A publication from the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies could help kick-start your career working at home.

If you’re an entrepreneur or worker with a disability who’s determined to work from home, here’s a free resource available from the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies (CCDS).

Best Practices in the Home-Based Employment of People with Disabilities is a handbook based on a study conducted by CCDS during 2000-2001. The study involved 21 persons with disabilities who worked at home for employers, most in the city of Winnipeg. Some worked at home all the time, while others divided their time between their homes and their employers' workplaces.

Participants worked in a wide variety of jobs and for employers of varying sizes. Some were managers and professionals, while others were casual and contract workers who are increasingly regarded as part of an emerging "contingent" workforce. Participants' occupations included researcher, interviewer, project coordinator, counsellor, social worker, interpreter/translator, church worker, desktop publisher, engineering technologist and program officer. Others worked in accounting, banking and building maintenance.

Based on the experiences of these individuals, the handbook discusses a wide range of topics. A section titled “Best Practices For Employers” deals with assessment, negotiating the arrangement, supervision, communications, reasonable accommodations, career development, and legal issues. A section titled “Best Practices For Home-Based Workers With Disabilities” deals with self-assessment, accommodating disability needs, challenges of working at home, and more.

Working at home has become increasingly common in Canada. A 1995 Statistics Canada survey found that one million paid employees--almost one in ten--did some work at home.

A diverse combination of factors is fueling this growth. Workers with demanding work and family responsibilities are seeking more flexible work arrangements. Employers are using telework to reduce overhead costs, increase productivity, and attract and retain highly-skilled workers who desire flexible work arrangements. Advances in computer and telecommunications technologies are reducing the need for workers to be assembled in central locations.

For people with disabilities, working at home is one of the most ideal ways to eliminate barriers relating to transportation and workplace accommodation.

The study and this handbook were made possible by a grant from the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba's Community Initiatives and Research Program, with additional funding provided by the Public Service Commission of Canada and Human Resources Development Canada.

The handbook is available online as an HTML document or an Acrobat PDF file. Visit the CCDS website to access. Print copies of this handbook and a report on the findings of the study can be obtained from:

Canadian Centre on Disability Studies
56 The Promenade
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
R3B 3H9
Telephone: (204) 287-8411
TTY: (204) 475-6223
Fax: (204) 284-5343