Employer attitudes toward hiring persons with disabilities in Armenia

Purpose: The purpose of this two-part study was to provide input into a strategy to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in Armenia. Background: Employment rates for persons with disabilities in Armenia have been variously reported between eight and 21%, much below the general employment rate of 82%. Method: First, a Participatory Action Research process led to the development of a 15 item self-report measure - the Perceived Barriers to Employing Persons with Disabilities Scale - which was administered to 158 employers. Second, respondent data were examined to determine psychometric properties of the scale and to inform strategic recommendations for policy development. Findings: Exploratory factor analysis resulted in the removal of 6 items, leaving a 9 item scale. Responses produced a multidimensional scale clustering around 2 factors. The first of these, structural issues, was principally informed by employer perceptions of limited skill levels of persons with disabilities, high costs associated with employing persons with disabilities, and the lack of accessibility within facilities. The second factor, social issues, was informed by employers' anticipation of negative reactions of coworkers, customers and supervisors toward persons with disabilities entering the workforce. Employers also indicated a belief that persons with disabilities with skills should be entitled to work. Discussion and Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that attitudes of Armenian employers toward people with disabilities, and subsequent hiring decisions, are partly informed by perceptions of the negative reactions of others within the workplace. This finding disagrees with studies from other jurisdictions, which generally consider that these attitudes are principally informed by perceived skills deficits on the part of people with disabilities. These results would support the development of employer-focused information and awareness campaigns designed to address both of these factors. Implications for Rehabilitation Employment rates for people with disabilities are much below those of the general population. Research indicates that employer attitudes contribute significantly to the employment success of people with disabilities. A recent employer survey in Armenia indicates that these attitudes are influenced by a perception that others within the workplace do not accept people with disabilities. Vocational counseling and training programs, and employer awareness interventions, may be more effective if this influence on employer attitudes is addressed.