Introduction

In our society we are taught that everyone has the right to work. But is this really true? This essay looks at the lives of four people with different disabilities: Cindy Knight, Fred Williams, Wayne Cantwell and Rene Rubia. They all want to work. None of them has ever had a long term, steady job. Because of their disabilities, they do not have the "right to work" that most people take for granted.

People with disabilities often have problems that others never have to face. As Cindy Knight says, "What are little things for most people are often big things for me." A disability can affect a person's education. It can interfere with his or her's ability to do a job. The disabled also have to deal with the negative or uninformed attitudes of some employers and co-workers. Sometimes, because of the system, having a job does not get a disabled person any further ahead than not having one.

Who is "Disabled?"

The term "disabled" can lead us to think that all people with disabilities are the same. This is not true. In Canada, 15% of the population has some kind of disability: physical, mental or both. Some people are severely disabled, some mildly. A person with a spinal problem who uses a wheelchair is often called disabled. The person in the wheelchair may disagree. She may think of herself as an ordinary person who just happens to use a wheelchair to get around. She may drive a car and have a husband and children. She may work as a lawyer or an accountant. People with epilepsy, schizophrenia, Tourette's Syndrome, a learning disability or arthritis may have very different social and working conditions. Everyone is special. All disabled people have their own desires, skills and goals.

The Right to Choose

While it is true that people with disabilities are different, one thing is the same for all of them: they often have trouble finding work. When they do find a job it is usually low paying. Often it is not the kind of job they really want. Most people choose their work. This is not always the case for the disabled. Too often they have to take what they can get.

 In some cases, a disabled person may not want to work. He or she may find a regular nine to five job too stressful. Sometimes they cannot work—their disabilities are too severe. People with autism¹ or those who are severely mentally delayed are often unable to work in the everyday work place. But even these people can and should do something. Being productive is part of what gives meaning to our lives.