Opinion: Alberta should support workplace inclusion for disabled

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The Alberta government plans to implement a new income support program for people with disabilities. Alberta Disability Assistance Program (ADAP).

The program is designed to support more people with disabilities. Disabled More likely to live in poverty and less likely to be employed More than other Canadians. Supporting their work can reduce poverty with disabilities. But in order to give meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities, the government must address multiple obstacles they face.

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Currently, the Alberdans pass Guaranteed income for severe disability (AIN) program. To be eligible, individuals must have permanent disability to prevent them from working. Qualified individuals receive a living allowance of $1,901 per month. There are strict restrictions on how much extra income a person can earn when receiving an AIN.

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ADAP reflects the shift in approach. AISH’s goal is to support individuals who cannot work, while ADAP is designed to support individuals who are capable of working. ADAP will help people with disabilities find employment by providing career programs, job placement and training services.

The program will have a higher income waiver, which means ADAP recipients will be allowed to earn more income without losing the program’s benefits. The government has not set the amount of benefits available to ADAP. When ADAP comes into effect in July 2026, applicants will be evaluated for ADAP and AINS and placed in the program that best suits them.

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The structure of ADAP regards disability as a personal problem that can be overcome by investing in personal support. The reality is that people with disabilities face discrimination in education, and job search and workplace design rarely allow people with disabilities to participate as employees. Providing personal support for disabled people who want to work without inclusive education, non-discriminatory recruitment and accessible workplaces has limited impact.

Discrimination begins. People with disabilities encounter exclusion during education. For example, during the recent strike by education assistant workers, the Alberta government directed that students with complex needs could be excluded from in-person learning. Alberta court suspends this direction After four families filed a lawsuit, it was pointed out that the direction inevitably discriminated against children with disabilities. This exclusion approach affects children with disabilities’ ability to learn and undermine their own self-awareness, meaning they are less worthy than other children.

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People with disabilities face discrimination during their job hunting. Broad, negative attitudes prevent employers from perceiving how people with disabilities contribute positively to the workplace. this Alberta Human Rights Law prohibits employers Discrimination from people with disabilities. However, it may be difficult to prove discrimination, legal proceedings are long, and the available remedies are usually limited to compensation awards – No work.

For anyone who is lucky enough to get a job, they face further obstacles. Their workplace may not be physically accessible, for example, when employees using wheelchairs use steps in their office buildings. Or they may rely on Accessible shippingthis can be Complex and expensive access, slow or completely unavailable.

Barriers to exclude people with disabilities from the workforce can be addressed, but the solution is more complex than teaching job preparation skills. Focusing on skills training shows that obstacles are within the control of people with disabilities. It cannot address society’s contribution to the system exclusion of persons with disabilities.

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Inclusion must be a key point. Inclusion ensures that people with disabilities can participate in all aspects of their lives. Disability unemployment crisis will decrease when job opportunities, education, transportation and services for people with disabilities can also be provided to people with disabilities.

We encourage governments to implement accessibility legislation first. Other strategies may include promoting self-employed or remote work, or providing employers with incentives to employ people with disabilities. Including the disabled community is crucial to implementing successful strategies. People with disabilities have the necessary knowledge to identify and resolve obstacles encountered.

We encourage governments to explore ways to meaningfully include voices in communities with disabilities. As always, without us, we are nothing slogans. Here is the roadmap for the solution.

Andrew Green, Anna Lund, Emily Phillips and Colton Stevenson yes Justice and Fair Alberta is a nonprofit organization that aims to protect and promote the human rights of marginalized people in Alberta through legal systems.

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