People with Intellectual Disability and Human Right to Work
Bottle saying Every Human has Rights

People with disability historically have significantly lower rates of workforce participation than people without a disability. People with an intellectual disability face greater barriers to employment than most other people with disability. This increases the chance of people working in Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) where they can be legally paid as little as $2.67/hour.

The Disability Royal Commission has highlighted exploitation, discrimination and other injustices experienced by people with intellectual disability working in ADEs and supported employment programs. Human rights violations are also experienced in other countries. Japan, for example, also has segregated workplaces and subminimum wages for people with intellectual disability.

People with an intellectual disability have the right to work on an equal basis with others, and to workplaces that are open, inclusive and accessible. Urgent change is needed to ensure fair pay, open employment and realisation of people’s right to work.

On 16 June 2023, the UTS Disability Research Network, Anti-Slavery Australia, and Law Health Justice Research Centre held an online discussion considering why people with an intellectual disability should be able to work in open employment and why Australian Disability Enterprises (ADEs) need to change.

You can view the event by following the link: People with Intellectual Disability and the Human Right to Work

This event is organised by Linda Steele and Simon Darcy of UTS. You can email Linda Steele with any questions: linda.steele@uts.edu.au.

Thank you to the Council for Intellectual Disability and Inclusion Australia. 

 

Want to find out more?

Inclusion Australia’s advocacy:

Council for Intellectual Disability’s advocacy:

Academic research:

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