Care West CEO Tim Curran is urging business owners in Bathurst to give people with a disability a fair go when vacancies arise in their workplaces. His comments come after a report released in May from the Australian Human Rights Commission cited numerous examples of workplace discrimination against people with a disability. 

It suggests Australians with a disability are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without a disability.

Through Care West’s regular work with people who have a disability, Mr Curran is confident in saying they are more than capable of being great employees.

“I think it is important for employers in Bathurst and all around Australia to consider that people with a disability can be really competent, loyal employees,” he said. 

According to Mr Curran, Australians are generally quite inclusive of people who are disabled, but he feels that employers are often under the misconception that people with a disability are unable to work and don’t intentionally set out to discriminate.

Care West has found that people with a disability tend to be more loyal employees, have higher retention rates and fewer workplace health and safety claims.

“We think a lot of it is because there is a lack of awareness,” Mr Curran said. 

“We just want to make sure employers know that people with a disability are capable.”

When people with a disability are unsuccessful in their search for jobs, it has an impact on their confidence and wellbeing.

“It is really disheartening when someone does all the right things and has all the training and then gets knocked back when they apply for a job,” Mr Curran said.

He encourages employers to contact Care West in Bathurst or Glenray Industries to find out more about the work people with disabilities are capable of doing. These organisations are able to provide a person with a disability with support as they try to enter the workforce.