A Guide to Hiring People With Disabilities

Here’s something you might not know: one in eight Americans has a disability. According to the Disability Act 2005, three percent of jobs in the public sector are reserved for the disabled. However, even in the 21st century, many people with disabilities are struggling to find a stable, well-paid job, as employers don’t want to deal with extra costs, legal liability, accommodation issues, and other things. 

By avoiding hiring a person with a disability, employers are shortening their list of potential candidates by 12.5%, which might be critical if you’re looking for someone with very specific skills. Those organizations that actively hire people with disabilities see nearly 30% higher revenue and two times higher net income - which is some food for thought for certain employers.

Individuals with disabilities are known for their commitment to work, for being very engaged and reliable. They are able to adapt to a new environment quickly and are more empathetic and sympathetic to people.

Working With People With Disabilities

There are different types of disabilities. They can also progress and become worse. However, it doesn’t mean that the person will have to quit their job.

As an employer, you must take into account any possible situation when you’re hiring people with disabilities or even a fully healthy candidate – because you never know what can happen. These are the things that you must provide your employees with disabilities with: 

1. Reasonable Accommodations

You must be able to provide an adapted workplace for those with disabilities and make sure that the equipment they use is convenient enough. If one of your employees is visually impaired or blind, they might need you to provide them with a personal reader to help them with job-related reading. 

2. Flexible Working Arrangements

If the job doesn’t require being in the office all the time, consider having your employees work from home. You may also come up with a flexible schedule for people with disabilities or allow them to work part-time.

3. Safety

You must ensure the health and safety of all your workers, especially when it comes to those with disabilities. This includes making certain adjustments to the bathrooms, showers, doors, staircases, and workstations within the organization.

There are several support schemes provided by the Department of Social Protection for employers who are hiring individuals with disabilities. If one of your staff members acquires a disability, these schemes will also be available:

• Workplace/Equipment Adaptation Scheme. If you need to make certain changes to the workplace or buy new equipment for people with disabilities to use, you can apply for this grant.
• The Employee Retention Grant Scheme. You might receive this grant to retain a worker who has acquired a condition that does not allow them to continue performing their duties.
• The Disability Awareness Training Scheme. This training will help your employees learn how to work and communicate with their colleagues who have disabilities, as well as to provide the best service to clients with disabilities.
• The Wage Subsidy Scheme. If your company is outside the public sector, you may receive some financial support to employ people with disabilities working between 21-39 hours per week.

4. Re-deployment

If one of your employees can no longer keep performing all the same functions that they did before, consider dropping some of their duties. If you think that they might be good at taking on other responsibilities instead of the old ones, offer them re-training. 

Best Practices for Attracting People With Disabilities

If you’re willing to make your company a great place for people with disabilities to work, use these techniques to attract the disabled:

1. Make sure applicants with disabilities understand that they are welcome to apply for a job at your organization. Let them know that you do not discriminate against people based on disability, that your office is wheelchair-accessible and provided with reasonable accommodations, etc.

2. Provide reasonable disability accommodations. Whether an organization has adapted workplaces for people with disabilities is extremely important for the disabled as they physically may not be able to work without a workplace adapted to their needs and individual characteristics.

3. Post stories of people with disabilities who have worked for your company on your website and social media accounts. Include them in your brochures and newsletters so that applicants see how they are valued in your organization.

4. Reach out to local, regional, and national organizations that work with the disabled to see if they have people looking for a job. It might take you time to identify who might be a good fit for your open position, but personal outreach will make potential employees even more interested in working for you. 

5. Promote diversity and disability inclusion. Create a corporate culture where people of all ethnicities, any sexual orientation, and employees with any type of disability feel comfortable, supported, and valued.

6. Train your employees so that everybody knows how to develop and maintain great working and interpersonal relationships with people with disabilities. Make sure that your workers are being respectful to each other and work as a team. 

Equal Access to the Screening and Selection Process

People with disabilities have the exact same employment rights as other people, so make sure your company provides equal access for all applicants. The entire screening and selection process should only be based on their skills, experience, and qualifications. Whatever technique you use to provide equal and fair conditions for job candidates should be thoughtful and elaborate, both for ethical and legal reasons.

It is important to note that it is only after the applicant’s resume has been accepted that you can discuss what kind of accommodation they might need to be able to work for your organization.

Incorporating People With Disabilities Into Your Talent Pool

In order to access the widest talent pool, you need to provide equal conditions for all job seekers to apply for your open roles. People with disabilities are particularly committed to their work, especially if they feel supported and respected by their employers and colleagues. 

But to attract and provide equal employment for people with disabilities, you’ll have to use certain techniques and create a corporate culture where they would feel safe and comfortable, as well as provide them with an adapted workplace.

Lanteria has no boundaries when it comes to hiring new people. Diversity is our main priority, and we make sure that all applicants have the same chance of getting a job, regardless of their condition, ethnicity, or other characteristics. Our goal is to help employers attract as many candidates as possible based on their qualifications and skills - not their health. Reach out to learn about how our software can help you recruit top talent with no discrimination.