Over the past few decades, many OECD countries have introduced legislation and policy measures to improve the employment of people with disabilities. These include anti-discrimination laws, employment quotas, financial incentives for employers, vocational rehabilitation programmes, and requirements to provide reasonable accommodation. Together, these initiatives have strengthened the legal framework supporting equal access to work.

Despite these developments, employment outcomes have improved only modestly. According to the OECD (2022), people with disabilities remain significantly less likely to be employed than those without disabilities. Across OECD countries, the employment rate for people with disabilities is, on average, around 27 percentage points lower, meaning they are roughly 40% less likely to be employed than people without disabilities. This gap has persisted despite years of policy reform.

The OECD argues that the challenge is no longer the absence of legislation but the way policies are implemented. While legal protections are essential, they do not automatically result in inclusive workplaces. In practice, barriers often emerge during recruitment, workplace integration, career progression, and access to training. Employers may be uncertain about how to provide reasonable accommodations, lack awareness of available support schemes, or continue to rely on recruitment practices that unintentionally disadvantage candidates with disabilities.

The report also highlights the importance of moving beyond policies that focus primarily on income support or disability benefits. Instead, governments are encouraged to adopt approaches that promote labour market participation throughout a person’s working life. This includes strengthening employment services, supporting employers to implement inclusive practices, and ensuring that workplace accommodations are readily available.

For Deaf and hard of hearing people, implementation gaps are particularly evident in workplace communication. Although legislation may recognise the right to reasonable accommodation, access to sign language interpreters, real-time captioning, accessible digital platforms, or communication support is not always consistently provided. As a result, legal rights do not always translate into equal participation at work.

These findings suggest that measuring progress solely by the existence of disability legislation provides an incomplete picture. Future efforts should focus on how policies are applied in practice, whether employers receive adequate guidance, and whether people with disabilities experience equal opportunities not only in obtaining employment but also in developing their careers.

Reference:

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2022). Disability, Work and Inclusion: Mainstreaming in All Policies and Practices. Paris: OECD Publishing.