The Unseen Struggles: Remote Work for Disabled Individuals and Disability Advocacy
Remote work for disabled individuals has become a crucial pathway to employment, independence, and accessibility. This guide explores how disability advocates have long championed work-from-home rights, pushing for inclusive policies, adaptive technologies, and equal opportunities. Readers will discover key insights on overcoming workplace barriers, expanding telehealth options, and ensuring universal design in digital and physical workspaces. By understanding these strategies, businesses and individuals can foster a more inclusive and accessible future.
Originally published on May 4, 2020. Last edited on March 15, 2025 by Brendan McDonald.
Remote work for disabled individuals is essential for accessibility, offering flexible employment options and overcoming workplace barriers.
Disability advocates have long championed work-from-home rights , pushing for inclusive policies, adaptive technologies, and remote job opportunities.
Employers must prioritize accessibility by integrating universal design, expanding telehealth, and listening to disability advocates to create equitable workplaces.
Guide to Remote Work for Disabled Individuals: Accessibility & Advocacy
The Unseen Struggles: Remote Work for Disabled Individuals and Disability Advocacy
I am writing these words from my home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, reflecting on how society normalizes struggles that many people face daily. For individuals with disabilities, these challenges are not temporary disruptions but lifelong realities.
Disability advocacy has long highlighted systemic barriers, yet society often fails to recognize them until they become unavoidable for the majority. I write this from my own experience as a neurodiverse individual, drawing on research, conversations, and the voices of other individuals with disabilities.
The Everyday Reality of Living with a Disability
For those who inhabit typical bodies, the world is built with them in mind. Accessibility is often an afterthought rather than a foundational principle. Yet, for individuals with disabilities, navigating daily life requires continuous adaptation.
Social isolation is a well-documented issue for disabled individuals, as accessibility barriers often limit their participation in public spaces. Mobility restrictions, inaccessible infrastructure, and workplace discrimination further exacerbate these challenges. When businesses, schools, and healthcare providers fail to implement inclusive practices, individuals with disabilities face additional hurdles in securing employment, education, and healthcare.
How Society Shapes Disability Experience
Bala Pillai’s maxim that human beings "are only as disabled as their environment and the beliefs of the people around them" remains profoundly relevant. When infrastructure, policies, and attitudes fail to accommodate people with disabilities, their autonomy is restricted—not by their conditions but by societal barriers.
Many people with disabilities experience limited mobility, whether due to inaccessible transportation, workplaces that do not offer remote work for disabled individuals, or public spaces lacking accommodations. They also face the burden of proving their worth in a world that often views disability through a lens of inferiority.
The Hidden Mental and Emotional Toll
Beyond physical accessibility, there is an emotional toll. Individuals with disabilities frequently contend with anxiety and depression, exacerbated by social exclusion and a lack of resources. Dismissive advice—like "just think positive," "call a friend," "just get over it," or "take a walk"—ignores the deeper challenges of managing mental health within a system that does not prioritize accessibility.
Work from home for disabled persons has been a major topic in disability advocacy for years, with many individuals fighting for better access to remote work disability options. The ability to work from home, use adaptive technology, and receive accommodations for mental and physical health should not be privileges granted only in times of crisis. These are fundamental needs that disability activists have been advocating for decades.
Acknowledging the Work of Disability Advocates
Much of the technology that enables work at home for disabled individuals, online education, and virtual healthcare today exists because of demands from the disability community. Video conferencing platforms like Zoom and assistive communication tools were initially developed to accommodate individuals with disabilities. The push for accessible workplaces, flexible work arrangements, and inclusive education is a direct result of advocacy efforts that too often go unrecognized.
Individuals with disabilities have also pioneered strategies for resource management, financial survival, and community support. From advocating for public health policies to securing legal protections under disability rights laws, their work has laid the foundation for a more inclusive world.
Moving Forward: Embracing Inclusion and Accessibility
Rather than treating accessibility as an afterthought, businesses, governments, and communities should integrate it into their core planning. This means:
- Prioritizing Universal Design: Ensuring that physical and digital spaces are accessible to all from the outset.
- Expanding Telehealth and Remote Work: Making these options permanently available for those who need them.
- Addressing Social Isolation: Investing in programs that foster inclusion and connection for individuals with disabilities.
- Listening to Disability Advocates: Their lived experiences offer valuable insights into building a more inclusive society.
For those wondering, "Can I work from home while on disability?", the answer depends on workplace accommodations, government policies, and employer flexibility. However, the fight for accessibility and remote work rights continues, with disability advocates pushing for better inclusion in all sectors.
Society has long relied on disability advocates to highlight inequalities and propose solutions. It is time to recognize their contributions, not just in moments of crisis but as part of an ongoing commitment to equity and accessibility.
Flexible Thoughts is an article written in partnership with Flexability that explores disability and the workplace. Flexability is a social impact firm focused on increasing the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Jennifer A. Stollman, Ph.D
Jennifer A. Stollman, Ph.D., is an esteemed equity consultant specializing in inclusive workplaces and education. With 25 years of experience, she has collaborated with a wide range of institutions, including higher education, corporations, governments, non-profits, and health organizations across the US, South Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Dr. Stollman develops effective diversity and inclusion strategies for personal and professional use to address biases. She believes everyone can contribute positively to equity. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, cycling across America, and spending time with her dogs, Lincoln, Maisie, and Abby.
