Date of Award
8-23-2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Social Science
Advisor(s)
Peter Blanck
Subject Categories
Disability Studies | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
This dissertation consists of three papers that document socio-spatial exclusion of disabled people. In the first paper, titled “The Disability Penalty: Evidence of Housing Discrimination from a Correspondence Audit Study,” I investigated disability discrimination in the U.S. rental housing market. Access to housing is a necessity that can further exacerbate socio-economic challenges experienced by disabled people. Despite reports of differential treatment of disabled tenants by landlords being on the rise, there have been no rigorous studies investigating them. Using a correspondence audit study, I investigated if landlords in the U.S. discriminate against disabled people. Findings show that disabled applicants were less likely than non-disabled applicants to get a response or to get a positive response from landlords. In particular, applicants with mental health disabilities were less likely to get a response or a positive one compared to those with sensory disabilities. This differential treatment of disabled tenants is partially explained by them being perceived as a financial risk by landlords. However, despite controls designed to mitigate such perceptions, disabled applicants still experienced differential treatment, indicative of other forms of discrimination at play. In the second paper, titled “Who Requests and Receives Workplace Accommodations? An Intersectional Analysis,” I examined personal and job-related factors associated with workplace accommodations. Workplace accommodations are one effective method of overcoming barriers and promoting the employment of disabled individuals. Yet, they are not available to all who need and request them. This study looked at the experiences of multiply marginalized disabled people to document their experiences with requesting and having workplace accommodations granted. Using data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) 2021 Disability Supplement, I estimated the odds ratio of requesting workplace accommodations and having such request granted during the COVID-19 pandemic. In supplementary analyses, I explored the robustness of the findings using the CPS 2019 Disability Supplement. Results indicate that Hispanics with disabilities are more likely than others to request workplace accommodations, but they are substantially less likely to be granted accommodations. Findings also show that disabled people and older people are more likely to request accommodations than their counterparts. Factors such as having a higher education, parenthood, being single, being a citizen, and working in management-related occupations are associated with higher likelihood of requesting workplace accommodations compared to their counterparts. Receiving accommodations is largely explained by family income and occupational differences. In the third paper, titled “Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession: Disclosure of Mental Health Conditions by Lawyers with Disabilities and Lawyers who Identify as LGBTQ+,” I identified key factors that appear to drive lawyers with disabilities to disclose, or inhibit them from disclosing, their disability in the workplace. Using original data from a survey of legal professionals conducted in 2019, I estimated the odds of disclosing disability to co-workers, supervisors, and clients using proportional odds models. Findings show that lawyers with less visible disabilities and those who work for smaller organizations have lower odds of disclosing to co-workers, management, and clients as compared to their counterparts. I also find that employees with mental health, as opposed to other health conditions, were less likely to disclose their disability. Other factors such as having a disability since birth, being a man, older, and a parent are associated with disclosure to some groups compared to their counterparts. Lastly, lower perceived prejudice and the presence of co-workers with disabilities are associated with higher disclosure scores, but not for all groups.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Hyseni, Fitore, "Three Essays on Socio-spatial Exclusion of Disabled People" (2024). Dissertations - ALL. 1992.
https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1992
