Editorial: don’t look down on the disabled worker

Photo: Ants Liigus / Pärnu Postimees

On economy pages of Postimees today, hope-inspiring examples are provided of people with special needs coping in real life as hired by cleaning company ISS Eesti and Seve the builder.

Turns out, a handicap will not hinder a person from being active and hardworking. Which is actually to be expected – not all work requires the exact same abilities and attributes. Often, what matters most for a company is an employee being responsible and steadfast, not the excellence of his eyesight. To alleviate bodily disabilities, all kinds of technical aids have long been in existence. A person who copes with his daily life will do just as well on the job. Much harder, actually, to compensate for lack of diligence, loyalty or patience.

The more private companies acquire the experience of hiring with the disabled, the more easily the example will be followed. Here, we’d expect the public sector to do more to show the way, from the topmost levels. In other countries, examples abound. A profound seeing disability did not keep David Blunkett from working in the British parliament and as Home Secretary in the government of Tony Blair. The German politician Wolfgang Schäuble, shot at and now in a wheelchair, is a most appreciated finance minister in Europe.

Sure, people with special needs may have some problems, but who wouldn’t, actually? The problems are just different, and with understanding and some training lots of things can be overcome. For instance, the Postimees story refers to a schizophrenic cleaner who didn’t take her medicine and made a mess at work. Even so, in cases like that, clients have been benevolent.

While we have people who can and want to work, it would be quite anti-Estonia to maintain a situation where this is not possible. To make the best use of those that are thus willing, state agencies, local authorities, the public sector and entrepreneurs ought to all cooperate. A breakthrough here would be a blessing both ways.