Categorizing Supervisor Reflections on Risks of Hiring Persons with Disabilities

Abstract

Although legislation prohibits employment discrimination related to disability such discrimination is regularly perpetuated and contributes to underemployment of persons with disabilities. I make the assertion that decision-maker’s perceptions of risk shape their intention to hire, and actual hiring of, persons with disabilities. There is minimal qualitative research published regarding supervisors’ views on hiring persons with disabilities. This shortcoming is addressed though my solicitation and of supervisor reflections on hiring and declining to hire persons with disabilities. I also map these reflections to categories of risk perception to generate insight on the nature of and form of supervisor risk perceptions.