Lorna Carter, a respected advocate and award-winning support worker from Gloucester, has spoken candidly about the discrimination faced by people with disabilities in the job market. As her current contract moves towards redundancy, Ms Carter has encountered significant barriers while seeking new employment opportunities.
Despite her extensive experience and accolades for her dedicated support work, Ms Carter has found the job search process deeply frustrating. She describes a recent interview as “humiliating,” citing a lack of reasonable adjustments that left her feeling undervalued and misunderstood. “They didn’t provide the right chair and criticised my use of crutches,” she said. “One interviewer asked, ‘how are you going to manage going into people’s homes, because you won’t have an office chair there?’”
Ms Carter praised her existing employer for going “above and beyond” to provide suitable accommodations but highlighted that many other organisations fall short. She is currently pursuing the matter through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service but has refrained from naming the firm publicly.
READ MORE: Stroud Drivers Face Weekend Road Closure Near Stratford Park for Tree Works
READ MORE: Cheltenham Town’s Cotterill praises loanee Jake Evans after thrilling York City win
The 55-year-old emphasised the broader issue of systemic barriers faced by disabled individuals seeking work. “It’s a job to get a job,” she remarked, having applied unsuccessfully for 18 positions so far. She believes that inadequate enforcement of reasonable adjustment laws contributes to high welfare costs, with the UK’s social security spending forecasted at around £353 billion this financial year.
Concerned about the impact of cuts to personal independence payments and negative perceptions of disabled people, Ms Carter is determined to advocate for change. She hopes to meet with Greater Manchester Mayor and Labour Party leadership candidate Andy Burnham to discuss the challenges disabled jobseekers face and to urge reforms.
“Employers make assumptions and judgements before you even walk in the room,” she said. “They’re not providing reasonable adjustments at the outset, which only serves to penalise vulnerable people. Employment law is failing us, and someone has got to stand up.”
Ms Carter’s resolve to continue supporting others remains strong, despite the difficulties she has encountered. “I’m proud of the difference I’ve made in people’s lives,” she concluded, “but this experience has been deeply shocking and unacceptable for anyone trying to work while disabled.”