N.S. news: People with disabilities face employment barriers [Video]

Finding a job can be a challenge for anyone, but for people with both visible and non-visible disabilities in Nova Scotia, the barriers can feel insurmountable.

According to the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW), the province has one of the largest employment gaps in the country: 20 per cent between people with and without disabilities, which is higher than the national average of 16 per cent.

“One of the things that we hear is that businesses are afraid. They’re fearful of making the wrong decision that the person with a disability just can’t do the job,” said Maureen Haan, president of the CCRW.

Haan said almost 40 per cent of Nova Scotians identify as someone with a disability.

“That’s a huge untapped market. We’re in a labour shortage, we need good workers, so we need to make sure there are businesses are adjusting themselves,” Haan said.

For Vicky Levack, job hunting has been a series of rejections. …