Like most parents with a child with a disability, we share the same wish: to live just one day longer than our child.
What happens after we are gone? Can we ever earn and save enough to provide our child a fulfilling life of health and safety?
Our son, Austin, now 26, has autism. He began speaking at age 10 and has continued to surprise me in revealing his gifts. Early on when we were dreaming of lifetime goals for Austin, a driver’s license would have been the equivalent of a Ph.D. from MIT. A job that paid a living wage would have been a Nobel Prize.
Why? For most businesses, the ideal candidate is a combination of someone who can do the job and a cross between Albert Einstein and Will Rogers.
After all, all companies want the best candidates. As a result, they inadvertently screen out many who can perform the job as well as anyone or better — but never even get the chance. It’s inadvertent, but unfair just the same.