Business Resources and Services from Disability Awareness Author / Speaker Gary Karp
"Workers with disabilities are looking to do meaningful, satisfying work.

"Just like everybody else."

Disability Etiquette
in the Workplace

...So People Can Relax and Get the Job Done

An encounter with a person with a disability often produces this reaction...

What do I say? What do I do?

If someone is uncomfortable, not knowing how to behave, then how can those two people find their shared interests, much level work together effectively?

Workplace Disability Etiquette is the key, the starting point for any organization which recognizes the importance of tapping into the immense, emerging potential of workers
with disabilities.

It starts with three simple principles:

  1. They are people first; they are not their disabilities.
  2. They treasure their independence.
  3. They are experts in how they live with their disabilities.

Most of the etiquette guidance on Modern Disability is derived from these three points. Keep them in mind, and you can get down to business with a real person doing real work

 

General Etiquette | Wheelchair Users | Vision Loss | Hearing Loss | Cognitive Disability
Speech Impairment | Invisible Disabilities | Disability & Language

People with disabilities use skills, strategies, and resources that seem mysterious to the rest of us. It's not as hard as it looks, assuming they got what they need to be able to live to their real potential.
When you lose the ability to do something for yourself, the things you CAN do are that much more precious. Everyone has the right to choose what they can do and how they do it.
People with disabilities do not define themselves by their disabilities. They have the same concerns and desires as you do – being valued in family, community and work, enjoying personal interests, having fun, having friends and lovers.