By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS 

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

COMPANIES with over 100 employees are legally required to hire at least one differently abled person under the Bahamas Disability Act, a rule still largely ignored, according to labour officials.

Director of Labour Howard Thompson is calling on the business community to honour this mandate, even though it’s not currently being strictly enforced.

“I’m not going to take the steps to seek to enforce this particular piece of legislation,” he said, “but I would just ask the corporate Bahamas and the business community to be very cognisant about this particular piece of legislation. 

“It is in law and so we’re expecting companies and businesses that employ over 100 persons to at least take the steps to try to employ a differently abled person.”

Mr Thompson’s remarks come ahead of a first-of-its-kind job fair this Saturday, aimed specifically at connecting people with disabilities with potential employers. Hosted by the Department of Labour in collaboration with the Ministry of Education’s Special Education Unit, the event will run from 10am to 2pm at the Ministry of Education Learning Resource Centre in Palmdale.

The job fair is a flagship event for Disability Awareness Month and seeks to foster workplace inclusion by matching job seekers with disabilities to businesses actively working to diversify their teams.

So far, seven employers have signed on, including the Airport Authority, Atos, Dunkin’ Donuts, Super Value, Cleaning Masters, and McDonald’s. The Department of Labour is also looking to hire qualified people with disabilities for its own operations.

Mr Thompson encouraged job seekers to attend, assuring them that real employment opportunities are on the table. He also extended an open invitation to additional employers, noting that accommodations will be made for last-minute participation.

Assistant Director of Education Leja Burrows highlighted the fair as critical support for students with disabilities transitioning into the workforce. She said that while many complete educational programmes, they often face major hurdles in finding jobs.

“With the right training and support,” she added, “differently abled individuals can thrive in the workplace and become productive, reliable employees.”

Christine Cunningham, a special education officer, echoed this, noting that many people with disabilities remain at home due to limited opportunities despite pursuing vocational or higher education. She expressed hope that this job fair would begin to change that.

People with disabilities are also encouraged to register with the department’s skills bank, which contains over 230,000 résumés and regularly connects candidates with employers nationwide.