As October nears, employers may be hearing a lot about how people with disabilities can benefit the workplace. Every year, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) designates October as a time to raise awareness about the value of employing people with disabilities. 
This year’s theme–“Because We Are EQUAL to the Task”–was chosen to show employers “the reality that people with disabilities have the education, training, experience, and desire to be successful in the workplace,” according to an announcement from ODEP.
As of August 2013, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities was 14.1 percent, according to figures from ODEP. That compares to an unemployment rate of 7.1 percent for people without disabilities.
The first challenge for employers wanting to hire people with disabilities is to know where to look for qualified applicants. One resource is the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN), a free service funded by ODEP. Here are a few suggestions from EARN:
- Seek college students and recent graduates. The Workforce Recruitment Program is designed to connect postsecondary students and recent graduates who have disabilities to employers for both internship opportunities and permanent jobs. Students and graduates are screened, and their profiles go into a database that’s released each December. EARN then works to match the candidates with private-sector employers.
- Reach out to veterans with disabilities. Employers can contact their local Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service for a directory of local contacts.
- Check with One Stop Career Centers. Anyone looking for a job, including people with disabilities and veterans, can find job postings at the One Stop Centers. Employers can call their local center and speak with a representative who works with people with disabilities.
- Post positions on job boards developed for job seekers with disabilities. EARN has a list of online job boards aimed at people with disabilities who are looking for employment.
Once an employer hires an employee with a disability, the onboarding process can ensure that the employee will be productive, engaged, and well informed about the employer. EARN suggests that employers set goals for an onboarding program, including objectives such as:
- Helping the employee assimilate into the company culture.
- Helping the employee understand the employer’s mission, values, and priorities.
- Establishing performance expectations and explaining performance management measures.
- Avoiding misunderstandings related to job expectations.
- Reducing new employee anxiety by providing detailed information and support from others.
- Deciding on any reasonable accommodations necessary for the employee to perform the job.
EARN stresses the importance of accommodations and accessibility in the workplace. “Workplace accommodations may take different forms depending on the employee and the position,” the EARN website points out. “For example, an accommodation or productivity enhancer might consist of an ergonomic chair, adaptive technology, sign language interpreters, telecommuting policies, or flexible hours. Many accommodations can be used by all employees and enhance the productivity of the whole company.”
Employers also may benefit from tax incentives aimed at improving the employability of people with disabilities, incentives that may offset the cost of providing an accommodation. The Job Accommodation Network provides information on the Disabled Access Credit, the Architectural and Transportation Barrier Removal Deduction, the Vocational Rehabilitation Program, the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program, and the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.
The EARN website also highlights the importance of making sure workplace social events, such as parties, retreats, and picnics include both physical and virtual access. In addition, employers need to make sure disaster preparedness procedures take employees with disabilities into account.
“While most employees with disabilities are self-reliant, companies need to take an active role and initiate steps to ensure that they can safely evacuate when necessary,” the EARN website says. “Examples might include instituting ‘buddy systems,’ installing audible as well as visual alarms, text messaging, or electronic devices to alert employees.”