Download - Employment and Income Assistance Division Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment
Disability and Labour Force Attachment:Assessing and Responding to the Needs of
Saskatchewan Social Assistance Clients
Employment and Income Assistance Division
Saskatchewan Community Resources and Employment
Welfare to Work: The Next Generation
St. John’s, Newfoundland
November 16-18, 2003
Overview
• Report key findings from 2001 surveys of social assistance clients and employers
• Describe emerging disability income security policy framework
• Introduce new service responses to disability in Saskatchewan
2001 Disability Research
• Survey of social assistance clients– Determine prevalence and characteristics of
disability in SA population– Telephone interviews with 1,764 SA clients – PALS limitation-based disability definition
• Survey of Saskatchewan employers– Determine employer needs & perceptions with
respect to hiring people with disabilities– Mail survey of 298 employers
Survey of SA clients -Prevalence much higher than previously assumed
Figure 1Clients with Disabilities as Proportion of SAP Two-Year Caseload
Physical disabilities only 29%
Mentaldisabilities only
2%
Both physical and mental 19%
Clients without disabilities50%
Survey of SA clients - Physical health limitations most prevalent
Figure 3Prevalence of Specific Disabilities, Saskatchewan Residents and
Social Assistance Clients, 2001
20%
16%
12%
58%60%
76%
19%
10%
4%
17%
23%26%
20%
59%
53%
76%
14%
21%
5%
29%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Hearin
g
Seeing
Speec
h
Mob
ility
Agility
Pain
Lear
ning
Mem
ory
Develo
pmen
tal
Psych
ologic
al
As
% o
f p
erso
ns
wit
h a
ny
dis
abili
ty
Sask residents 15-64 yrs with disabilities SA clients with disabilities
Survey of SA clients - Multiple conditions are common . . .
Figure 4 Number of Disabilities Affecting SAP Two-Year Caseload with Disabilities
18%
22% 22%
15%
10%
6%
4%
2%
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
One Two Three Four Five Six Seven Eight or more
As
% o
f cl
ien
ts w
ith
dis
abili
ties
Survey of SA clients - . . . and certain disabilities cluster together
Figure 5 Most Common Combinations of Disabilities
Affecting SAP Two-Year Caseload with Disabilities
12%
13%
21%
36%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Emotional/psychological/psychiatricand confusion/memory disabilities
combined
Mobility, flexibility, pain and visiondisabilities combined
Pain andemotional/psychological/psychiatric
disabilities combined
Mobility, flexibility and paindisabilities combined
As % of clients with disabilities
Survey of SA clients - Loss of SA income & health benefits are key barriers
Figure 9Barriers to Employment for
SAP Two-Year Caseload With and Without Disabilities
2%
4%
5%
15%
12%
28%
16%
6%
19%
29%
30%
30%
5%
7%
16%
21%
23%
28%
34%
35%
36%
36%
40%
44%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%
Caseworker discouraged me from working
Family/friends have discouraged me from working
I worry about being isolated by others
Information about jobs is not accessible
I have been the victim of discrimination
Family responsibilities prevent me
Would lose health coverage
Would lose some or all SA income
Will not have support for phys. condition on the job
I lack accessible transportation
There are no jobs available
I feel my training is not adequate
As % of clients in group
Without disabilities (N=31,031) With disabilities (N=31,624))
Survey of SA clients - Modified hours or duties most needed accommodations
Figure 10 Workplace Accommodations Required by SAP Two-Year Caseload with
Disabilities
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
28%
34%
38%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%
Handrails, ramps
Appropriate parking
Modified workstation
Accessible elevator
Accessible washrooms
Accessible transportation
Modified or different duties
Modified hours or days or reducedwork hours
As % of clients with disabilities
Survey of employers - Few have experience hiring people with disabilities
Figure 11Employers Hiring Persons With Disabilities During Previous Two Years
Hired PWD20%
Have not hired PWD80%
Survey of employers - Feel that some disabilities easier to accommodate
Figure 12Employers Having Jobs that Could be Done by Someone with a Disability by
Disability Type
6%
6%
20%
23%
31%
34%
40%
44%
61%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Blind or Visually Impaired
Limited/No Use Arms/Hands
Mental Health
Intellectual
Learning
Limited Use/No Use of Legs
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Mobility/Agility (full usearms/hands)
Speech
Survey of employers - Willing to provide most needed accommodations
Figure 13Employer Willingness to Provide Accommodations
Without and With Financial Incentives
34%
36%
44%
29%
40%
56%
67%
69%
9%
13%
17%
20%
33%
47%
53%
68%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Human supports
Communication services
Technical aides
Change job location
Retrain/reassign employees
Redesign of job
Physical accommodations
Flexible hours/days
% Very or Somewhat Likely to Make Accommodation
Without $ support
With $ support
Survey of employers - Recognize social benefits . . .
– “It is important for our company to have a workforce that reflects society.” (65% agree)
– “Universal access in the workplace would benefit everyone.” (57% agree)
– “Persons with disabilities have potential that is not being used by our company.” (50% agree)
Survey of employers - . . . but have productivity and cost concerns
– “Persons with disabilities are more limited in the kinds of jobs they can do.” (83% agree)
– “Persons with disabilities would be more challenging to supervise.” (60% agree)
– “Persons with disabilities won’t be able to keep up with co-workers.” (50% agree)
– “It would be expensive for our company to hire more people with disabilities.” (43% agree)
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
• Based on citizenship ideal– Views disability as natural and normative state.
– Support and accommodation is right of citizenship not privilege bestowed by better off.
– Goal must be to foster full participation in education, employment, and community life.
– Mutual obligation: People with disabilities have obligation to contribute to economic and social life within limits of abilities.
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
• Key principles:– Focus on ability
• Abandon categorical, all-or-nothing benefits in favour of graduated approaches.
• New benefits to be administered on the basis of functional impact of disability.
– Promote self-direction and management• Flexible supports to meet individual needs.
• PWD to become active participants rather than passive participants.
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
• Key principles (continued):– Separate disability supports from welfare
• Avoid steep welfare tax back rates.
• Support people with disabilities along a continuum of labour force involvement.
• Introduce opportunities for greater tailoring of benefits.
– Encourage mainstream delivery• Reduce marginalization by buttressing mainstream
programs.
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
• Progress to date:– Developing functional impact assessments
• High priority, still in process.• Literature review commissioned.• Current focus is on health and housing impacts.
– Extended health benefits• Beginning July 2003, sup. health coverage automatically
extended to PWD leaving SA for employment.• SA-level coverage for individual, spouse and dependents.
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
• Progress to date (continued):– Disability employment supports
• Introduced in 2002, significantly expanded in 2003.
• Based on caseworker assessment of need (no medical reports, no self-declarations).
• Support available for as long as required (no time limit).
• Decisions regarding eligible support are wide-open (with exception of significant workplace retrofitting).
Emerging income security policy framework for people with disabilities
– Disability employment supports (continued)• Includes:
– Work site accommodations
– Job redesign/Job carving assistance
– Productivity supports
– Job maintenance support
– Job mentoring
– Job coaching
– Work assessments
For more information
• Detailed reports from 2001 disability research available on department website - www.dcre.gov.sk.ca/publications/majordocuments.html
• Or contact Doug Scott
– Ph: 306-787-0626
– E-mail: [email protected]
• Questions?