ABSTRACT
Australia has a strong rights-oriented approach to disability policy, including ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This chapter uses empirical data to identify barriers to employment following welfare reform in Australia and to explore how the employment experiences of people with disabilities after welfare to work reform are consistent with human rights principles. It summarizes participants' details and pseudonyms are used in the text. This methodology allows the voices and experiences of people involved in all aspects of welfare reform to highlight key aspects of policy as they are experienced and administered by key informants. The chapter presents the implementation of programs that address cultural discrimination, such as stigma, ignorance and fear of employing people with disabilities. It identifies three areas that frame discussions of human rights in contemporary debates about welfare reform: the economy and employers; employment services and skills; and accommodation and support.
