7 Key Insights for HR Before Inviting Wheelchair Users

Based on the experiences of Miss Priya Bhargava, winner of Miss Global International Wheelchair 2024 and Miss Asia International Wheelchair 2024, here are 7 key insights into the awareness an organization’s HR must have before inviting candidates with disabilities (specifically wheelchair users) for job interviews, internships, freelance projects, or motivational lectures.

What Happened with Priya

Before we delve into her story, it's important to know that Priya Bhargava was just 19 years old and in her first year of undergraduate studies when she was diagnosed with an incurable autoimmune disease called Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. This led her on a harrowing journey involving multiple surgeries and coping with the side effects of steroids and chemotherapeutic drugs, which left her wheelchair-bound for life and eventually caused the loss of bowel and bladder control. But Priya refused to succumb to helplessness. She kept herself engaged with activities such as arts and crafts, teaching underprivileged children, and painting, all while taking online and offline tuition classes. One time, while working to earn money to help her parents with their expenses, the person she worked for challenged her by saying, “Why should I pay you more than this? You don’t even have a degree.”

This was excruciating to hear and ignited a determination in her to resume her undergraduate studies. Often carried by her parents like a baby, enduring indescribable mental trauma due to inaccessible washrooms, she sat for the examinations and, through sheer grit, not only completed her undergraduate degree but went on to earn double post-graduation degrees—an MCA and a Master’s in Psychology. She excelled in both, finishing at or near the top of her course in each. 

The 7 Discerning Insights 

Here are seven insights derived from her painful experiences shared through motivational speeches about searching for on-site employment. Ultimately, she has decided to work from home, having missed out on numerous opportunities because of inaccessible locations and the lack of awareness among HR professionals. 

1. Before saying, “This job is not for you..."

Sometimes, the HR does not know that the person they are interviewing is someone with a disability. Once the candidate mentions it, the HR realizes it and blurts out, “This job is not for you,” probably because they assume they do not have accessible infrastructure. Priya suggests they find out what is needed, find out if they have it or can organize it, before saying this. Because they have no idea that by abruptly saying these few words, they are crushing the hope in the person. They probably do not realize how important it is for a person with a disability to find work that pays.

2. Before saying, “We have accessible infrastructure...”

Sometimes the HR says they have the infrastructure and invites the candidate to the location without really finding out whether the washroom door is wide enough for the wheelchair to go in. Once on location, the wheelchair user finds it impossible to go through the washroom door, and this becomes a physically and mentally distressing situation. Priya advises to find out how wide the door is and check with the wheelchair user if that is suitable. If not, a narrow wheelchair can be kept on-site that will maintain the dignity of the person in the wheelchair as they don't have to ask for any help.

3. Before saying, “Can you check the location?”

Once, the HR asked her to check whether their office would be accessible for her. This would have required her to take a transport to the site and then go from the gate to the entrance (often not a paved or smooth road) to the floor of the auditorium where the lecture was going to be held. Priya says the HR had no idea what it would entail for her, how much expense she would incur, not to mention how physically tiring and mentally taxing it would be, and not knowing if things would even work out eventually.

She advises the HR to describe the location to the wheelchair user and mentally walk her through the gate up to the entrance, right up to the stage, the washroom, etc., so they can mutually figure it out. This would help them to provide accessibility, not just for her but for all future wheelchair users, possibly. After all, accessibility is a mandate of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, says Priya.

4. Before saying, “No, we don’t have accessible infrastructure...”

Priya was once interviewed for a wonderful opportunity to be the onsite Counsellor for an MNC, which would have included two visits per week to provide individual and group counseling for up to 4 hours a day. But when she mentioned she was a person with a disability, the HR told her “no” right away, citing a lack of accessible infrastructure.

Truly disappointed, she decided to spend money and visit the site. To her horror (which could have been a delight), she saw that the site was accessible, and she had lost a great opportunity that would have paid her INR 80,000 per month. A little mental investment from HR (asking her what she needed and personally checking the route) could have led to her getting the coveted assignment. Now she will carry this dismay throughout her life.

5. Before saying, “We have accessible washrooms...”

There have been occasions when two people carried her to the washroom because her wheelchair would not fit through the door and there was no grab bar from the door to the toilet. Grab bars to allow the person to shift to and back from the washroom are a small investment that many senior people and people with hip surgeries also need. Still, organizations don’t have them installed in the so-called accessible washrooms, and a person using the washroom has to bear the embarrassment of “4 people standing outside the door, waiting for me to finish.” 

6. Before saying, “We will send a vehicle to pick you up...”

On another occasion, the HR offered to send a vehicle, which was great, except that the vehicle that came was too small to fit her wheelchair. She had to book a bigger vehicle that cost INR 2000, which she paid from her pocket. No one realizes that a person with a disability has challenges and expenses that make earning extremely difficult and often meagre, so each additional expense must be carefully analyzed to determine whether it will be worth it. 

7. Before saying, “You are invited to...”

Often, persons with disabilities are invited for motivational lectures by organizations and to honor them in front of an audience, but made to feel insulted and humiliated when there is no ramp to get on the stage. If the organization knows they are inviting a wheelchair user, why is there no ramp, or a poorly made makeshift ramp that neither carries the weight nor has the right slope? Priya says a ramp should have a proper slope so that the person in the wheelchair can ride it by themselves instead of asking for help.

In Priya’s Own Words:

'Recently I lost one short-term project as the MNC with which I am attached didn't bother to check for me the accessibility of the project location. I want to understand from every CEO of all MNCs: does it not come under accessibility rights that a company should assure accessibility and then reach out to a person with a disability? Why do I have to go to the location and be disappointed to find it inaccessible, or simply lose opportunities and become more dependent by doing nothing at all? All because I am being taken for granted or companies are doing very little to take benefits from the government and not being empathetic towards PwDs? I have been to different institutions and organizations as a speaker; they do not bother to put a ramp even after knowing that I am a wheelchair user. The funny thing is when 2-4 people pick me up with my wheelchair to the stage, they expect me to say thank you instead of feeling shameful that they failed to provide me with the basic necessity. They had invited me to honor me; instead, they insulted me by not considering putting the ramp or other needs. What an irony!