This study examines the impact of disability characteristics and job accommodations on employment retention of workers with disabilities. To this end, the analysis was conducted on 587 individuals who responded to the survey on disability characterist...
This study examines the impact of disability characteristics and job accommodations on employment retention of workers with disabilities. To this end, the analysis was conducted on 587 individuals who responded to the survey on disability characteristics and the use of job accommodations, among those who reported their employment status at the time of the survey based on raw data from the 2023 second wave of the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled (PSED) conducted by the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled. The results of the study are as follows:
First, among the demographic characteristics of the study participants, age, marital status, wage, and employment type were found to be factors influencing employment retention. Specifically, those in the middle-aged group (50-59 years old), married individuals compared to unmarried individuals, those with higher monthly average wages, and permanent employees compared to temporary or day laborers exhibited longer employment retention periods. This suggests that while job accommodation services are important for the employment retention of workers with disabilities, demographic factors and employment conditions also play a significant role in employment retention.
Second, among the disability characteristics of the participants, the degree of disability and disability type were found to influence employment retention. Specifically, workers with more severe disabilities, those with sensory, mental, or internal disabilities rather than physical or developmental disabilities, or those with chronic illnesses in addition to their disability, demonstrated a tendency for shorter employment retention periods. These results can be interpreted as reflecting the fact that disability employment and vocational rehabilitation services in South Korea have historically focused more on individuals with less severe disabilities and physical or developmental disabilities.
Third, while job accommodation services were found to be an influencing factor for employment retention, they also appeared to have an inverse effect. In other words, the greater the utilization of job accommodation services, the shorter the employment retention period tended to be. Although further research is needed, this phenomenon is believed to be due to the fact that job accommodation services, which should be tailored to enhance or stabilize job performance in the process of individualized employment planning, are currently provided in a standardized manner, rather than in a customized form, which may explain the observed results.
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are proposed to enhance the employment retention rates of workers with disabilities and to increase the effectiveness of job accommodations:
First, there is a need to transition services and policies to provide tailored support for both users and workplaces. The inverse relationship observed between the adjustment of job content or workload and employment retention suggests that job accommodations have not been customized to consider the actual work environment and the characteristics of workers with disabilities. Therefore, it is essential to shift services and policies to approach the planning process for disability employment and vocational rehabilitation services in a way that is customized to the user's job and the workplace environment.
Second, since individual demographic characteristics were found to significantly influence employment retention, measures to enhance the capabilities of individuals with disabilities must be established. The research results showed that age, marital status, and employment status were significantly related to employment retention. Therefore, it is necessary to expand vocational education and training opportunities and quality according to the user's life cycle, provide various programs for skill development, and offer customized placement services. This requires a transformation in disability employment and vocational rehabilitation services to ensure that these services support the development and placement of workers with disabilities in a way that matches their capabilities.
Third, a system must be created to support the development and stabilization of disability employment and vocational rehabilitation services tailored to the characteristics of workers with disabilities, not only those with physical and developmental disabilities but also those with sensory and internal disabilities.
The research results indicated that employment retention varied based on disability type, absenteeism due to disability or health issues in the previous month, degree of disability, and presence of chronic diseases. This suggests the need for customized employment support that takes into account the individual characteristics of workers with disabilities. Therefore, tailored job accommodation guidelines should be developed for not only individuals with physical or developmental disabilities but also for those with sensory or internal disabilities, and a support system should be established to help employers utilize these guidelines. Additionally, it is necessary to analyze effective job accommodation methods for each disability type and, based on this analysis, for the government and businesses to collaborate in developing individualized job accommodation models.