Developing an Accessibility Mindset: Examining How Organizational Policies and Practices Erase Disabled Employees’ Rights Under the Americans With Disabilities Act

Within technical and professional communication research, limited attention has been given to the experiences of disabled employees in the workplace. This article presents findings from a study of complaints filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2023 under federal disability law. The authors use a thematic analysis of the initial complaints to surface the “stories of clash” between organizational practices and individual experiences of disability. They found that interactions between organizational actors and organizational disability policies and practices impact how individuals experience disability in the workplace. The study thus offers insights for cultivating an accessibility mindset to promote inclusive practices.