Today more than ever, businesses need people with a demonstrated ability to adapt to different situations and circumstances. And perhaps more than any other group, people with disabilities possess precisely these attributes. On a daily basis, people with disabilities must think creatively about how to solve problems and accomplish tasks. In the workplace, this resourcefulness translates into innovative thinking, fresh ideas and varied approaches to confronting business challenges and achieving success. What's more, research shows that consumers both with and without disabilities favor businesses that employ people with disabilities. But while research shows that employing people with disabilities is good for business, not all employers know how to effectively recruit, retain and advance such individuals. The following resources can help:
Recruiting
Workforce Recruitment Program — A recruitment and referral program that connects Federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
Campaign for Disability Employment — ODEP-funded collaborative effort among several leading disability and business organizations to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace and implement flexible and inclusive workplace practices.
What Apprenticeship Employers Need To Know About Working with Young Adults with Disabilities [PDF] — Describes the type of basic information about people with disabilities that apprenticeship employers should know, including information about their legal responsibilities to provide reasonable accommodations in the workplace.
Hiring
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) — ODEP-funded service that helps employers recruit, hire, retain and advance workers with disabilities. Includes information on finding job candidates with disabilities.
EARN Employer Financial Incentives Webpage — This webpage explains the various financial incentives available to assist employers in capitalizing on the value and talent people with disabilities bring to the workplace. These incentives encourage the hiring of individuals with disabilities and support modifications and accommodations that enhance workplace accessibility and productivity. Learn about Federal and State tax incentives, veteran-specific incentives, incentives for implementing Return-to-Work/Stay-at-Work programs, and more.
Retention
EARN's Mental Health Toolkit: Resources for Fostering a Mentally Healthy Workplace — This toolkit from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) provides background, tools and resources that can help employers learn more about mental health issues and cultivate a welcoming and supportive work environment for employees who may be facing mental health issues. It also presents an easy-to-follow framework for fostering a mental health-friendly workplace, all built around the "4 A's": Awareness, Accommodations, Assistance and Access.
- Palm Card — This card illustrates the "4 A's" from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network's Mental Health Toolkit
ODEP Mental Health Topic Page — Information and resources on mental health in the workplace.
Career Advancement
Professional Development and Advancement of Employees with Disabilities [PDF] — This guide from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) provides information on workforce trends and common workplace barriers to career advancement of people with disabilities, along with recommendations for fully incorporating employees with disabilities into career development and advancement programs.
Accommodations
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) — ODEP-funded service that provides free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and other disability employment issues.
Stay at Work/Return to Work
Stay at Work/Return to Work Resources — ODEP's Stay at Work/Return to Work activities and publications.
Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work: Supporting Employees Who Experience Unexpected Illness or Disability [PDF] — This fact sheet, co-authored by the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division and Office of Disability Employment Policy, informs employers about resources available to help employees who have sustained disabilities or chronic illness to return to work or stay at work.