According to What Can You Do, a campaign for disability employment, there are a few things you need to know to champion the effort and find resources.
Connect with Local Organizations to Recruit Qualified People with Disabilities.
- Seek State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies that provide training and retention services for individuals with disabilities. VR agencies also connect businesses with skilled workers in the area. Contact your state VR agency or the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation’s National Employment Team (The NET) for more information.
- Exceed your goals through disability inclusion by partnering with Disability:IN, is a national nonprofit organization. Find a Disability:IN Business Leadership Network affiliate near you.
- Connect with a business services representative at your local American Job Center. Receive help recruiting, hiring, or training employees.
- Get involved with a Registered Apprenticeship State Apprenticeship Agencies connect job seekers with employers looking for qualified workers. Apprenticeships develop industry-trained employees that contribute to having a competitive edge. Watch the #ApprenticeshipWorks video to learn more.
- Hire a veteran by registering with the Veterans Employment Center. This resource connects veterans and their families with employment and career development opportunities.
- Reach out to your local Center for Independent Living (CIL). These organizations “promote independent living and equal access for people of all ages with all types of disabilities.” CILs are becoming Employment Networksthat offer pre-employment services also.
- Find your state’s Governor’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. These state offices “work to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities and to promote public awareness of the needs and abilities of people with disabilities.”
- Consider posting your job openings online, especially on forums often used by people with disabilities. Check out the list published by the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN). It offers a list of online job posting boards.
- Contact a local college or university’s Office of Disability Student Services. They may be able to connect you to students with disabilities pursuing a degree in your industry. Internship and apprenticeship opportunities are welcome.
- Contact your local Workforce Development Board for help finding trained workers and information about labor laws. Learn more about how the public workforce development system can help.
- The Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work (TTW) program connects employers with organizations called Employment Networks, that help businesses find qualified job applicants with disabilities. Call the TTW helpline at 1-866-968-7842 (voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) for more information.
Know about Tax Incentives that Support Disability Employment.
There are tax incentives available for businesses engaging in disability engagement, including federal tax creditssuch as the Disabled Access Credit and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) “for companies that hire people with disabilities and qualified veterans.” Businesses that try to remove “architectural and transportation” challenges for people with disabilities (and the elderly) may qualify for the Architectural/Transportation Tax deduction. There are also state tax credits for employers who implement accessibility improvements. Read EARN’s tax incentives fact sheet.
Lean into Accommodations Support for Disability Employment.
Job accommodations help employees with disabilities perform at an optimal level. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an accommodation is “any modification or adjustment to a job or work environment that enables a qualified person with a disability to apply for or perform a job.”
According to the What Can You Do campaign, most workplace accommodations are not expensive and ensure good outcomes. In some cases, they cost employers nothing. Of those with a cost, the typical one-time expenditure is $500 — an expense that most employers say pays for itself.
Job accommodations include:
- Screen reading software for employees with low vision.
- Raised desks for employees who use wheelchairs.
- Job coaching for employees with intellectual disabilities.
Accommodations may include workplace Personal Assistance Services, working from home (telecommuting), and adjustments to work schedules.
Where to Find Help with Job Accommodations:
- JAN provides employers with free, expert, and confidential support, plus information on accommodations for mental health disability employment. Resources are also available in For more information, call 1-800-526-7234 (voice) or TTY: 1-877-781-9403.
- The U.S. Department of Defense’s Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) provides technology and job accommodations to federal agencies. CAP also provides free, online training about disability etiquette and more. For more information, call 703-614-8416 (video phone: 571-384-5629) or email cap@mail.mil.
- Please read the U.S. Department of Labor guide titled “Reasonable Accommodation for Employees and Job Applicants with Disabilities” for more information.
At Amplify, we serve our clients with the opportunities they deserve and work hard daily to create an environment for success. To tour our facilities and hear more about what we do to support adults with disabilities, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@amplify.org.