Barriers to Employment Among Persons with Disabilities in Trinidad and Tobago

In Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), there is a lack of employment data on Persons with Disabilities (PwD). The research examined the prevalence of unemployment among PwD in T&T and the barriers to their employment. A concurrent mixed methods approach was employed. 31 PwD and 10 key informants were selected to participate in semi-structured individual interviews in the qualitative phase. The quantitative phase utilised a survey, completed by 75 employers or employer representatives. The survey’s purpose was to determine employers’ employment attitudes and practices towards PwD and solicit their opinions on the barriers to employing PwD. Secondary data was also utilized. Survey results revealed that 64% of employers had not employed PwD, 57% were neutral concerning their willingness to employ PwD in the future, and 69% had not implemented workplace accommodations for PwD. Interviews revealed employment disparities for PwD by disability type and lack of legislation and inequitable access to mainstream education were perceived as barriers to the employment of PwD. The paper highlights the lack of employment data on PwD employment within T&T. It is also the first study in the country to explore this topic, and from multiple perspectives.