PROMOTING DISABILITY INCLUSION IN THE WORKPLACE

Employers are being encouraged to hire more people with disability and reap the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace, Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said. 
 
“There are 1.3 million people living with disability in NSW and many of them want to contribute to our society through paid employment,” Mr Ward said.
 
“Participation and leadership are the themes of this year’s International Day of People with Disability and I’m encouraging employers to lead the charge. People with disability can bring different perspectives, opinions and ideas to a range of sectors and be invaluable employees.
 
“We see many positive examples of people with disability achieving their career goals but we need the private sector, government and not-for-profits to work together to drive disability inclusion in the workplace.”
 
Mr Ward will join members of the NSW Disability Advisory Council, the NSW Carers Advisory Council and a host of disability service providers at Parliament House to celebrate International Day of People with Disability today.
 
The rollout of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in NSW is opening up more opportunities for people to find meaningful work. 
 
There are more than 108,000 NDIS participants in NSW, with the latest quarterly report from the National Disability Insurance Agency demonstrating positive results for inclusion. Data from the September 2019 quarter shows 17% of participants aged 15 to 24 and 26% of participants aged 25 and over have a paid job.
 
“The NSW Government is working towards doubling the proportion of people with disability employed in the public sector by 2025 by increasing employment opportunities and promoting Disability Inclusion Action Plans,” Mr Ward said.
 
“Research shows staff and customers are more loyal to businesses that value diversity and inclusion. In addition, workers with disability often have lower rates of absenteeism and stay in their job for longer.” 
 
The NSW Government is investing $3.3 billion in the NDIS in 2019-20.