Beka Anardi never considered returning to the workforce after becoming paralyzed in 2009. That was, until the pandemic began. As millions of individuals began working remotely, Anardi realized she could relaunch her career as a recruiter.
She emailed her resume to a few people in her network at the end of last year and was hired within a few weeks. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it possible for people nationwide to work remotely.
Anardi now works full-time from her Bellevue, Washington, home where she can easily use her wheelchair, avoid the trouble of commuting, and tend to her physical needs in the privacy of her own home.
Working remotely on a full time basis would be a tremendous asset for me. This has already shown to be true when it comes to seeing my doctors via telehealth. I like not having to be transported to doctor’s appointments. With virtual appointments, I have complete control over my healthcare. Being able to have more freedom is wonderful, especially when it comes to healthcare.
Working remotely would give me more independence. I would be able to work in an environment where it would already be accessible to me. If I worked from home, I wouldn’t have to worry about unreliable elevators or inaccessible stalls in public restrooms. I would not be concerned about bad weather or a lack of reliable transportation.
You can’t just work any job when you have a disability, like I do. I won’t ever be working in agriculture, retail, or construction. That’s completely fine with me. However, when you discover a job that you can perform, it would be beneficial if you could make accommodations to allow you to perform at your best.
The pandemic has shown us that remote work is possible. I hope it also brings up conversations about how to make businesses more accommodating of everyone, not just disabled individuals.
Source:
Smith, Molly. “Disabled US Workers See Highest-Ever Employment Figures from Remote Work.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 3 Oct. 2022, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-03/disabled-us-workers-see-highest-ever-employment-figures-from-remote-work.