December 3, International Day of Disabled Persons

For the past 28 years the United Nations has declared December 3 as annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons. A little over two years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a civil rights law of the United States prohibiting discrimination based on disability.

This day of observance is a great reminder to all of the contributions that people with disabilities have made and continue to make for us to live healthy, happy and productive lives. Because of persons with disabilities, today the curb cuts advocated by wheelchair users help parents with children using strollers, mail carriers and movers move packages. Transportation systems offer kneeling buses, buses benefitting the arthritic aching body, and aging population.  Communication systems developed with Blind, Deaf and non-verbal individuals offer voice activation, reading technology, large print, readers and more.

Up until recently when it was a question of accessibility and reasonable accommodations the business owner was focused more on the bricks and mortars of their facilities and less on website and virtual needs of employees and customers. Housing developers had not even thought about making at least one entrance to a residence accessible to a potential visitor with a disability or of the possibility that a potential buyer would be a disabled person.

Thanks to the ADA and observance of December 3 as the International Day of Disabled Persons things have changed.  In the past, when employees and customers were all coming unto premises the concerns were things like:  close proximity to accessible parking, curb-cut for main entrance, height of counters, width of hallways, and bathroom access. Today more people with disabilities are becoming vocal, young people who were born in the ‘90s when the ADA went into effect expect to pursue their dreams like any other American.  They expect to work, earn a paycheck and be part of community. Now working from home as a reasonable accommodation has opened up opportunities for people with disabilities to become employed or be self-employed requiring that websites be attuned to access issues such as voice activation, image description, color contrast and font-type to name a few.

Although 2020 has been a tough time for everybody worldwide, some good things are coming out it for all.  Innovations that have been made out of necessity some will come to be known as standard customer service, for example curb-side service.  Before one had to ask for an accommodation and explain that the individual making the request had a disability, this will no longer be the case.

There’s an opportunity for business owners and for civic society to expand their base of customers and to include more people with disabilities, and to expand their pool of prospective employees with disabilities—and independent contractors. Because of the variety and unique challenges to persons with disabilities they often bring to the table an unusual amount of flexibility, resourcefulness, and determination.