United States Department of Labor

Employers

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 a workplace inclusive of people with disabilities is good for business, not all employers know how to effectively recruit, retain and advance such individuals. The following resources can assist:

• Business Strategies that Work: A Framework for Disability Inclusion — Identifies promising employment policies and practices for recruiting, hiring, retaining and advancing qualified individuals with disabilities — October 2012.
  • Accompanying Research Compendium
• Building an Inclusive Workforce — A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring, & Retaining Employees with Disabilities.
• Small Business Disability Inclusion Fact Sheet — Information resources for small businesses on accessibility, accommodations, community resources, legal issues, recruitment and shared best practices.
• Return-to-Work Toolkit — Information to help employers and employees understand the return-to-work process and resources to assist in getting employees back on the job quickly and smoothly.
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) — ODEP-funded service that provides free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and other disability employment issues.
• Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) — ODEP-funded service that helps employers hire and retain workers with disabilities.
• Campaign for Disability Employment — ODEP-funded collaborative effort among several leading disability and business organizations to encourage flexible and inclusive workplace practices that promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
• Disability.gov Employment Resources — Information about recruiting, hiring, interviewing, workplace accommodations and supports, and more.
• Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion — Guide prepared by the U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN) in coordination with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that summarizes a variety of initiatives implemented by corporations to increase disability inclusion, in both the workplace and marketplace.
• 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.