What are the Various Barriers to Employment?

In a large population, there are many who can't find a job due to certain roadblocks placed either by an employer, or the nature of the job or industry. Any particular reason that inhibits an individual to become employable and earn a steady income can be termed as a barrier to employment.

Overcoming these barriers is extremely essential to reduce the disparity gap that has plagued the society economically and psychologically. To ensure a healthy work environment based on the values and respect, understanding these barriers and what they represent, will go a long way in increasing employable opportunities. Why you are denied of an opportunity.

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 Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 has helped in building a support system and services, to enhance employment access and job retention for disabled persons.

The proverbial 'glass ceiling' still stands true, especially for ethnic women and those from the minority communities, the world over. The fact that gender stereotyping still occurs 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.

When it comes to the 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 the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) programs, individuals with mental illness and disorders do get income benefits; however, they still need to be accommodated in the job market.

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, physical disabilities, and gender bias, other socially disadvantaged groups may also face difficulties in getting a job.

Some of them have been listed:

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

They also include absence of certain desirable 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.