Barriers to Employment

In a large population, there are many who can't find employment. They can't because certain barriers are placed either by an employer or circumstances are difficult to tide over. But what exactly does a barrier to employment mean? Any particular reason that inhibits an individual to become employable and earn a steady income through the means of employment can be termed as a barrier to employment.

Various Barriers to Employment

Overcoming employment barriers is extremely essential to reduce the disparity gap that has plagued the society economically as well as psychologically. To ensure a healthy work environment based on values and respect, understanding these barriers and its constitutes will go a long way in increasing employable opportunities. Following are a few reasons why an individual is denied an opportunity to work and the ways employed to deal with them.

For People with Disabilities
Individuals with disabilities have always been discriminated against. This has always been a fact, however, there is a distinct change in the scenario over the past decade. Various rules and regulations under the banner law of 'Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act and Ticket to Work legislation', and the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act has helped in building support system and services to enhance employment access and job retention for disabled persons.

For Women
The proverbial 'glass ceiling' still stands true, especially for ethnic women and women from minority communities, world over. The fact that gender stereotyping and employment barriers still occur is a sad truth. There are many laws in place that can be used by women to ensure that their right to be employed is not infringed upon. This can only be done by fusing the line between traditionally segregated and accepted 'male' and 'female' jobs.

For People with Mental Illness
When it comes to a labor force, people with mental illness find it extremely difficult to get jobs or to retain them. One of the major roadblocks felt by this section of the society is the lack of benefits and special resources at workplace that can allow them to work. Under Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), individuals with mental illness and disorders do get income benefits, they still need to be accommodated in the job market.

Other Barriers
Work is an activity where a certain set of skills are required and executed in return for monetary and other benefits such as social security and status, social contacts and support, and a sense of personal achievement. Besides mental and physical disabilities, and gender bias, there are other socially disadvantaged groups that may simultaneously face difficulties in getting a job. Some of them have been listed below:

• Lack of (computer) education and/or adequate experience
• Substance abuse or illness
• Ex-offenders
• Homelessness
• Language and ethnicity barriers
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients

Employment barriers also include absence of certain undesirable personal characteristics such as interpersonal skills, integrity, professionalism and other soft skills. Both formal and informal forms of barriers need to be recognized and removed. Within an organization, it is the primary responsibility of the human resources department to work in coordination with others to analyze the impact and implications of specific (if discriminative) employment practices to ensure that the work environment is healthy and socially responsible without infringing on its basic motto of earning profits. While the government and organization work together to remove these social barriers, it is also the responsibility of an individual to remove personal barriers.