Perspectives - Text Only

Perspectives

Tony Young is Senior Policy Analyst with United Cerebral Palsy, Inc. He specializes in public policy issues regarding employment, income security, long term supports, and technology as they impact individuals with significant disabilities.

Over 28 years as a quadriplegic, Mr. Young has served in a variety of state and national bodies, including the Congressional Task Force on the Rights and Empowerment of Americans with Disabilities, the Presidents' Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Entrepreneurship and Small Business for People with Disabilities; various Task Forces of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, and as a Fellow with the World Institute on Disability.

Mr. Young was presented with the 1998 Disability Achievement Award by the American Public Health Association's DisAbility Forum. This award is given to a person who has a long history of making substantial achievements in the field of disability science or policy benefiting persons with disabilities.

Listen or read Tony Young's comments on hiring people with disabilities.

"Employers shouldn't fear hiring persons with disabilities. People with disabilities are really more like people without disabilities. They want to work. They're energetic. They're enthusiastic, and they're not overly costly. Reasonable accommodations don't usually break the bank, that's why we call it reasonable. The supports needed in the workplace can be easily integrated into the normal flow of business. And, there's lots of help out there for employers who want to do this. If you have an employee and you're not sure how to fit them into your organization, there's Job Accommodations Network and the RRTC on Workplace Supports. They can help you very effectively find out how to make this person a valuable part of the organization." -- Tony Young