Organizational Inclusion and Turnover Intentions of Federal Employees with Disabilities

• DOI: 10.1177/0734371X20942305
• Published date: 01 March 2022
• Date: 01 March 2022
• Author: Rashmi Chordiya
• Subject Matter: Articles

https://doi.org/10.1177/0734371X20942305

Review of Public Personnel Administration

2022, Vol. 42(1) 60 –87

© The Author(s) 2020

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DOI: 10.1177/0734371X20942305

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Article

Organizational Inclusion

and Turnover Intentions

of Federal Employees with

Disabilities

Rashmi Chordiya1

Abstract

People with disabilities have experienced a long history of prejudice and

disenfranchisement. Negative attitudes and stigmas continue to act as barriers to

employment and career success of individuals with disabilities. However, diversity

and inclusion of people with disabilities is an under-researched area in public

administration. This study contributes to the literature by examining the turnover

intentions of federal employees with disabilities as compared to employees

without disabilities. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effects

of inclusive organizational practices (i.e., organizational fairness, empowerment,

openness, supportiveness, and cooperativeness) in lowering the turnover

intentions of federal employees, and particularly, for employees with disabilities.

Findings of this study indicate, as compared to employees without disabilities,

the odds of demonstrating an intention to leave their current organization are

significantly higher for employees with disabilities. While other inclusion practices

did not have the expected effects, organizational fairness was found to be a key

factor mitigating the negative relationship between employee’s disability status

and turnover intentions.

Keywords

federal employees’ viewpoint survey, federal government, disability inclusion,

employee turnover intentions, employees with disabilities, organizational inclusion

1Seattle University, WA, USA

Corresponding Author:

Rashmi Chordiya (she/her/hers), The Institute of Public Service, Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue,

Seattle, WA 98122, USA.

Email: chordiyarash@seattleu.edu

942305ROPXXX10.1177/0734371X20942305Review of Public Personnel AdministrationChordiya

research-article2020

Chordiya 61

Introduction

Work is a significant part of American life. It is often a defining characteristic of an

individual’s identity (Bryan, 2018). The technological advances of the 21st century

have led to new jobs and job opportunities for the American workforce. However,

significant barriers to utilizing these opportunities are experienced by a segment of the

American workforce due to their disabilities and differences in approaching and per-

forming their job functions (Enayati et al., 2019; Riccucci, 2002).

Americans with disabilities and their allies spearheaded a long struggle for freedom

that called upon legislative and societal attention to the needs and capabilities of peo-

ple with disabilities. They championed to recognize and transcend the misconceptions

with regards to people with disabilities,1 to attain a protected class status, to lead an

independent living movement, to overcome the stigma attached to disability, and to

recognize that a person’s worth, self-respect, and dignity should not be determined

based on their employment status in the labor market, especially if the person is unable

to work (e.g., because of the severity or perhaps type of disability) (Bryan, 2018;

Ostiguy et al., 2016).

This struggle for freedom culminated into the disability rights movement that led to

the landmark civil rights legislations such as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the Americans with Disabilities

Amendment Act (ADAAA) of 2008 (Bruyére, 2000; Bryan, 2018; Riccucci, 2002;

Ostiguy et al., 2016). Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provides for the

“model employer” mandate that requires federal agencies to ensure non-discrimina-

tion and take affirmative action in hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals

with disabilities (see sub-section disability and retention likelihood below; The U.S.

Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, n.d.). Building on these legislative

enactments, Presidential Executive Orders (such as President Clinton’s E.O. 13163

and E.O. 13164 in 2000 and President Obama’s E.O. 13548 in 2010), focused on

“reducing discrimination against Americans living with a disability, in eliminating the

stigma associated with disability, and in encouraging Americans with disabilities to

seek employment in the Federal workforce” (Cobert, 2015; Obama, 2010; The U.S.

Department of Justice, 2009; U.S.C. Title 29: Labor).

The disability rights movement has led to a paradigm shift from a medical model of

viewing disability- with disability viewed as a medical problem and focus of health

care is to help individuals adapt to the environment- to a social model where interven-

tion strategies are focused on adapting the environment and not the individual (Davis,

2005; World Health Organization and World Bank Group, 2011; Ostiguy et al., 2016).

While it is important to highlight the success of the disability rights movement and

consequent progressive legal and structural advancements, it is also necessary to rec-

ognize the need for continued and intentional work to overcome structural and cultural

barriers to representation, equity, and inclusion of people with disabilities in main-

stream public and private sector employment across occupations and job positions

(Bruyére, 2000; Davis, 2005; World Health Organization and World Bank Group,

2011; Ostiguy et al., 2016).