Tips on Encouraging Employers To Hire Someone With a Disability | Disabled Person
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Tips on Encouraging Employers To Hire Someone With a Disability
Did you know that in 2020 17.9 percent of individuals with a disability were employed? This number has actually dropped from 19.3 percent in 2019.
In comparison, 61.8 percent of people with no disabilities were employed in 2020. Numbers dropped from 2019 for individuals with no disabilities as well. However, these numbers tell us that individuals with disabilities are vastly underemployed.
The question is, why? The other question we must ask is how to get employers to hire someone with a disability.
If you want to see the numbers change, keep reading to learn how to encourage employers to hire individuals with disabilities.
Employers Are Looking for the Right Fit
Yes, it's 2022, and ADA has been a thing for years now. However, that does not stop the stigma that surrounds disability.
It also does not change the fact that many employers who have not been exposed to individuals with disabilities are uncomfortable in this type of situation. While employers will not come right out and say they didn't hire someone because of a disability, individuals with disabilities are still screened out because of having a disability.
In this situation, the answer becomes, they weren't the right fit. In a generation where company culture is imperative and finding the right fit for your organization is important, saying someone is "not the right fit" is easy.
However, you end up questioning whether it's the fact that someone isn't the right fit, or if there was a conscious or unconscious bias around the person's disability.
So how do you move past this and encourage a company to hire someone with a disability? The answer to this question is the bottom line.
How will this benefit an employer? If you can convince an employer of the benefit, it will be easier to get your foot in the door.
Reasonable Accommodations
Reasonable accommodations are two words that are scary for some employers. ADA requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations. However, some employers may have questions about this.
For example, what is reasonable? Ultimately, is the cost of a reasonable accommodation worth it?
The good news is, there are many accommodations available that cost your company very little or nothing. There are also great resources and tools out there to help employers learn about reasonable accommodations.
For example, the Job Accommodation Network is a great resource both for employers and employees when discussing accommodations. Educating employers on these resources can help calm some of their fears about the costs of reasonable accommodations.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring Someone With a Disability?
To encourage an employer to hire someone with a disability, you need to know the benefits.
Many employers worry that hiring someone with a disability will cost them money when it can save them money. Learning to educate employers on the way hiring an individual with a disability can save them money will help in convincing them to hire individuals with disabilities.
Job Coaching
If you hire an individual with a disability who utilizes a job coach, this can help with training. A job coach will come to work with the individual and teach them how to do their job.
This means you won't have to go beyond the normal amount of time you would spend to train. A job coach will stay with the person until they are able to increase their skills and perform the tasks assigned to them.
As this occurs they will begin to allow the person to be more independent and only do occasional visits when needed. A job coach will also have the ability to communicate with co-workers and supervisors to ensure there is good communication.
Reduces Turnover Rates
Hiring new employees is expensive. Training and onboarding is a cost of its own and when you find a good employee you want to keep them.
Companies that are more diverse tend to have a lower turnover rate. Hiring individuals with disabilities helps your company build that diversity.
Tax Benefits
Hiring an individual with a disability is financially incentivized by the government. This is done through a tax credit.
Tax credits offered by the federal government for hiring individuals with disabilities include:
- Work opportunity tax credit (WOTC)
- Architectural Barrier Removal Tax Deduction
- Disabled Access Credit
Employers are also able to take advantage of state tax credits. State tax credits vary by state. Spend some time researching these for your state.
Recruit Job Seekers
Is your company struggling with recruiting the employees you want? Here's a number for you: 67 percent of job seekers believe diversity in the workplace is an important factor to consider when looking for employment.
If you're looking to recruit employees, build a diverse workplace.
Increased Profit Margin
Do you want to increase your profit margin? Hire individuals with disabilities and you might.
A study done in 2018 came back with results that showed that companies that hired individuals with disabilities had profit margins that were 30% higher.
Widen Your Talent Pool
When you consider hiring individuals with disabilities you increase your talent pool. Many individuals with disabilities can perform the same tasks as employees without disabilities with reasonable accommodations.
You open yourself up to finding more talent by not ruling out individuals with disabilities.
Hire Someone With a Disability Today
What's stopping you from hiring an individual with a disability? Don't let your fears stop you from hiring someone with a disability.
Take a moment to consider the benefits and offer educational resources to help employers. If you're ready to build diversity and hire someone to fill a position with your company, post your career opportunity with Disabled Person today.