Disability and the transition from higher education to employment: Exploring attitudes among Norwegian frontline workers towards work inclusion

Background Despite labour market measures aimed at promoting work inclusion, the employment rate of people with disabilities in Norway remains lower in comparison to the general population. In addressing this discrepancy between policy and reality, our paper focuses on how disability is understood within the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV). Objective Our objective was to investigate frontline workers’ attitudes towards job-seeking graduates with disabilities and their suitability in different types of employment positions. Method We conducted a factorial survey experiment in which 1510 frontline workers evaluated 11701 vignettes describing graduate jobseekers with varying characteristics and types of disability. Multilevel linear regression analyses were performed to assess the effects of vignette variables and respondent characteristics on these evaluations. Results Results indicate that frontline workers within NAV are positive towards facilitating inclusive practices, but rate jobseekers with disabilities as significantly less likely to gain employment compared to those without. Personality traits and ethnicity also influence these ratings, indicating that perceptions of the successful jobseeker reflect ableist ideals that exist within the labour market. Conclusion We discuss our findings in light of street-level bureaucracy, arguing for increased attention towards the tension frontline workers face in promoting inclusion while simultaneously meeting employer expectations.