Disabled employees to benefit from new US ad campaign?

2nd February 2010

The plight of disabled employees in the US is being highlighted through a new humorous national advertising campaign.

Targeting recruiters, the ads will encourage individuals to Think Beyond the Label regarding people who have disabilities, the New York Times reports.

In one commercial, a disabled employee in a wheelchair suggests colleagues that could also be branded "different", such as badly-dressed workers being described as "fashion deficient", while loud staff may suffer from "volume control syndrome".

Barbara Otto, executive director at Health and Disability Advocates in Chicago - which is overseeing the initiative - said the project needed to be "tasteful" but "disruptive".

The main aim is "to get that employment decision-maker thinking that everyone in the workplace is different", she added.

A recent study in the UK by the National Equalities Panel revealed that disabled employees earn can earn up to 20 per cent less than their non-disabled colleagues, with men in particular taking home small pay packets.