Employment Update
New EEOC Fact Sheet About Intellectual Disabilities and Employment
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a fact sheet on the application of the ADA to persons with intellectual disabilities in the workplace. The new publication is available on the EEOC website 
(www.eeoc.gov).
The term "intellectual disability" describes the condition once commonly referred to as "mental retardation." Approximately one percent of the United States' population, an estimated 2.5 million people, has an intellectual disability. Estimates indicate that only 31 percent of individuals with intellectual disabilities are employed, although many more want to work.
Persons with intellectual disabilities successfully perform a wide range of jobs, and can be dependable workers. The types of jobs people with intellectual disabilities are able to perform depend on individual strengths and interests. Examples include: animal caretakers, laundry workers, building maintenance workers, library assistants, data entry clerks, mail clerks, store clerks, messengers, cooks, printers, assemblers, factory workers, photocopy operators, grocery clerks, sales personnel, hospital attendants, housekeepers, statement clerks, automobile detail workers, and clerical aides.
Yet, many employers still exclude persons with intellectual disabilities from the workplace. For instance, some employers believe that workers with intellectual disabilities will have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities. Studies show that this is not true and that workers with intellectual disabilities are absent no more than other workers. Another misperception is that employing people with intellectual disabilities will cause insurance costs to skyrocket.
"With this fact sheet, the EEOC aims to break down myths, fears and misperceptions that stand in the way of employment opportunities and sometimes even lead to harassment on the job. People with intellectual disabilities want to work and have a lot to contribute. Employers who are not tapping into this community are missing out," said Commission Chair Cari Dominguez.
The fact sheet addresses such topics as:
- when an intellectual impairment is covered by the ADA;
- when an employer may ask an applicant or employee questions about his or her intellectual disability;
- what types of reasonable accommodations employees with intellectual disabilities may need on the job;
- how to address safety concerns and conduct issues in the workplace; and
- how an employer can prevent harassment of employees with intellectual disabilities.
