METHODS: Using grounded theory procedures, we interviewed 26 employed individuals with disabilities who were part of a larger investigation examining how employees with disabilities are treated in the workplace. In this article, we present findings in response to the question: "What can employers do to create more inclusive workplaces in which employees with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect?" RESULTS: Results revealed that it is not only employers who are responsible for creating inclusive workplaces; this responsibility must be shared by employees with disabilities and their co-workers, if an organizational culture of inclusion is to be developed and maintained. Furthermore, the actions of each member of the organization have a reciprocal impact on the other members in terms of making changes to the organizational culture. CONCLUSION: The participants suggested an abundance of strategies to develop a culture that values workers with disabilities, readily provides them with needed job accommodations, and ensures they are treated with dignity and respect. Implications of these findings for business leaders, vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals, and workers with disabilities are examined. Future research directions are also explored.

Workplace mistreatment is common for workers with and without disabilities. Overt forms of mistreatment in the workplace (e.g., abuse, bullying, harassment) have been well studied; however, less is known about more subtle forms of workplace mistreatment for employees with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to examine how workers with disabilities are treated on the job, the types of mistreatment present in the workplace, the consequences involved (if any), the courses of action taken (if any), and workers’ satisfaction with the outcomes of actions taken. We used a grounded theory approach to learn from 26 employees with disabilities about their experiences with workplace treatment. Primary themes that emerged from the data were (a) the emotional toll of being mistreated on the job; (b) attempting to “grin and bear it,” as one participant described it, to avoid mistreatment; (c) a desire to feel a sense of belongingness at the workplace; and (d) the intersection of disability characteristics, individual characteristics, and work environment characteristics that influences how people with disabilities are treated on the job. Implications are presented for understanding the role that rehabilitation counselors play in helping workers and employers to respond to mistreatment of employees with disabilities.