Diversity 101Diversity 101August 26, 2008August 26, 2008

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Floridaof Florida

Presented by:Presented by:

Nancy HanischNancy Hanisch

Agency for Persons with DisabilitiesAgency for Persons with Disabilities

DiversityDiversity• Main Entry: Main Entry:

– di·ver·si·tydi·ver·si·ty

• Function: Function: – nounnoun

• Inflected Form(s): Inflected Form(s): – pluralplural di·ver·si·tiesdi·ver·si·ties

• Date: Date: – 14th century 14th century

• 1:1: the condition of being  the condition of being diversediverse ::  varietyvariety; ; especiallyespecially : : the inclusion of  the inclusion of diversediverse people (as people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization or organization <programs intended to <programs intended to promote promote diversitydiversity in schools> in schools>

Nina OwcharenkoNina Owcharenko is Senior Policy is Senior Policy Analyst in the Center for Health Policy Analyst in the Center for Health Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

The Congressional Budget Office The Congressional Budget Office reports that the major reports that the major

entitlement programs—entitlement programs—Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Medicaid, Medicare, and Social

Security—account for Security—account for approximately 42 percent of approximately 42 percent of

federal spending.federal spending.

National TreasuryNational Treasury

If 94,000 people, or 1% of people If 94,000 people, or 1% of people with with

severe disabilities on SSI, SSDI and severe disabilities on SSI, SSDI and

related medical programs were to related medical programs were to become become

gainfully employed, the 10 year cost gainfully employed, the 10 year cost savingssavings

would be 45 billion dollars! would be 45 billion dollars!

THE TIME IS NOW!!!THE TIME IS NOW!!!

The The Employment Policy Employment Policy FoundationFoundation estimates estimates

a workforce shortage of a workforce shortage of

4.8 million4.8 million workers by 2010, workers by 2010,

19.7 million19.7 million by 2020. by 2020.

Questions?Questions?

Person First languagePerson First language

•The words you use can The words you use can create either a create either a positivepositive view of people with view of people with disabilities or it can disabilities or it can reinforcereinforce common myths.common myths.

•Put the person first!Put the person first!

Why Person First?Why Person First?

Group designations such as "the blind," "the retarded" or "the disabled" are inappropriate because they do not

reflect the individuality, equality or dignity of people with disabilities.

Further, words like "normal person" imply that the person with a disability isn't normal, whereas "person

without a disability" is descriptive but not negative.

http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/comucate.htm

Language UseLanguage UseAffirmative PhraseAffirmative Phrase

• A person with an A person with an intellectualintellectual disabilitydisability

• A person who is blind A person who is blind

• A person with a disabilityA person with a disability

• A person who is deaf A person who is deaf

• A person who has A person who has multiple sclerosismultiple sclerosis

Negative Phrase

Retard; retarded

The blind

The disabled; handicapped

The deaf

Afflicted/Stricken by MS

More on Language UseMore on Language UseAffirmative PhraseAffirmative Phrase

• A person who has cerebral A person who has cerebral palsypalsy

• A person who has epilepsyA person who has epilepsy

• A person who uses a A person who uses a wheelchairwheelchair

• A person with Down A person with Down syndromesyndrome

• A person with mental illness A person with mental illness or psychiatric disabilityor psychiatric disability

Negative Phrase

CP Victim

Epileptic

Confined or restricted to a wheelchair

He’s Downs

Crazy, nuts, lunatic, psycho

More on Language UseMore on Language UseAffirmative PhraseAffirmative Phrase

• A person with a physical A person with a physical disability or one who has disability or one who has quadriplegiaquadriplegia

• A person with a learning A person with a learning disabilitydisability

• A person without disabilitiesA person without disabilities

• A person with a brain injuryA person with a brain injury

• Accessible ParkingAccessible Parking

Negative Phrase

A quadriplegic

Learning disabled

Normal

Brain damaged

Handicapped parking

Questions?Questions?

MYTH:MYTH: Hiring employees Hiring employees with disabilities increases with disabilities increases

workers compensation workers compensation insurance rates. insurance rates.

• FACT:FACT: Insurance rates are based Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's operation and the organization's accident experience, not on whether accident experience, not on whether workers have disabilities. workers have disabilities.

MYTH:MYTH: Employees with Employees with disabilities have a higher disabilities have a higher

absentee rate than absentee rate than employees without employees without

disabilities. disabilities.

• FACT:FACT: Studies by firms such as Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.than employees without disabilities.

MYTH:MYTH: Persons with Persons with disabilities need to be disabilities need to be

protected from failing. protected from failing.

• FACT:FACT: Persons with disabilities have Persons with disabilities have a right to participate in the full a right to participate in the full range of human experiences range of human experiences including success and failure. including success and failure. Employers should have the same Employers should have the same expectations of, and work expectations of, and work requirements for, all employees.requirements for, all employees.

MYTH:MYTH: Persons with Persons with disabilities are unable to disabilities are unable to

meet performance meet performance standards, thus making standards, thus making them a bad employment them a bad employment

risk. risk.

FACT #1:FACT #1: A DuPont conducted A DuPont conducted a survey of 811 employees with a survey of 811 employees with

disabilities and found 90% disabilities and found 90% rated average or better in job rated average or better in job performance compared to 95% performance compared to 95%

for employees without for employees without disabilities.disabilities.

Fact #2: A similar DuPont study Fact #2: A similar DuPont study which involved 2,745 employees which involved 2,745 employees with disabilities found that 92% with disabilities found that 92% of employees with disabilities of employees with disabilities rated average or better in job rated average or better in job

performance compared to 90% performance compared to 90% of employees without of employees without

disabilities.disabilities.

MYTH:MYTH: Persons with Persons with disabilities have problems disabilities have problems

getting to work. getting to work.

• FACT:FACT: Persons with disabilities are Persons with disabilities are capable of supplying their own capable of supplying their own transportation by choosing to walk, transportation by choosing to walk, use a car pool, drive, take public use a car pool, drive, take public transportation, or a cab. Their modes transportation, or a cab. Their modes of transportation to work are as of transportation to work are as varied as those of other employees.varied as those of other employees.

MYTH:MYTH: Persons who are Persons who are deaf make ideal employees deaf make ideal employees

in noisy work environments. in noisy work environments.

• FACT:FACT: Loud noises of a certain vibratory Loud noises of a certain vibratory nature can cause further harm to the nature can cause further harm to the auditory system. Persons who are deaf auditory system. Persons who are deaf should be hired for all jobs that they have should be hired for all jobs that they have the skills and talents to perform. No person the skills and talents to perform. No person with a disability should be prejudged with a disability should be prejudged regarding employment opportunities regarding employment opportunities

MYTH:MYTH: Considerable Considerable expense is necessary to expense is necessary to

accommodate workers with accommodate workers with disabilities. disabilities.

• FACT:FACT: Most workers with disabilities Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations. require no special accommodations. Studies by the President's Committee's Studies by the President's Committee's Job Accommodation Network have Job Accommodation Network have shown that 15% of accommodations shown that 15% of accommodations cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and $500, 12% cost between $501 and $500, 12% cost between $501 and $1,000, and 22% cost more than $1,000 $1,000, and 22% cost more than $1,000

MYTH:MYTH: Employees with Employees with disabilities are more disabilities are more

likely to have accidents likely to have accidents on the job than on the job than

employees without employees without disabilities. disabilities.

• FACT:FACT: In the DuPont study, the In the DuPont study, the safety records of both groups were safety records of both groups were identical. identical.

Thank You!Thank You!

Nancy HanischNancy Hanisch

(904) 992-2440(904) 992-2440

Nancy_Hanisch@apd.state.fl.usNancy_Hanisch@apd.state.fl.us