employers from these workshops have to take into account the economic reality and the financial situation. Therefore they too have questions before hiring people with learning difficulties. Mostly concerns are not justified and can be overcome with accurate support:

• Will the state provide adequate financial support? Sheltered workshops often lack productivity and are not profitable. The state support they receive is mostly not adequate and the bureaucracy is time-consuming.
• Will people be productive? Although most sheltered workplaces are based on humanitarian principles, they have to achieve an acceptable level of productivity to survive. The state subsidies do not cover all costs.
• Is the job suitable for people with learning difficulties? People have to be suitable for the job, but the job can be made suitable to people too. The concept of job carving (creating a position according to a person’s skills) is also used for sheltered workshops.
• Will people fit in? Will new workers be able to get used to the new environment and to the job? It is important to have a good team. Colleagues have to get along well, not only for their well-being, but also to be productive.
• Do the employers have the professional competency for employing people with learning difficulties? Often sheltered workplaces lack experienced staff to guide the workers.
  

Mostly employers in sheltered workshops have the experience to overcome these concerns themselves, but they can also turn to a few professionals and service providers (like Salva Vita Foundation), to the Social Department of the Local Government and to a College of Special Education.

The Horticulture of Civitan employs 21 persons with learning difficulties. As always, the main concern for this sheltered workplace is a financial one:

 
Another sheltered workplace is Savaria Nett-Pack for a Rehabilitation purpose. This organisation is state-subsidised and employs 60 to 65 people with disabilities. The activities are packaging, paper folding, brochure stitching and making calendars. Their main way of dealing with concerns is through experience via education and contacts with other professionals and authorities.

 
Of course, the main motivation for sheltered workshops is charity. The way of thinking and acting in Europe is shifting from charity to rights. People with learning difficulties have a right to employment and are an added value to the labour market. Examples in other countries prove that people with learning difficulties can be efficient and profitable workers in the open labour market. More information can be found on this website.

Back

Employers often have doubts about hiring people with learning difficulties. These doubts are mostly not justified and are easy to overcome with the right support. Many employers share these fears:

• Will people with learning difficulties fit into my team? Some employers are worried about the behaviour of people with learning difficulties towards other workers and clients. They also fear the reaction of their other staff and clients when they meet a person with learning difficulties.
• Will they be able to do their job? Another issue employers are not certain about is the ability of people to learn a job and to carry out tasks. Will it be possible to train them? Will they be disciplined and reliable to turn up on time every day?
• Will they need more time from supervisors? Some employers fear that people with learning difficulties lack independence and initiative. They fear that hiring these people would be very time-consuming for supervising staff and thus not profitable.
• Will they be safe? Another major issue for concern is the safety at work. In some jobs, employers are worried about the risks of accidents and the safety of all employees. They also fear that hiring a person with learning difficulties might soar the insurance costs.
• Will people benefit from the job? Many employers have concerns from the point of view of the workers with learning difficulties. Will they feel comfortable at work? Will employers find the right tasks for them to carry out? Will these people lose their welfare benefits?

Some employers admit that these fears were caused by lack of knowledge about people with learning difficulties, fear of the unknown.

 
Other employers had no doubts whatsoever. They were confident that any problem would be overcome by the support they receive.

 
Employers receive support mostly from Service Organisations and Supported Employment Services. Often in initial stages keyworkers or job coaches join the worker until he gets used to the job, but also in later stages support is only a phone call away. Employers also get advice from other employers that hire people with learning difficulties and often count on their own experience.

 
The advice employers get is mostly related to how to support people with learning difficulties. This advice is of course depending on the individual, and deals mostly with their abilities and the help they need.

 
A company selling luggage and travel goods has employed one person with learning difficulties since 2002. The initial concerns were overcome thanks to the support they receive.

A company manufacturing high volume self-clinching fasteners and precision components had concerns to overcome. They employ two persons with learning difficulties since October 2001.

 
Back

Before hiring a person with learning difficulties most employers have certain doubts and concerns. These doubts often prove not to be justified and easy to overcome with the right support. Many employers share these fears:

• Will people fit into the team? One of the most common concerns among employers is the integration of people with an intellectual disability in the team. How will the integration and the communication between the colleagues be? Will a person with an intellectual disability be able to adapt to the team and will the team accept the person with an intellectual disability?
• Will people be able to do their work properly? Some employers feel very uncertain about the quantity and the quality of the work, which can be done by people with disabilities. They wonder if these workers will be able to follow instructions and carry out their tasks. Employers often doubt if people with intellectual disabilities can take responsibilities and cope with situations of stress.
• Can we offer people an adapted job and workplace? Some employers wonder if they are able to find an adapted job and workplace for people with an intellectual disability. They stated that once the appropriate job was found, people with intellectual disabilities turned out to be very motivated workers but it wasn’t easy to find the right placement for them.
• Will people with an intellectual disability demand more time and energy? When hiring a person with an intellectual disability the company needs to support this person where needed. Finding the time and energy to support a person adequately is an important problem for some employers.
• Is the safety of all employees guaranteed? Before employing someone with learning difficulties some employers fear a higher risk for injuries among people with an intellectual disability.
• Will there be a lot of bureaucracy to overcome? Many of the problems above are solved or eased by subsidies. Employers often fear that in order to get these subsidies, there is a difficult system of legal obligations and an enormous pile of paperwork they will have to work through.

 
When asked who supported them when hiring a person with a disability most employers answered that they received some help from personal coaches and (local) authorities. Some employers mentioned that there was no support available but by using their common sense and discussing with the staff when needed they came to a good cooperation. 
Between the respondents there were some firms which had always worked with people with intellectual disabilities. They could rely on their own experience.

 
The “Amtsleiter” (head of department) of an organisation in the health sector from Brixen (Bressanone) puts it as follows:

When asked about the support they received when hiring a person with an intellectual disability, the employers mentioned different sources providing them different kinds of support. A Social profit company from Brixen (Bressanone) stated: 

Back

Most employers are reluctant to hire a person with learning difficulties. Often people with learning difficulties have the right profile for a job, but still employers in the open labour market have fears about hiring these people. These fears are mostly not justified and are overcome thanks to accurate support.

 
What concerns do employers have before signing up a person with learning difficulties?

• Will people be productive? Many employers fear that people with learning difficulties will have difficulties to understand and to carry out their tasks. They fear that their ability to learn will not be sufficient, that they will be too slow and that the quality of work will be below the standards. Furthermore, employers are often afraid that people with learning difficulties will prove not to be punctual and reliable workers. They fear a lack of responsibility and independence.
• Will people fit in the team? Another issue is the capacity of people with learning disabilities to adapt to a new situation with new people involved. Will their behaviour be acceptable for their co-workers? Will they be able to integrate in the team?
• Will colleagues or clients accept a worker with learning difficulties? Very often employers fear the reaction of other employees. Will they be able to cope with a person with learning difficulties and are they willing to accept him/her as an equal colleague? And even more so, are clients willing to deal with people with learning difficulties? This was for example a problem in a nursery school, where parents at first were reluctant to see a young disabled person being responsible for their children.
• Are people safe? In some jobs employers are concerned about the safety of their employees and they fear that hiring someone with learning difficulties might increase the risk of accidents.
• Will I have to deal with bureaucracy? Some employers are willing to hire a person with learning difficulties, but they are afraid of losing too much time due to bureaucracy. They fear enormous piles of paperwork concerning social security and support. They are also afraid of difficulties to dismiss a person who is a poor worker.
• Do I know what people with learning difficulties want and need? One of the main motives for employers to hire a person with learning difficulties is to take their social responsibility. Too often lack of knowledge and information is stopping them. They want to be sure that people with learning difficulties will benefit from the work, that they will find it agreeable and that they will have the possibility to integrate in the team. They also want to know more about making the workplace accessible and they want to be sure that all previous concerns can be overcome.

Many employers recognise afterwards that their fears were not justified. They got practical help from service providers and authorities to ensure that there were no significant problems.

 
Often employers are convinced by jobcoaches from one of the vocational centres (Centro de Formação Profissional) to sign up a person with learning difficulties for an internship, which could lead to full employment. The job coaches provide training and psychological guidance for people with learning difficulties. To the employers they explain the characteristics, the personality and the biggest problems of the individual. They also provide general information on their work in the centre, on the disability and on awareness raising.
Apart from turning to the vocational centres, employers also find support in their local employment centre (Centro de Emprego), for example for assistance on the bureaucratic procedures.
For information on a more personal level, some employers had contact with the parents of the workers involved. And sometimes employers get advice from another employer who already has the experience of hiring someone with learning difficulties; or they count on their own experience.

 
Évora Motores Reparações Auto Lda. is working in the car-repairing field. The company employs one person with learning difficulties since 2002. Thanks to the support they received, they overcame their concerns.

The company Custódio Castro Lobo e filhos Lda. is a tin company and tinsmith, carrying out work in stainless steel, copper, alloys and iron. Since 1998 they employ two persons with learning difficulties.

Back

Employers often engage people with learning difficulties out of idealism. They think everyone has the right to work and to get chances. But idealism is not enough in the open labour market; the companies need to gain advantages out of the employment. Many employers doubt that they can benefit from employing someone with learning difficulties, but their doubts are often not justified and can be easily overcome with advice and support. These are some of the questions employers have:

• Do people with learning difficulties fit in the company? Many employers have doubts about the social capacity of people with learning difficulties. Do they have adequate social competences? Will they feel comfortable with their colleagues? And on the other hand, how will the colleagues or clients react to their presence?
• Are people productive? Obviously, the work has to be done. Some employers are not sure that people with learning difficulties are able to handle the workload. They doubt that people are capable of learning and following up and remembering instructions. They expect employees to grow in their job and to be independent and flexible.
• Do people with learning difficulties need more guidance? Many employers train their employees and afterwards they expect them to be able to handle the work independently. Employers fear that people with learning difficulties need more time and investments than other employees, which in many cases they cannot afford.
• Are people sick more often? Employers fear that people with learning difficulties will be more absent through illness. They are not prepared to have more costs due to absenteeism.
• Are people with learning difficulties adequately trained? Employers want their employees to have had at least some training and to have some professional skills beforehand. For some jobs, for example nursery, some specialised training is needed before people are eligible for a position. Are there people with learning difficulties who have followed such training successfully?
• Will they benefit from the employment? Employers are not sure that having a job is beneficial for people with learning disabilities. Will the work give them satisfaction? Will they be better off financially, or do they risk losing support?

 
To overcome these fears, employers can count on the support of service providers and schools.
 

Most employers get into contact with a person with learning difficulties via service providers. Because they get to know the person beforehand, employers are aware of his or her qualities, capacities and limits and they can assess what kind of job would be suitable for the person. Sometimes people get a job after an internship.  
Service providers give advice and support the employee during the training period. This way, less of the valuable time of employers is needed.

 
Concerning possible higher absenteeism, the authorities provide financial support: the first 5 years of employment of a person with a disability, the employers are exempt of medical costs. In case of illness, the wages are paid by the UWV (Uitvoering Werknemersverzekering – administration employee’s insurance). There is no financial risk for employers. 
Employers can also apply for other subsidy schemes. They get a discount on premiums for three years (discount on taxes, on costs for training, on employee premiums…), which makes it financially more interesting to hire a person with a disability.

 
The professional support, the high motivation of people with learning difficulties and some subsidies persuade many employers to take the step and to hire people with learning difficulties.

 
Kdv. De Vuurvlieg is a day nursery. Since 2002 they employ one person with learning difficulties. They were very satisfied with the support they got.

 
The Contracting Firm C. Korsten rents machines and manpower for agriculture, groundwork and transport of manure. Since 1998 one person with learning difficulties is employed. The director believes everyone deserves a chance.

Back

Employers often have doubts about hiring people with learning difficulties. These doubts are mostly not justified and are easy to overcome with the right support. Many employers share these fears:

• Can people do their job? Employers fear that people with learning difficulties will slow down the pace of work or will not be able to adapt to the working conditions and procedures.
• Is there a suitable post available? Some employers think that their job offers are not suitable for people with learning difficulties. They are willing to take someone on board, but they do not know what people are capable of and they would like some help in job carving.
• Will people fit in the team? Are people capable of building a professional and friendly relationship with their colleagues? Are the colleagues capable of coping with possible behavioural problems and are they willing to supervise if necessary?
• How will customers react to workers with learning difficulties? A major issue for many employers is the reaction of their customers. And do people with learning difficulties have the communication skills to deal with customers?
• Will people need more training and supervision? Some employers are not sure that they have the know-how and the time to train and supervise people with learning difficulties. They fear that people might not be able to learn to carry out their work independently.
• Will people be safe? In some sectors the safety issue is a major concern. Accidents might occur and could affect the safety of all workers.
• Will people be sick more often? Employers are also worried about high absenteeism due to illness and fear that employing a person with a disability will bring along a lot of administrative work in order to get financial support.
• Will people benefit from the job? Employers want their employees to like their job and to be motivated. Also, people should benefit financially from working. As people might lose their social benefits when they start to work, sometimes working is not profitable. When people lose their job, they might have difficulties to get back to the benefit allowances.

 
Many employers received reassurance that these were not common problems, or practical help from service providers and government, to ensure there were no significant problems to their business of hiring a person with learning difficulties.

 
To make sure people with learning difficulties have the right profile for the job, employers have job interviews with them and their mentors.

 
Some employers opt for a placement period. This allows the employer to see whether the employee can cope with the work and the work pace. It also allows the employee to try out jobs under less pressure.

 
In order to train and support people, many employers and employees can count on on-the-job trainers. They are sent by service providers and will guide people initially. The guidance will slowly be reduced until people are capable of carrying out their work independently.

 
For further support and advice, employers can always contact the job coaches of the local service provider.

 
The Swansea National Health Service Trust takes care of catering and hospitality. Since 1988 they employ two persons with learning difficulties. The success of the employment is mainly thanks to the good support from the service provider.

 
To overcome initial doubts, the Swindon Marriott Hotel gave people the opportunity to do a work placement, which was organised through the local service provider. Now they employ one person with learning difficulties.

Back