People with disabilities are safe, reliable and productive workers and successfully employed across a range of industries in the region, according to research recently conducted in Albury-Wodonga.

According to a survey carried out by Kate Roylance, a fourth year occupational therapy student at Charles Sturt University, employers in the region consider the performances of employees with disabilities to be equal to or better than other workers.

Many employers surveyed considered that workers with disabilities were more safety conscious than other workers, while four out of five employers described workers in this group as reliable, productive employees who offered a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.

“Previous research suggests that employers were concerned about the safety and productivity of workers with disabilities, which has become a major barrier for their employment,” said Ms Roylance. “The message to other employers is clear: the best person for the job may well be a person with a disability.”

The research, which included 21 employers from the NSW-Victoria Border region was initiated by local firm, Personnel Employment Albury-Wodonga and completed over 12 weeks as part of Ms Roylance’s work experience for her CSU degree.

Concerned at the increasingly competitive job market, Personnel Employment was keen to explore the experiences of employers who have at least one person with a disability on staff. Ms Roylance is now the Equal Employment Opportunity Officer at the University’s Albury-Wodonga Campus having completed her CSU course last year.