ATTITUDES OF EMPLOYERS IN EDUCATION AND MANUFACTURING TOWARD HIRING HANDICAPPED PERSONS

For many years physically handicapped men and women and nonhandicapped women have been faced with discrimination in employment. Government legislation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 has authorized several programs for affirmative action in an attempt to facilitate their employment in the competitive job market. However, less than half the employable handicapped persons hold jobs and many of them have only menial jobs unrelated to their skills and abilities. Women, who traditionally have been faced with discrimination in employment, still have the problem of attaining employment appropriate to their skills and abilities. Research reveals that employers are still excluding, limiting or underutilizing handicapped persons and nonhandicapped women. In view of this, an attempt was made to identify employer attitudes toward hiring both male and female handicapped persons and nonhandicapped persons.;For the purpose of statistical analysis, the major findings were categorized according to the three methods of measurement and employers in education and manufacturing were divided into two groups on each of the following seven employer dimensions--occupational setting, sex, age, level of education, number of employees, number of handicapped employees, and experience with handicapped persons. Significant differences in employer attitudes were found on six of the dimensions. On the dimension of employer age only were there no significant differences.;In general, the findings were that employers do discriminate against orthopedically handicapped persons. This is shown on several of the employer dimensions. On the dimension of occupational setting the results indicate that handicapped persons are perceived as being more similar to nonhandicapped persons by employers in education than by employers in manufacturing. Thus it appears that handicapped persons have greater opportunity for employment with employers in education than with employers in manufacturing. It appears that orthopedically handicapped females, however, have greater opportunity for employment with female employers than with male employers, with employers without a college degree, and/or those who have had experience with handicapped persons. It also appears that orthopedically handicapped males have greater opportunity for employment with employers who already have handicapped workers in their employment and employers who have had some personal experience with handicapped persons. It seems that nonhandicapped females have greater opportunity for employment with employers with fewer than 35 employees, with employers with no handicapped persons in their employment, and with those who have had no experience with handicapped persons. It appears that nonhandicapped males have greater opportunity with employers who are male, who have college degrees, and/or who do not have personal experience with handicapped persons.;The findings indicate that there is need for further research and for education and action in regard to hiring handicapped applicants.;The attitudes of two groups of employers, in education and manufacturing, were studied in regard to hiring orthopedically handicapped persons. Questionnaires, containing three methods of measurement, were mailed to the employers following initial contact by telephone. The methods of measurement used were the Semantic Differential Measurement, the Ranked-Preference Measurement, and the modified Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale. The employers were asked to rate and rank four types of applicants--female, male, orthopedically handicapped female, and orthopedically handicapped male--and to express their attitudes toward handicapped persons in general.