Table 3.
Topics of verbatim additional responses and comments as to why some employers don’t hire or retain workers with disabilities
| Subject | Respondents | |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage | N | |
| Concerns about job performance or qualifications | 13.1 | 57 |
| Employers don’t know or understand disability or accommodation issues, need training | 9.7 | 42 |
| Concerns about cost, including accommodations, insurance, accessibility | 6.7 | 29 |
| Concerns about liability to lawsuits and complaints | 4.4 | 19 |
| Hassles such as paperwork, time spent learning about accommodations, etc.* | 3.7 | 16 |
| Employers’ fear of the unknown* | 3.4 | 15 |
| Employer discrimination, ill will, relying on stereotypes of people with disabilities | 3.4 | 15 |
| Concerns over customer/client reaction or public image* | 2.5 | 11 |
| Employers uncomfortable around people with disabilities, don’t know how to behave* | 2.1 | 9 |
| Concerns that the worker will not fit in or co-workers will react badly | 2.1 | 9 |
| Don’t encounter or recruit applicants or workers with disabilities | 1.4 | 6 |
| Attitudes of workers with disabilities, including an attitude of entitlement* | 1.4 | 6 |
* New topic distinct from reasons presented to respondents