PDA Ability Network’s “Standing up for Sitting Down” campaign aims to create a caring, dignified culture in the workplace with zero tolerance for discrimination.
More than 50% of respondents to the PDA Disability Discrimination Survey said they had experienced disability discrimination in the workplace. Of those who had experienced discrimination, more than 60% said it was from their supervisor, and 48% said it was from a coworker.
PDA knows that when employees work in an inclusive workplace free of discrimination, they are happy to work and feel like a valued member of the team. An anonymous PDA member stated, “I am very lucky at work because my colleagues are always willing to help me, especially when it comes to opening heavy doors or running errands.”
However, many of the respondents spoke about discrimination they had experienced from superiors, colleagues and patients and the impact it had on them. Some said they had been “made to feel guilty” for using the toilet, felt “disheartened, abandoned and forgotten”, and that the “lack of support and understanding increased their mental and physical stress”.
The PDA therefore calls on employers to work with their employees to create a culture where pharmacists with disabilities or long-term health conditions are valued, supported and protected from discrimination. Employers must develop appropriate policies, implement these policies properly, provide equality training for all and build an inclusive culture that is supportive, collaborative and flexible. Employers must also build a culture that values and welcomes employees of all backgrounds and diverse characteristics. After all, as one member said, “disability is not a crime or a stigma.”
Get involved If you would like to get more involved with this campaign or other activities of the network, please email [email protected] Join the PDA Ability Network here Follow the PDA Ability Network on social media using the hashtag #PDAability Learn more Not a PDA member yet?
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