In the private sector

As noted above, in 2000 there were substantially more opportunities to hire designated group members than in 1999. It is disappointing to note that persons with disabilities did not benefit from this situation. In fact, their overall representation in the private sector decreased slightly from 2.4% in 1999 to 2.3% in 2000. In 2000, their share of hires increased only marginally from 0.9% to 1.0%, less than one-fifth of their 6.5% availability. Had this group received hires in proportion to their availability, close to 6,700 would have been hired rather than the 1,000 who actually were.

In 2000, persons with disabilities experienced under-representation in all industrial sectors. Their representation of 2.3% in the banking sector, and 2.4% in the communications sector, rose slightly from the year before. Their representation in the "other" sector dropped slightly to 2.7%. In the transportation sector, their representation fell from 2.5% to 2.2%. But as noted above, this should be interpreted with caution as most of the employers newly reporting to Human Resources Development Canada had not yet conducted workforce surveys. As in past years, the cause of their under-representation was that they did not receive a fair share of hirings.

In the public sector

Persons with disabilities have made substantially more progress in the public sector than in the private sector. Their representation increased in the federal public sector to 5.1% as of March 31, 2001, compared with 4.7% in the previous year. For the first time, their representation was higher than the 4.8% benchmark used by the Treasury Board, but it still falls short of this group's 6.5% availability in the Canadian workforce based on the 1991 HALS.

Some progress is occurring, although slowly. Seven of the 41 federal departments and agencies with more than 200 employees met the 6.5% HALS benchmark, compared with 4 the previous year, and 22 met the 4.8% benchmark set by the Treasury Board. Compared with last year, when close to half of these departments and agencies saw a decrease in the representation of persons with disabilities, 25 registered increases this year, and 4 remained unchanged.

The data suggest that the increase in the number of persons with disabilities in the federal public service is largely due to increased self-identification, rather than to hires. Although persons with disabilities did receive a larger share of hires than the previous year -- 3.1%, up from 2.3% -- this increased share of hires was less than half the 1991 HALS benchmark. Had they been hired at rates equivalent to the 6.5% benchmark, more than 1,000 people with disabilities would have obtained employment rather than the 488 who were hired. Only one person with a disability was appointed to the EX category. This group's share of hires in all other occupational categories was below both the Treasury Board benchmark of 4.8% and its 6.5% representation in the Canadian workforce. The Commission is carefully evaluating hiring goals for people with disabilities during its audits, to confirm that continuous progress is achieved.

Summary

In the private sector, Aboriginal people and persons with disabilities benefited very little from the ample hiring opportunities in 2000. There were encouraging signs of progress for persons with disabilities and visible minorities in the public service, but a considerable distance remains before these groups are fully represented in all occupational categories and departments. During the audit process, private sector employers and federal departments and agencies are required to set hiring and promotion goals to remedy under-representation. The Commission will monitor the implementation of these goals to confirm that all four designated groups achieve the full equality in the workplace envisioned by the Employment Equity Act.

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