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KMID : 1011420190240010001
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Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
2019 Volume.24 No. 1 p.1 ~ p.9
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Employment Status of Individuals with Visual Impairments
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Lee Wan-Seok
Ye Ki-Hun
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Abstract
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Purpose: This study is intended to provide preliminary data for developing better ways to support job seeking activities of individuals with blindness or visual impairments, by focusing on the general traits of individuals with visual impairments and their current employment status.
Methods: Using data from a survey on the employment status of individuals with disabilities, conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) in 2011, we conducted a comparative analysis on the employment status and unemployment insurance status of individuals with blindness or visual impairments and those with other functional physical disabilities, including physical disability, brain lesions, hearing impairment, language disorder, and facial nerve disorders.
Results: Among individuals with blindness or visual impairments, 70.3% and 29.7% of males and females were employed, respectively. Further, these employed females with blindness or visual impairments comprised a smaller proportion of the Korean population than did females with disabilities aged 15 years and above (41.6%). The employment rate for individuals with visual impairments was 3.1%, 9.6%, and 76.5% for Level 4, 5, and 6, respectively. The employment rate for individuals with Level 6 visual impairments was significantly higher than that for individuals with any other types of disabilities. However, they were the least protected (21.2%) by the unemployment insurance. Finally, 83.7% of individuals with blindness or visual impairments worked at companies with less than 100 employees and 3.4% of them were homeworkers.
Conclusions: Individuals with blindness or visual impairments inevitably experience difficulties with career choice owing to their lack of mobility and because most jobs require spatial skills that are based on visual abilities. Such factors impose substantial limitations on their career options as compared to individuals with other disabilities. Especially, female individuals with disabilities experience more discrimination during career choice than do individuals without disabilities and male individuals with disabilities. Therefore, constant efforts are required to implement welfare policies to help relieve the anxieties of individuals with blindness or visual impairments pertaining to the deprivation of wage due to unemployment or the failure of acquiring employment.
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KEYWORD
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Visual impairments, Employment rate, Unemployment insurance
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Listed journal information
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