Workplace Accommodations Policy and Older Workers

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Workplace Accommodations Policy and Older Workers

• Lynzee Head, M.S.
• RERC on Workplace Accommodations
• Center for Advanced Communications Policy
• Georgia Institute of Technology
• February 1, 2006
• International Conference on Aging, Disability and
  Independence
• St. Petersburg, FL

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Overview

• Older Worker Demographics
• Disability Employment Policy
• Universal Design as a Means to Accommodate Older
  Workers

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Older Worker Demographics

• Between 2001-2010, the number of workers over age
  55 will increase 46.6, while workers between the
  ages of 25-54 will increase by only 5 (SHRM,
  2003)
• By 2015, nearly 20 of the labor force will be
  over the age of 55 (GAO, 2001)
• Increase in retirement age from 65 to 67 will
  likewise increase the number of older workers

Source The AARP Work and Career Study by Roper
ASW, 2002
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Percentage of the Labor Force that is 55 Years of
Age and Older 1950-2025
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Past and Projected Number of Workers Over Age 55,
1970-2025
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Why Are We Concerned About Older Workers?

• Potentially a large percentage of the labor force
• Assuming retirement, loss of valuable skills and
  knowledge
• Older workers experience physical, neurological
  and sensory changes throughout the aging process
  age-related disabilities which may affect
  their safety and productivity if they remain in
  the workforce

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Workplace Accommodations

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• job restructuring,
• modified work schedules, and
• making existing facilities accessible
• Accommodations address
• Loss of productivity
• Safety issues
• Assuming retirement, loss of valuable skills and
  knowledge

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Universal Design and Workplace Accommodations

• To date, there is no federal policy that
  specifically mandates use of the principles of
  universal design with respect to the design of
  workplaces (or the built environment)
• The universal design of products and
  environments has been spurred only indirectly by
  legislation

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Disability Employment Policy

• Americans with Disabilities Act
• Addresses accommodation on an individual basis,
  and does not focus on the universal design of
  workplaces
• Cost-benefit analysis
• New Freedom Initiative
• Policy language universal design and assistive
  technology have different meanings but are used
  interchangeably

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Employers and Older Workers

• Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Older
  Workers Survey (2003)
• Employers reported that they are not yet
  preparing for impact of an aging workforce
• Universal design of workplaces could potentially
• Reduce the number of individual workplace
  accommodations (and associated cost)
• Reduce the number of injuries and disabilities
  sustained by employees on the job
• Increase the social interaction of people with
  and without disabilities

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Conclusions

• Older workers are likely to play a key role in
  the labor market in the years to come
• ADA and other legislation only promote UD
  indirectly, therefore, changing corporate policy
  may be the best route for UD
• Employers must take action now to prepare for
  this demographic
• Workplace accommodation policies that include
  plans for plans for universally designed
  workplaces
• Goal Business case for UD - Why didnt we do
  this in the first place?

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Acknowledgments

• Paul Baker, Ph.D. AICP, Nathan Moon and Brad
  Bagwell

The RERC on Workplace Accommodations is supported
by Grant H133E020720 of the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the
U.S. Department of Education