I’ve been tracking job requirement issues over the past few months, so I was pleased to see this from Hennepin County (Minneapolis, more or less, where I used to live):
Say you have been tinkering with computer brains your whole life, but your college degree isn’t in computer science or a related field. Chances are you won’t be considered for an IT job interview in many public and private companies.
Same goes if you are trying to secure a general maintenance position in Minnesota without a valid driver’s license — even though you may not be required to drive for work-related duties.
It’s common for employers to place a list of qualifications on their job applications, including narrowly defined degrees, years of experience and driver’s licenses. In many cases, said Hennepin County Workforce Development Director John Thorson, some of those qualifications tend to discourage applicants from applying for positions.
Now, he’s changing that.
The article cites a number of changes. It doesn’t specifically talk about physical requirements and disability. If one of the local people wanted to reach out and let me know what they say about that, I’d be interested to know what he says.
See previous coverage here:
- How Disabled Academics Work (Chronicle Vitae, 3/21/16)
- Job Discrimination in Plain Print (Al Jazeera America, 2/10/16)
- Disabled People Need Not Apply (Al Jazeera America, 2/5/16)