Hi Osamu,
I wonder where the NHK people got their statistics from. None of the
post ADA surveys I am aware of have provided real evidence of
improvement in the employment status of people with disabilities. As far
as I know, the progress that has been made by the ADA has been in the
areas of social awareness, removal of barriers, and accessibility, and
does not yet show up in employment statistics.
Here is an overview from the Disability Statistics Center on employment
statistics (www.dsc.ucsf.edu):
Data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation indicate that
32.2% of people considered to have severe functional limitations had
jobs in late 1994, compared to 27.6% in late 1991. This increase is
statistically significant. On the other hand, among people with any
degree of functional limitation, the employment rate remained flat
(48.6% in both 1991 and 1994).
The employment rate for people with work limitation has also remained
flat, as measured by the Current Population Survey: 27.8% of people
with work disabilities had jobs in early 1995, compared to 29.0% in 1991
and 1993.
The labor force participation rate has not changed significantly for
people with any activity limitation, according to the National Health
Interview Survey: The proportion of people either working or actively
looking for work was 52.6% in 1990, 51.9% in 1992, and 51.8% in 1994.
Harris poll respondents with any disability reported a 33% employment
rate in 1986 compared to 31% in 1994-the difference is not statistically
significant.
For an excellent summary, entitled, "Is the Status of People with
Disabilities Improving?" look at the Disability Statistics Abstract No.
21 (May 1998)
click on:
http://dsc.ucsf.edu/UCSF/pic.taf?_UserReference=F56161ABA71E524ABE0F5476&_function=search&url=BOO1X4.1
Best,
Katharina
--
Katharina C. Heyer
Dept. of Political Science
University of Hawai'i
and
The American Bar Foundation
750 Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 988-6542 (voice)
(312) 988-6579 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
NAGASE Osamu wrote:
>
> Dear All,
>
> In December last year, a public TV station in Japan called NHK
> ran a programme entitled "My Life, Supported by Hi-Tech;
> New Disability Policy in U.S", focusing on new work
> opportunies with new high-technology.
> It emphasized, repeating three time, that the employment situation has
> improved $B!! (Bwith ADA and the number of disabled workers tripled
> after ADA.
>
> I was in touch with producer and asked the source for
> this figure, which was very impressive.
> According to the producer, pre-ADA figure
> quoted by drafters of ADA was 4.7 million and now the official figure is
> 14 million, hence triple. If this is the case, ADA
> approach in the employment is truly working
> even with the good U.S. economy.
> On the other hand, I remember some not so positive
> comments about ADA particularly regarding employment.
>
> Japan has been adopting the quota system
> and if non-discrimination approach, including ADA, is found
> to be more effective, there might be a policy change in the future.
>
> Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.
>
> NAGASE Osamu
>
> ________________End of message______________________
>
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--
Katharina C. Heyer
Dept. of Political Science
University of Hawai'i
and
The American Bar Foundation
750 Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 988-6542 (voice)
(312) 988-6579 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
[log in to unmask]
________________End of message______________________
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