Based on VPSC estimates, there is a lower proportion of people with disability in the VPS than among working-age adults in Australia.
People with disability (estimates)
Intersectionality
Sources
Physical workplace
The physical workplace, both in person and online, is often an employee’s first experience with an organisation. Offices that do not consider mobility or accessible systems can affect employee safety and their ability to do their job properly. Workplace design needs to consider layout and accessibility. This includes:
Workplace adjustments
When workplace adjustment opportunities are not raised early by managers or organisations, staff need to advocate for themselves from the start. Employees reported that organisations placed a burden of proof on them for their disability, which is not consistent with policy. Employees also had to navigate processes and policies that vary between organisations. There was an inconsistent approach to chronic illness. Approval and financial delegation processes were often unclear. These were reported as requiring additional layers of disclosure.
Recruitment and onboarding
Many people entering the workforce have experienced systems and spaces that were not accessible, inclusive or safe. Recruitment and onboarding can be rigid.
They are not always designed to enable equity and inclusion from the start. Challenges include:
Manager capability
Manager capability was identified as critical to staff experience. Current training does not cover all required content to build manager capability. This includes topics such as masking and fatigue in hidden disabilities, and unconscious bias. This can lead to misunderstanding or misinterpretation of employee behaviours, requests or needs. Managers are not always held accountable for adequate capability.
Policies and systems
People feel constrained by policies and systems. If they do not understand their rights and opportunities, they may feel they do not have the authority to ask for adjustments. Inclusion from the outset is required. Without this, staff may feel they need to ask for special treatment. Specific feedback included:
This action plan follows the conclusion of Getting to work: Victorian public sector disability employment action plan 2018–2025. Actions in Inclusive Victoria: State disability action plan 2022–2026 and national policies were also considered when developing these actions.
Organisations will implement actions in ways that suit their own context. Example activities provide guidance.
Increase representation of people with disability in the Victorian Public Service to 12%.
Example activities
Example activities