What’s the ‘Problem’ with Workplace Accommodation? A Disability Policy Journey Over Time

Abstract

To level the playing field in employment, the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities require state parties to ensure the provision of reasonable accommodation in the workplace. The international literature shows that barriers to workplace accommodation (WA) provision arise during recruitment, hiring and retention. In this paper, we complement prior research by examining how WA is represented in policy documents targeting disability and employment in Norway over the past 50 years. Bacchi’s policy analysis framework inspired the analysis and discussion. The analysis reveals a pattern over three time periods: i) segregation, including the state applying a holistic approach and responsibility for WA; ii) integration, including an activation approach stimulating employer responsibility; and iii) inclusion, including holding employers more responsible. The results lead us to ask whether too much financial responsibility and work-inclusion efforts to increase employment among disabled people are currently left up to employers.