Employment for Persons with Disabilities

In the United States, do you know of any person with disabilities in leadership or management positions? Chances are there are not many of them. Disabled people generally tend to occupy vocational and/or volunteer jobs. I have seen some fold paperclips or sharpen pencils at the local library. Seldom do we see them in upper management or leadership roles. If many can be considered qualified with or without reasonable accommodation as provided by the American with Disabilities Act; then, why don’t they hold meaningful jobs? Is this not a form of disparate impact in hiring practices across the board? Take for example, Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Echazabal, 536 U.S. 73 (2002), where the plaintiff with liver issues wishes to return to work at the risk of direct threat against himself. There are a lot of questions to be asked such that do persons with disabilities have so limited opportunities for employment that they would be willing to engage in work that puts their health at risk just to have employment and pay the bills? In this sense, the ADA has not gotten very far in providing equal opportunity and meaningful access for persons with disabilities. It shouldn’t be so hard for anyone, even for a person with disability, to find work that he or she is qualified, for with or without reasonable accommodation. But, sadly, it is. So that when people with disabilities find whatever small opportunity to earn, they do so even at the risk of harm against themselves, because there are no better options. In a society that prides itself in equality for all, there must be better options. Discrimination is not only the inability to provide reasonable accommodation or the ill treatment of those associated with persons with disabilities. Discrimination is also when a person with disability settles for a poor choice because there is no other choice – or society makes it hard to choose an alternative. Ultimately, persons with disabilities should have the responsibility of being their own advocate and guardian for their rights to equal opportunities in employment and to quality of life. What, therefore, is the threshold of meaningful access? Should it not be expanded? Who determines reasonable accommodation vs. undue burden; and why are there not enough benchmarks for this? This leads me to the larger question: why are there no opportunities for disabled people to have meaningful access to work opportunities in leadership and upper management?

How to cope with a loss of a parent?

Whether it be from a sudden incident or from a long term illness, it is not easy to lose a parent. One can never prepare for this change in life situation. One however can find means to cope. I found myself in this position when I lost my mother just two months ago to stroke and complications. The Covid lock down did not help make things easier as health care professionals were stretched to their limits with caring for all kinds of patients. Now I find myself grieving the loss my best friend and center. Those who have lost pass through several stages of grief. There is no right or wrong way. And the process is not linear or forward moving all the time. Knowing where you are in the process can help you manage your emotions and lead to healthy cathartic release. Known as the Kubler Ross Model, the first stage of grieving is denial. This is the first emotional response. At this stage family members believe there is some sort of mistake. There is disbelief. The second stage is anger. I notice this most often happens in males. Family members who are angry and grieving target other family members and use them as outlet for their anger. They blame, find fault or grievance. The third stage is bargaining. This means family members bargain with God or the universe that they will reform in exchange for something. The fourth stage is depression. The family member in depression refuses to talk to anyone, spends time in silence, and mourns the loss of the parent in consideration of his or her own mortality. And finally, the fifth and final stage is acceptance. Emotions are stable and there is calm. Family members embrace the truth of the loss and move forward bringing with them fond memories of their parent. As you go through loss, remember do not go through it alone for a long period. Seek a support group whether peer or spiritual. Choose a few who can understand the loss. Usually also those who have loss a parent.

How to invest in times of a pandemic?

By Sara P. In these times of pandemic how can one save more and invest more in one's finances resources and manage risk. Many have lost their jobs and as a result have lost or depleted their savings from the corona virus epidemic. It becomes critical now more than ever to be financially savvy and find alternative means of economizing resources for yourself and for the family. Times are tough but there are ways of addressing risk for adequate gains. It has been a difficult year for the common man as a result of the epidemic. Businesses have been forced to close; so have schools. People have been laid off jobs or taken a cut back. Immigration is next to impossible. Families are hungry. Students are stuck in tents pitched on school grounds as they have nowhere else to go. Money is tight. What must one do to survive? We ask two prominent individuals on how to save and invest more and manage risk? Shailesh F. Shah, Investment Banker “COVID-19’s onslaught currently tells us that we don’t know enough to say life will be back to normal soon. Poorer countries are being affected severely. It becomes critical that your family and yourself conserve. Focus on saving. Restrict spending to what is absolutely necessary until you see sure-footed signs of improvement. As you save, look at where these savings can be deployed so there is growth. Riskier investments must be avoided. In contrast, stock markets have been battered. In selective ways, there may be smart opportunities. Gold is another alternative although its price has scraped the skies. Also, some essentials have tanked. It becomes important to evaluate their comeback likelihood and the time it is likely to take. If your risk appetite is aligned, these may be considered.” Shailesh F. Shah is Director in a few companies and works as an investment banking advisor and consultant. Mr. Shah has had the privilege of leading large companies and serving clients around the world in a variety of industries. Gitika Chandra, Finance Professor “During these uncertain times, we have all been called to evaluate our actual needs and wants. Many sectors are witnessing job losses and salary cuts, hence people have become wiser and are not spending beyond their means thus saving more. Since we are all staying at homes, we are already saving on commute and other small unnecessary impulse buying. Making small changes such as gym membership fees which has been replaced by at home yoga/exercise, cable TVs cost have been replaced by online streaming to name a few. Forecasting and budgeting finances is the need of the hour. As debt on common man increases while income reduces, taking a long-term view without panicking would help. Making the best choice that suits your current circumstance is a prerequisite. One can also opt for moratorium being offered by the Central bank during this time. Creating an emergency fund for future would be a prudent step. Ultimately peace of mind is more important than money. Hence make a wise choice.” Gitika Chandra is a dynamic individual with over 10+ years of experience in both the corporate and teaching industry. She is a postgraduate in finance, and specializes in Finance and Accounts. She places a high value on constant learning and being an inspiration for change.