Employers
Introduction:
Resource Guide for Recruiting, Hiring
and Employing People with Disabilities
A
Program Sponsored By Supported Employment Plus Inc
Introduction:
The purpose of this booklet is to help educate employers about the
benefits of
hiring people with disabilities and provide a basic guideline on how to
start
accessing this untapped labor pool.
You’ll learn more about recruiting, interviewing and employing people
with
disabilities, and what resources are available to help you do so.
You’ll also learn more about how to apply for the Florida Business
Leadership
Network (BLN).
The BLN provides information to members and access to a pool of
qualified
candidates with disabilities as well as recognition for disability
employment
practices. Membership in the BLN is FREE to all Florida Employers. Join
today
and begin taking advantage of the numerous benefits immediately. An
application
for the BLN can be found at the end of this packet.
The Able Trust believes that when people want to work, they should. The
Florida
Legislature created The Able Trust in 1990. It’s mission is simple: to
be the
leader in providing Floridians with disabilities fair employment
opportunities
through fundraising, grant programs, public awareness and education.
Nine
governor-appointed directors oversee the Foundation. They are located
throughout the state and are comprised of a diverse background in the
areas of
business, education, media, development and disability advocacy. The
Able Trust
receives its funding from a perpetual endowment, grants, charitable
gifts, and
support from the public and private sector.
Since its creation, The Able Trust has awarded over $12 million to
individuals
with disabilities and nonprofit organizations in Florida. This unique
foundation has helped countless individuals overcome obstacles, and
enter the
workforce.
Some of The Able Trust programs include; grant awards, the Youth
Leadership
Forum, The Able Trust annual Gala at Mar-a-Lago and High School/ High
Tech. To
learn more about The Able Trust and its programs, please visit the
website at
www.abletrust.org.
We congratulate you on taking the initiative to learn more about
including
people with disabilities in your business practices, and hope you enjoy
the
information we have provided for you. If you have any questions or need
additional materials, please contact:
The Able Trust
106 East College Avenue, Ste 820
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone:
(850) 224-4493 in Tallahassee
(888) 838-2253 Toll-free/ TDD
Fax:
(850) 224-4496
Internet:
www.abletrust.org
*
Please note this information is
not intended to provide specific guidance on legal obligations under
the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For more information on the ADA,
please
contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at www.eeoc.gov or
1-800-669-4000
(TDD 1-800-669-6820).
Dispelling
Myths about People with
Disabilities
The
major barriers to achievement by
people with disabilities in our society continue to be attitudinal
barriers,
stereotypical thinking, and assumptions about what people can and can’t
do.
The truth is that the range of ability of persons within any
disability
group is enormous. We need to get rid of our stereotypical
images and view
each individual as just that: “an individual.” Listed below
are the kinds
of assumptions that can be barriers to employment for persons with
disabilities.
Assumption:
A
person with mental retardation cannot be trained to
perform a job as well as an employee without a disability.
Fact:
Over
two-thirds of the 4,000 participants in Pizza Hut,
Inc.’s “Jobs Plus Program” are persons with mental
retardation. The
current turnover rate among these employees with disabilities is a
modest 20% compared to the 150% turnover rate of employees
without
disabilities. This means a drop in recruitment and training costs.
Assumption:
An
individual with a psychiatric disability cannot work in a
stressful environment where tight timelines have to be met.
Fact:
All
individuals perceive stress differently and their
responses vary. Some individuals with psychiatric disabilities perform
effectively in jobs that require specific timelines and structure.
Assumption:
There
is no way that a wheelchair racer can compete with the
world’s best marathon runners.
Fact:
It
takes a good runner over two hours to run a marathon. A
competitive wheelchair racer can complete a marathon in less
than one and
a half hours.
Assumption:
A
person with a developmental disability and difficulty with
fine motor control is unlikely to be able to handle complex
operations on
the production line of a manufacturing plant.
Fact:
A
person with this combination of functional limitations was
hired for a production line job. The job involved labeling,
filling,
capping, and packing a liquid product. The only accommodation supplied
for the worker was the creation of a plywood jig. The jig
enabled the
worker to hold the bottle steady for correct labeling.
Assumption:
It
is unbelievable that a person with a double amputation
can compete with the world’s fastest 100-meter dash runners.
Fact:
The
world record is 9.9 seconds. A runner who is a double
amputee ran the dash in 11.76 seconds, just 1.8 seconds off
the world
mark.
Assumption:
People
with severe disabilities can’t compete in heavy duty
weight lifting activities.
Fact:
A
person with cerebral palsy has bench pressed weights in
excess of 500 pounds
Assumption:
A
person who is blind and has a missing right hand cannot
perform a job as a machinist.
Fact:
The
applicant lost his vision and right hand in Vietnam. He
persuaded a community college to train him as a machinist and
was finally
given a job on a trial basis. From the very first day, he
broke production
records and caused others to do the same. His only modification was to
move a
lever from the right side of the machine to the left.
Assumption:
Downhill
skiers with one leg cannot really compete against
racers with two legs.
Fact:
Top
racers without disabilities have been clocked at 80-85
miles per hour; downhill skiers with one leg have been
clocked at over 74
miles per hour.
Assumption:
It
is unlikely that a man whose right leg is amputated six
inches above the knee can perform the duties of a
warehouseman that
require loading and unloading trucks, standing, lifting, bending, and
delivering supplies to various sections as needed.
Fact:
A
person with this type of amputation was hired to work in a
paper warehouse. He performed the job without any
modification. He worked
out so well that the company moved him to operating
heavy equipment, a log
stacker. The company did not have to make any accommodations, he was
able to
climb ladders and the heavy equipment without any problems.
Communicating
With and About People
with Disabilities
The
Americans with Disabilities Act,
other laws and the efforts of many disability
organizations have made
strides in improving accessibility in buildings, increasing access to
education, opening employment opportunities and developing
realistic
portrayals of persons with disabilities in television
programming and
motion pictures. Where progress is still needed is in
communication and
interaction with people with disabilities. Individuals are sometimes
concerned
that they will say the wrong thing, so they say nothing at
all—thus
further segregating people with disabilities. Listed here are
some
suggestions on how to relate to and communicate with and about people
with disabilities.
Words
Positive
language empowers. When
writing or speaking about people with disabilities, it
is important to put
the person first. Group designations such as “the blind,” “the
retarded” or
“the disabled” are inappropriate because they do not reflect
the
individuality, equality or dignity of people with
disabilities. Further,
words like “normal person” imply that the person with a disability
isn’t
normal, whereas “person without a disability” is descriptive but not
negative.
The accompanying chart shows examples of positive and negative
phrases.
Affirmative
and Negative
Phrases
person
with an intellectual,
cognitive, retarded; mentally defective developmental
disability
person who is blind, person who is the blind
visually
impaired person with a disability the disabled;
handicapped
person who is deaf the deaf; deaf and dumb
person who is hard of hearing suffers a hearing loss person
who has
multiple sclerosis afflicted by MS person with cerebral palsy CP victim
person
with epilepsy, person with epileptic seizure disorder person
who uses a
wheelchair confined or restricted to a wheelchair person who has
muscular
dystrophy stricken by MD person with a physical disability, crippled;
lame;
deformed physically disabled unable to speak, uses synthetic
speech dumb;
mute person with psychiatric disability crazy; nuts person who
is
successful, productive has overcome his/her disability; is
courageous (when it implies the person has courage
because of having a
disability)
Actions
Etiquette
considered appropriate
when interacting with people with disabilities is based primarily on
respect
and courtesy. Outlined below are tips to help you in communicating with
persons with disabilities.
General General
Tips for
Communicating with People with Disabilities
°
When introduced to a person with a
disability, it is appropriate to offer to shake hands.
People with limited
hand use or who wear an artificial limb can usually shake hands.
(Shaking
hands with the left hand is an acceptable greeting.)
°
If you offer assistance, wait
until the offer is accepted. Then listen to or ask for instructions.
°
Treat adults as adults. Address
people who have disabilities by their first names only
when extending the
same familiarity to all others.
°
Relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you
happen to use common expressions such as “See you later,” or
“Did you hear
about that?” that seem to relate to a person’s disability.
°
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
when you’re unsure of what to do.
Tips for
communicating with individuals
who are blind or visually impaired
°
Speak to the individual when you
approach him or her.
°
State clearly who you are; speak
in a normal tone of voice.
°
When conversing in a group,
remember to identify yourself and the person to whom you
are speaking.
°
Never touch or distract a service
dog without first asking the owner.
°
Tell the individual when you are
leaving.
°
Do not attempt to lead the
individual without first asking; allow the person to hold your
arm and
control her or his own movements.
°
Be descriptive when giving
directions; verbally give the person information that is
visually obvious
to individuals who can see. For example, if you are approaching steps,
mention
how many steps.
°
If you are offering a seat, gently
place the individual’s hand on the back or arm of the chair so
that the
person can locate the seat.
Tips
for Communicating with
Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
°
Gain the person’s attention before
starting a conversation (i.e., tap the person gently on
the shoulder or
arm).
°
Look directly at the individual,
face the light, speak clearly, in a normal tone of voice,
and keep your
hands away from your face. Use short, simple sentences. Avoid smoking
or
chewing gum.
°
If the individual uses a sign
language interpreter, speak directly to the person, not the interpreter.
°
If you telephone an individual who
is hard of hearing, let the phone ring longer than usual.
Speak
clearly and be prepared to
repeat the reason for the call and who you are.
°
If you do not have a Text
Telephone (TTY), dial 711 to reach the National Telecommunications
Relay
Service, which facilitates the call between you and an individual who
uses a
TTY.
Tips
for Communicating with
Individuals with Mobility Impairments
°
If possible, put yourself at the
wheelchair user’s eye level.
°
Do not lean on a wheelchair or any
other assistive device.
°
Never patronize people who use
wheelchairs by patting them on the head or shoulder.
°
Do not assume the individual wants
to be pushed —ask first.
°
Offer assistance if the individual
appears to be having difficulty opening a door.
°
If you telephone the individual,
allow the phone to ring longer than usual to allow extra
time for the
person to reach the telephone.
Tips
for Communicating with
Individuals with Speech Impairments
• If
you do not understand something the individual says, do not pretend
that you
do. Ask the individual to repeat what he or she said and then
repeat it
back.
• Be
patient. Take as much time as necessary.
• Try
to ask questions which require only short answers or a nod of the head.
• Concentrate
on what the individual is saying.
• Do
not speak for the individual or attempt to finish her or his sentences.
• If
you are having difficulty understanding the individual, consider
writing as an
alternative means of communicating, but first ask the
individual if this
is acceptable.
Tips
for Communicating with
Individuals with Cognitive Disabilities
• If
you are in a public area with many distractions, consider moving to a
quiet or
private location.
• Be
prepared to repeat what you say, orally or in writing.
• Offer
assistance completing forms or understanding written instructions and
provide
extra time for decision-making. Wait for the individual to
accept the
offer of assistance; do not “over-assist” or be patronizing.
• Be
patient, flexible and supportive. Take time to understand the
individual and
make sure the individual understands you.
Remember:
• Relax.
• Treat
the individual with dignity, respect and courtesy.
• Listen
to the individual.
• Offer
assistance but do not insist or be offended if your offer is not
accepted.
Information
for this fact sheet came
from the Office of Disability Employment Policy; the Media
Project, Research and Training Center on Independent Living,
University of
Kansas, Lawrence, KS; and the National Center for Access
Unlimited,
Chicago, IL.
Do!
• Do
learn
where to find and recruit
people
• Do
learn
how to communicate with people
• D
ensure that your applications and other company forms do not ask
disability-related questions and that they are in formats that are
accessible
to all persons with disabilities.
• Do
consider
having written job
descriptions by the ADA that identify the essential functions
of the
job.
• Do
ensure
that requirements for medical
examinations comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA).
• Do
relax
and make the applicant feel
comfortable.
• Do
provide
reasonable accommodations
that the
qualified
applicant will need to
compete for the job.
• Do
treat
an individual with a
disability the same way you would treat any applicant or
employee with dignity and respect.
• Do
know
that among those protected by
the ADA are qualified individuals who have AIDS,
cancer, who are
mentally retarded, traumatically brain injured, deaf, blind,
and learning
disabled.
• Do
understand
that access includes not
only environmental access, but also making
forms accessible to people
with visual or cognitive disabilities and making
alarms/signals
accessible to people with hearing disabilities.
• Do
develop
procedures for maintaining
and protecting confidential medical records.
• Do
train
supervisors on making
reasonable accommodations.
• Don’t
assume
that persons with
disabilities are unemployable.
• Don’t
assume
that persons with disabilities
lack the necessary education and training for employment.
• Don’t
assume
that people with disabilities
do not want to work.
• Don’t
assume
that alcoholism and drug
abuse are not real disabilities, or that recovering
drug abusers are
not covered.
• Don’t
ask
if a person has a disability
during an employment interview.
• Don’t
assume
that certain jobs are more
suited to persons with disabilities.
• Don’t
hire
a person with a disability if
that person is a significant risk of substantial harm to
the health or
safety of the public and there is no reasonable accommodation
to reduce
the risk or the harm.
• Don’t
hire
a person with a disability who
is not qualified to perform the essential functions of
the job even
with a reasonable accommodation.
• Don’t
assume
that you have to retain an
unqualified employee with a disability.
• Don’t
assume
that your current management
will need special training to learn how to work
with people with
disabilities.
• Don’t
assume
that the cost of accident
insurance will increase as a result of hiring a person with
a disability.
• Don’t
assume
that the work environment
will be unsafe if an employee has a disability.
• Don’t
assume
that reasonable
accommodations are expensive.
• Don’t
speculate
or try to imagine how you
would perform a specific job you if you had the applicant’s
disability the
applicant’s disability.
• Don’t
assume
that you don’t have any jobs
that a person with a disability can do.
• Don’t
make
medical judgment.
• Don’t
assume
that a person with a
disability can’t do a job due to apparent and
non-apparent disabilities.
• Don’t
assume
that your workplace is
accessible.
Employment
checklist for persons
with disabilities
The
following are some questions to
keep in mind when determining physical accessibility:
• Are
there designated parking spaces for persons with disabilities that are
close to
the entrance of the worksite?
• Is
there a pathway without abrupt level changes or steps that leads from
the
parking area to the entrance?
• If
ramps are used to provide access, are they appropriately graded and are
handrails provided?
• Are
the doors wide enough (36 inches) for people using wheelchairs? Are
they easy
to open (e.g., not excessively heavy, with easily grasped
handles, or
automatic)?
• Is
the personnel office in an accessible location?
• Are
pathways to the bathroom, water fountain, and public telephone
accessible? Can
people
with disabilities use them?
• Are
elevators accessible to all persons with disabilities (e.g., control
panels
lower than 54 inches from the floor, raised symbols or numbers
on the
control panels)?
• Is
all signage appropriate and accessible for persons with visual,
learning, and
cognitive disabilities (including the use of symbols and
graphics)?
• ·Does
the emergency warning system include both audible and visual alarms?
Where
Can I Obtain Additional
Information?
Office
of Disability Employment
Policy
(202) 693-7880 (VOICE), (202) 376-6205 (TTY/TTD), (202) 693-7888 (FAX)
Office
of Disability Employment
Policy’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
(800) 526-7234 (VOICE/TTY/TTD), (304) 293-5407 (FAX)
jan@jan.icdi.wvu.edu (e-mail)
Disability
and Business Technical
Assistance Centers (DBTACs)
(800) 949-4232 (VOICE/TTY/TTD), (703) 525-6835 (FAX)
Access
Board
(VOICE) (800) 872-2253, (202) 272-5449 or (800) 993-2822 (TTY/TTD),
(202) 272-5447 (FAX)
Recruitment!
According
to a recent Society for
Human Resource Management survey, large companies are more
likely to
actively recruit applicants with disabilities than smaller companies.
Sixty-one percent of the respondents from large companies
indicated that
they proactively seek out qualified employees with disabilities as
compared to
53 percent of the respondents from medium size companies and
39 percent of
the respondents from small companies. Historically, large employers may
have
had an easier time developing relationships with organizations that
have access
to qualified candidates with disabilities, making it easier
for large
companies to hire candidates with disabilities and giving them
a distinct
advantage in capitalizing on this available and reliable labor
pool. Yet,
there are a variety of recruitment resources available to all
employers. This
fact sheet provides some key resources.
U.S.
Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment
Programs
Employment
Assistance Referral
Network (EARN)
866-EarnNow
(866-327-6669) (V)
www.earnworks.com
(Internet)
The
U.S. Department of Labor’s
Office of Disability Employment Policy has contracted for a
new service:
the Employment Assistance Referral Network (EARN), which provides all
employers with a direct connection to their local community
service
providers. EARN, a national toll-free service, makes it simple
for all
businesses to locate applicants with disabilities for any type
of
position. When EARN receives a call from an employer who wants
to recruit
qualified candidates with disabilities, the EARN staff takes the
employer’s
vacancy information and then communicates with the local employment
provider
community to locate providers who have contact with appropriate job
candidates.
Once these providers are identified, EARN calls the employer
back. The
employer receives the appropriate contact information and may
call the
designated providers to connect with applicants. Providers do not
receive
the employer’s contact information. This allows the employer
to be in
control of the process.
EARN
also provides employers with
technical assistance related to the employment of people with
disabilities, such as tax credits, disability-related laws, lawful job
interviewing techniques, recruitment and hiring strategies, ways of
dealing
with co-worker attitudes, personal assistance services and
reasonable
accommodations. EARN operates Monday through Friday, from
9:00 a.m. to
10:00 p.m. EST.
EARN
is a great place for companies
to begin their recruitment efforts. Yet there are many
other resources
available to assist employers.
Workforce
Recruitment Program
(WRP)
724-891-3533
(V); 724-891-0275 (Fax)
www.wrpjobs.org (Internet)
The
Office of Disability Employment
Policy’s contracted service, the Workforce Recruitment Program
(WRP), is
another excellent resource for locating college students and recent
graduates. Through the WRP, employers may request a database
of
pre-screened college students with disabilities to fill summer
or
permanent hiring needs. These candidates, from more than
160 colleges and
universities, represent a variety of academic majors and range from
college
freshmen to students in graduate school or law school.
Job
Analysis: An Important Employment
Tool
All
hiring decisions and supervisory
evaluations should be made on objective criteria. A supervisor needs to
know
each job under his or her supervision, and the qualifications needed to
perform
it, to develop objective interview questions and objectively evaluate
an
employee’s performance. Human resource specialists who are responsible
for
initial screening of job applicants and mediating performance
appraisal
disputes must also understand the key components of the
jobs in their organization.
Job analysis provides an objective basis for hiring,
evaluating,
training, accommodating and supervising persons with
disabilities, as well
as improving the efficiency of your organization. It
is a logical process to determine (1) purpose-the reason for the job,
(2)
essential functions-the job duties which are critical or
fundamental to
the performance of the job, (3) job setting-the work
station and conditions where the essential functions are performed, and
(4) job
qualifications-the minimal skills an individual must possess to perform
the
essential functions. A job analysis describes the job, not the
person who
fills it.
How
to Conduct a Job Analysis
The
following questions can help you
to analyze each job in your organization.
Purpose: What
are the particular contributions of the job toward the
accomplishment of the overall objective of the unit or organization?
Essential
Functions: What
three or four activities actually constitute the job?
Is each really necessary? (For example a secretary types,
files, answers
the phone, takes dictation.) What is the relationship between
each task?
Is there a special sequence which the tasks must follow?
Do the
tasks necessitate sitting, standing, crawling, walking, climbing,
running,
stooping, kneeling, lifting, carrying, digging, writing, operating,
pushing,
pulling, fingering, talking, listening, interpreting,
analyzing, seeing,
coordinating, etc.?
How many other employees are available to perform the job function? Can
the
performance of that job function be distributed among any
other employees?
How
much time is spent on the job
performing each particular function? Are the tasks
performed less
frequently as important to success as those done more frequently?
Would removing a function fundamentally alter the job?
What happens if a task is not completed on time?
Job
Setting:
Location
-
Where are the essential functions of the job carried out?
Organization
-
How is
the work organized for maximum safety and efficiency? How do
workers obtain necessary equipment and materials?
Movement
-
What
movement is required of employees to accomplish the essential functions
of the job?
Conditions
-
What
are the physical conditions of the job setting (hot, cold, damp,
inside,
outside, underground, wet, humid, dry, air-conditioned, dirty,
greasy,
noisy, sudden temperature changes, etc.)? What are the social
conditions
of the job (works alone, works around others, works with the
public, works
under close supervision, works under minimal supervision,
works under
deadlines, etc.)?
Worker
Qualifications:
What
are the physical requirements
(lifting, driving, cleaning, etc.)?
What are the general skills needed for the job (ability to read, write,
add,
etc.)?
What specific training is necessary? Can it be obtained on the job?
What previous experience, if any, can replace or be substituted for the
specific training requirements?
How
to Use the Job Analysis
Once
the job analysis has been
completed you will be in a better position to:
Develop objective job-related interview questions. Write current and
accurate
position descriptions. Position descriptions should be updated on
a regular basis and a job analysis done if any factors
outlined above have
to be altered. Perform objective performance appraisals.
Determine if
accommodations can assist a person with a disability to perform the
job. Conduct personnel functions in a nondiscriminatory manner.
Information
for this fact sheet was
taken in part from Ready Willing and Available, A Business Guide
for Hiring People with Disabilities.
Job
Accommodations -Situations and
Solutions
In
December 1994 the Office of
Disability Employment Policy’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
reported
that 68% of job accommodations made cost less than $500, and further,
that employers report that for every dollar spent on
accommodations, the
company received $28 in benefits. Accommodations,
which are
modifications or alterations, often make it possible for a
qualified person with a disability to do the same job as
everyone else but
in a slightly different way. Some accommodations are simple
adaptations;
others require technically sophisticated equipment.
The essential
functions of the job and the functional limitations of the individual
are what
the employer and the employee want to match up. An employer
should analyze
the job tasks, basic qualifications needed to do those tasks, and
the kinds of adjustments that can be made to ensure that
performance
standards will be met. The way the worker does the job is far
less
important than the outcome. The following examples are a small
sampling of
real situations that businesses have reported, along with the
solutions
used. What is common to all these situations is that accommodations
are always made on an individual basis. To find solutions to
your own
situations, call JAN toll-free at
1-800-526-7234.
Situation:
A
greenhouse worker with mental retardation has difficulty
staying on task and knowing when to take breaks.
Solution:
At
no cost to the employer, a job coach gave initial
training. The worker then carried a tape recorder that
provided periodic
reminders to stay on task and indicated break time. The worker
also carried a set of laminated cards which showed the basic
list of tasks
to be completed. Cost: $50.
Situation:
A
radio broadcaster/announcer who is blind needs to read the
AP wire news desk material.
Solution:
The
employer connected a Braille printer to the incoming
news service, and installed a switch to move from regular
printed material
to Braille. Cost: $1,700.
Situation:
An
administrative assistant in a social service agency has a
psychiatric disability that causes concentration and memory
problems
related to word processing, filing, and telephone work.
Solution:
Accommodations
included using soothing music in one earphone
to block distractions and taped instructions to augment
written material.
Cost: $150.
Situation:
A
police officer has a learning disability that makes it
difficult to take standard civil service tests.
Solution:
Officer
was permitted 50% more time to take the test and was
allowed to use a dictionary during the examination. Cost: $0.
Situation:
A
laboratory technician has a permanent restriction on
mobility of head and neck, and must use a microscope on the
job.
Solution:
A
periscope was attached to the microscope so the worker
does not need to lower her head and bend her neck to perform
the job.
Cost: $2,400.
Situation:
A
chef who is paraplegic needs a way to move around the
various work stations in the kitchen.
Solution:
The
chef was provided with a stand-up wheelchair that
allowed flexibility and mobility, thereby eliminating the need
to change
the worksite itself. Cost: Approximately $3,000.
Situation:
A
highly skilled electronics company technician who has AIDS
was taking large amounts of annual and sick leave.
Solution:
The
employer provided a flexible work schedule and
redistributed portions of the workload. The company also
instituted AIDS
awareness training for employees. Cost: $0.
Situation:
A
severe brain injury has resulted in a computer
programmer’s inability to read past the vertical midline of
his computer
screen, starting at the left side.
Solution:
The
employer acquired a software package that has a feature
for splitting the screen.
Diversity
and Disabilities
Diversity
Includes Disability
Workforce
diversity has become a
major management strategy for many employers in the
1990’s because it
makes good business sense. A diverse workforce gives companies a
competitive
advantage by enabling them to better meet the needs of their customers,
successfully compete in the global marketplace, and hire from
an expanded
labor pool. Managing diversity involves the creation of an
open,
supportive, and responsive organization in which diversity is
acknowledged
and valued. Diversity is defined as all of the ways in which
we differ. Some
of these dimensions are race, gender, age, language, physical
characteristics,
disability, religion, sexual orientation, and other differences
irrelevant to
one’s capacity to perform a job.
Why
Do I Need To Know about
Diversity and P
According
to recent studies, America’s
workforce is changing and rapidly growing more diverse. Over
the next few
decades, the largest percentage of new growth will be composed of
women, ethnic
minorities, and immigrants. The number of employees with disabilities
will also
increase. The current generation of Americans with
disabilities is well
prepared to be tapped for the job market and able to provide
an added
solution for the labor shortages facing American
business. People with
disabilities are the nation’s largest minority, and the only one that
any
person can join at any time. If you do not currently have a
disability,
you have about a 20% chance of becoming disabled at some point during
your work
life. People with disabilities cross all racial, gender, educational,
socioeconomic, and organizational lines. Companies that include people
with
disabilities in their diversity programs increase their competitive
advantage.
People with disabilities add to the variety of viewpoints needed to be
successful and bring effective solutions to today’s business
challenges. The
American economy is made stronger when all segments of the
population are
included in the workforce and in the customer base.
How
Can My Company Support
Diversity, Including Employees with Disabilities? Educate
Yourself
• Before
moving ahead, study the issue.
•
Learn more about people with
disabilities. A good way to start is to contact disability-related
organizations for information.
• Contact
your local Governor’s
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, Centers for
Independent
Living, State/Local Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, and
organizations and
agencies that serve or represent specific disabilities. Many
of these
organizations want to assist the business sector, and some
provide free
training and literature.
• Talk
to people with
disabilities in your company and ask for their ideas and input.
Develop
a Plan
• Establish
a system for educating and sensitizing all levels of your workforce on
the value of hiring people with disabilities.
• If
you have a diversity training program, make sure that employees with
disabilities are included in this effort.
Consider
The Following Action
Items:
Recruitment
and Outreach
• Even
before positions open, seek out opportunities to develop relationships
with
organizations, agencies, and programs that represent or train people
with
disabilities.
• Participate
or increase participation in summer internships or similar programs
to
increase the flow of qualified individuals with disabilities in the
“pipeline.”
• When
a position is approved for external hire, seek out qualified
professional
organizations that represent and serve people with disabilities.
• When
contracting with a retainer or contingency search firm, develop the
contract
to include qualified people with disabilities in the search. The
contract
should
outline the steps that will be implemented to locate qualified people
with
disabilities.
Development
and Planning
• When
task forces or other special committees are established, they should
include
people with disabilities.
• Monitor
to ensure that internal developmental programs are available to
employees with
disabilities.
• Provide
employees with disabilities candid and prompt feedback on
their performance.
• When
providing training or other off-site activities, make sure that they
are
accessible to employees with disabilities.
Compensation
and Recognition
• Monitor
bonuses and stock awards so
that consistent job-related standards are
applied.
• Monitor
appraisal and total compensation systems so individuals with
disabilities are
treated without discrimination.
Where
Can I Obtain Additional
Information?
Office
of Disability Employment
Policy
(202)
693-7880 (VOICE), (202) 693-7881 (TTY/TTD),(202)
376-6219 (FAX)Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Job
Accommodation
Network (JAN)(800) 526-7234 (VOICE/TTY/TTD), (304) 293-5407(FAX);
jan@jan.icdi.wvu.edu
(e-mail)
Disability
and Business Technical
Assistance Centers (DBTACs)
(800)
949-4232 (VOICE/TTY/TTD), (703) 525-6835 (FAX)
What
You Should Know about Workplace Laws
What
are the Workplace Disability
Laws?
During the last few years, employees have been exposed to many new
laws,
regulations, and acronyms. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and Occupational Safety and Health Act
(OSHA)
impact upon the workplace. These are different laws enacted at
different times
with different purposes, and are not totally uniform. You should know
about
these.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA is a federal antidiscrimination statute designed to remove
barriers for
individuals with disabilities. The ADA seeks to ensure equal access to
employment opportunities regardless of whether someone has a
disability. Title
I prohibits discrimination against any qualified applicant or employee
with a
disability in all aspects of employment.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) FMLA requires covered employers to
provide
up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to “eligible” employees
for
certain family and medical reasons. Employees are eligible if they have
worked
for a covered employer for at least one year, and for 1,250 hours
during the
previous 12 months, and if the company employs at least 50 people
within a
75-mile radius. There are some areas of interaction between FMLA and
ADA. These
areas include medical conditions and reasonable accommodations.
A condition that qualifies as a serious health condition may or may not
satisfy
the ADA definition of disability. Temporary impairments of short
duration
constitute a serious health condition, but are not disabilities.
Conversely,
being a person with a disability (e.g., quadriplegia) does not
necessarily
constitute having a serious health condition.
The concept of reasonable accommodation under the ADA and FMLA are
different.
For example, an employee undergoing chemotherapy for cancer may request
a
modified work schedule as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA; it
must be
provided unless the employer can prove it would create an undue
hardship. The
same employee could request time off as FMLA leave. The employer must
grant an
eligible employee up to 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA. There is no
undue-hardship
exception.
Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
The OSHA Reform Act requires an employer to furnish a work environment
that is
free of recognized hazards causing or likely to cause death or serious
injury,
as well as to comply with government safety and health standards. There
are
some areas of interaction between OSHA and ADA. These areas include
standards
and reporting requirements. In complying with specific OSHA standards,
employers may want to consider incorporating ADA reasonable
accommodation
concepts. For example, OSHA requires employees to label, in writing,
certain
toxic materials and give written materials explaining their potential
dangers
to employees. An ADA reasonable accommodation could be also using the
universal
symbol for poison, and providing verbal warnings of the potential
danger of
certain toxic materials.
A
Resource Guide for Recruiting, Hiring
and Employing People with Disabilities
A
Program Sponsored By Supported Employment Plus Inc
Introduction
The purpose of this booklet is to help educate employers about the
benefits of
hiring people with disabilities and provide a basic guideline on how to
start
accessing this untapped labor pool.
You’ll learn more about recruiting, interviewing and employing people
with
disabilities, and what resources are available to help you do so.
You’ll also learn more about how to apply for the Florida Business
Leadership
Network (BLN).
The BLN provides information to members and access to a pool of
qualified
candidates with disabilities as well as recognition for disability
employment
practices. Membership in the BLN is FREE to all Florida Employers. Join
today
and begin taking advantage of the numerous benefits immediately. An
application
for the BLN can be found at the end of this packet.
The Able Trust believes that when people want to work, they should. The
Florida
Legislature created The Able Trust in 1990. It’s mission is simple: to
be the
leader in providing Floridians with disabilities fair employment
opportunities
through fundraising, grant programs, public awareness and education.
Nine
governor-appointed directors oversee the Foundation. They are located
throughout the state and are comprised of a diverse background in the
areas of
business, education, media, development and disability advocacy. The
Able Trust
receives its funding from a perpetual endowment, grants, charitable
gifts, and
support from the public and private sector.
Since its creation, The Able Trust has awarded over $12 million to
individuals
with disabilities and nonprofit organizations in Florida. This unique
foundation has helped countless individuals overcome obstacles, and
enter the
workforce.
Some of The Able Trust programs include; grant awards, the Youth
Leadership
Forum, The Able Trust annual Gala at Mar-a-Lago and High School/ High
Tech. To
learn more about The Able Trust and its programs, please visit the
website at
www.abletrust.org.
We congratulate you on taking the initiative to learn more about
including
people with disabilities in your business practices, and hope you enjoy
the
information we have provided for you. If you have any questions or need
additional materials, please contact:
The Able Trust
106 East College Avenue, Ste 820
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Phone:
(850) 224-4493 in Tallahassee
(888) 838-2253 Toll-free/ TDD
Fax:
(850) 224-4496
Internet:
www.abletrust.org
*
Please note this information is
not intended to provide specific guidance on legal obligations under
the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For more information on the ADA,
please
contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission at www.eeoc.gov or
1-800-669-4000 (TDD 1-800-669-6820).