Employment Issues Faced by People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in BC

Written by Jo-Anne Gauthier, BCPF Member & Self-Advocate

January 8, 2025

Why Having a Job Matters

A job is more than just making money. It helps people feel proud, useful, and connected to their community. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, having a job is one way we are part of society. But in BC, it can be hard for people with disabilities to find or keep good jobs. Many people face unfair treatment and other challenges.

What’s the Issue in BC?

Only about 25% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are working, compared to over 60% of people without disabilities. This isn’t because they can’t work—it’s because employers don’t give us a chance.

I myself have been looking for a job for a few years. I’m qualified and hardworking, but employers think I can’t handle the work. I know many others looking for jobs, who get passed up time and time again because of judgements about their disability. I’ve been discriminated against by multiple supervisors because they don’t like that I need some accommodations, they judged me for my size and how I speak. One supervisor I had at Superstore went out of his way to make me feel stupid and judged me in front of other employees regularly, instead of asking what I needed to be successful in my role. It’s not right to treat people like this.

How can we be successful in careers when our real barrier to employment is not the jobs themselves but ableist and bigoted employers and supervisors?

Problems at Work

Even when people with intellectual and developmental disabilities get a job, they face problems. Some employers don’t offer simple supports, like clear instructions or flexible hours. A self-advocate from Langley I know, lost his job because his boss didn’t give him proper training. “I was doing my best, but they didn’t take the time to show me how to do it right,” he says.

Detailed training, broken down into sections and easy to learn steps, offered in plain language is so important for accessibility. Many intellectual and developmental disabilities are invisible disabilities. And because of stigma surrounding disability in our society some people don’t feel comfortable disclosing their disability. Proper training focused on all the different learning styles helps everyone, not just people with disabilities?

Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are stuck in entry-level jobs and don’t get chances to move up. This makes it hard for them to grow and earn more money. Many of us of the skills and desire to move up in a company, just like everyone else. But we often get judged because of our disabilities or denied accommodations that would make it possible. It’s bad leadership to assume what people are capable of because of what they look like or because of your own biases. Everyone is different and every disability is different for everyone.

How to Make Things Better

We need to work together to break down barriers. Programs like Ready, Willing, and Able help employers find skilled workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They also teach employers how to make their workplaces more welcoming. Accommodations don’t have to be complicated or expensive. Simple changes, like offering step-by-step instructions, flexible schedules, natural light without fluorescent light, or quiet workspaces, can make a big difference for employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Groups like BC People First Society help self-advocates speak up and fight for fair job opportunities. When we come together to fight for our rights we learn from each other. Together as BCPF Members, we learn our human rights and share self-advocacy skills with each other.

What You Can Do

Everyone can help make BC more inclusive:

• Employers: Review your hiring practices. Offer training and job shadowing to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

• Supervisors: Assume less and focus on what people can do, not what they can’t do. Don’t limit people’s career growth because of your own ableist biases!

• Policymakers: Support programs that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find MEANINGFUL employment. Enforce rules that make workplaces accessible. Plus, support grants for people with disabilities to start their own small businesses.

• Allies: Share success stories and challenge stereotypes.

If you’re an employer, join programs like Ready, Willing, and Able. If you’re a self-advocate, share your story to inspire change. Remember, it’s the law not to discriminate against people with disabilities. Treating everyone fairly is not just right—it’s required.

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities in BC have the skills and drive to succeed. What they need is a fair chance. All we need is for someone to believe in us. By creating opportunities and supporting inclusion, we can build a BC where everyone belongs and thrives.