Workplace discrimination and spinal cord injury: The national EEOC ADA research project

This article provides data from the National EEOC ADA Research Project comparing several aspects of employment discrimination experienced by individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) to that of a group of individuals with other physical, sensory or neurological impairments (GENDIS). Compared with GENDIS, the SCI group was younger with more males and fewer minorities. The SCI group had a significantly higher proportion of resolved complaints involving Hiring, Promotion and Reinstatement and a lower proportion of issues involving Discharge, Reasonable Accommodation, Harassment, Discipline and Intimidation. Allegations of discrimination against people with SCI occurred more often in the Services and Public Administration industries, more often among small employers, and more often among employers located in the South. EEOC findings of "No Cause" in which full investigation fails to support the alleged violation are significantly less common in SCI than in GENDIS. SCI employers were more likely to accept those remedies proposed by the EEOC. Implications and recommendations regarding these findings are provided.