Opening doors to new talent: hiring people with disabilities
1 in 5 working Americans have some kind of disability.
Source: US Department Of Labor
17% of people are born with a disability. The other 83% acquire it later in life.
Source: KPMG Disability Report
Monster’s Future of Work Report revealed that only 7% of employer DEI strategies focus on disability.
Most workers with disabilities do not feel supported by their employers.
The changing conversation around work and people with disabilities
Monster has teamed up with Brandwatch to understand how the conversation has changed around people with disabilities and employment. Explore the biggest themes and the emerging trends in online discussion since the pandemic began.
What is your company doing to actively add people with disabilities to its workforce — and support its current workers?
For employers that are truly committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, that initiative should include people with disabilities.
It’s time for businesses to hire and support people with disabilities
Supporting those with disabilities – whether physical, mental, or invisible – and making sure they feel completely welcome and comfortable in your working environment, is the most important goal. But as an organization, there’s a real business case for investing in such a commitment. “When you’re bringing a lot of different skills into the organization, it can be extremely good for productivity and the profitability of a business,” says Claire Barnes, chief human capital officer, Monster.
In fact, companies that hire workers with disabilities outperform their competitors with an average of 28% higher revenue, according to an Accenture study.
Still, many companies are falling short. The Monster Future of Work 2021 survey found that although the majority of U.S. employers (56%) say that they are updating their recruitment strategies to attract more diverse talent (including people with disabilities), an astounding 30% of employers revealed they don’t have a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy in place. Of those that do, only 7% plan to focus on disabilities as part of that strategy.
Companies that prioritize hiring people with disabilities earn 28% higher revenue than their competitors.
Disabilities in the workforce: key milestones in the law
July 26, 1990
President George H.W. Bush signs the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law.
The Work Opportunity Tax Credit program is created to provide a federal tax credit to companies that hire workers from underrepresented populations, including those with certain disabilities.
August 1996
Congress establishes the Office of Disability Employment Policy (O.D.E.P.), a sub-cabinet level agency within the U.S. Department of Labor.
2001
The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 makes it easier for a person seeking protection under the law to establish their eligibility.
2008
The U.S. Department of Labor issues updated rules to ensure an equal employment opportunity in Registered Apprenticeship Programs.
2016
What people are saying:
“One of the most stressful parts about a job search is deciding whether or not to disclose a disability — and, if so, when. The implications are different for people with invisible disabilities, and those visibly disabled,” writes Wendy Lu in Refinery 29.
Disability is a D.E.I. initiative
To bridge the disability gap in corporate D.E.I. strategies, many organizations that support people with disabilities have been trying to remind companies that these communities remain underrepresented.
“It’s been a mission of ours to say, ‘Hey, we’re here. If you’re really serious about diversity, we can help you. We do that work for you, and we can even teach you how to do it and accommodate people with disabilities,’” says Anysa Holder, Vice President of Advancement Communications, Marketing, & Advocacy for Easterseals of NJ, a regional chapter of the national nonprofit that provides services for people with disabilities.
In addition, the current talent shortage is forcing employers to think more creatively and strategically about sourcing, while the openness around remote work is helping to lift some barriers for people with disabilities, says Jennifer Carlson, co-founder and executive director of Apprenti, the nation’s first registered tech apprenticeship program, which works with underrepresented groups including those with disabilities. “One silver lining from COVID and one of the byproducts of people working more remotely from home – it cracked the door wide open for getting better employment opportunities for people with disabilities,” she says.
Read The Monster-Brandwatch Report: The Changing Conversation Around Work and People With Disabilities
The top five topics around work and people with disabilities
Data gathered in English from publicly available posts (including from news media, Twitter, forums including Reddit, and blogs) and geolocated in the U.S. | January 1 2019 to July 31 2021
Know the law
As per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers must: “Provide access for an individual applicant to participate in the job application process, and for an individual employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of his/her job, including access to a building, to the work site, to needed equipment, and to all facilities used by employees.”
Want to see more conversations about work and people with disabilities?
Download our report
“One silver lining from COVID and one of the byproducts of people working more remotely from home – it cracked the door wide open for getting better employment opportunities for people with disabilities”
- Jennifer Carlson, co-founder and executive director, Apprenti
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Diversity, equity & inclusion
Hiring & Recruitment
Salary & pay
Accessibility
Legislation & lawsuits
No disability is the same
The top five topics around work and people with disabilities
Learn how to support these employees by clicking on the images below:
Blind and low vision
Deaf and hard of hearing
Neurodiversity
Physical disability
Mental illness
Invisible disabilities
Is your career site (and brand) inclusive enough?
Here’s a checklist to make sure your brand is working hard enough to reach people with disabilities:
“I wouldn’t be able to work without remote work. I have limited mobility and it’s not possible for me to drive.”
– Reddit user, 2019
Want to see more conversations about work and people with disabilities?
Download our report
Emphasize your benefits and legal compliance:
Elaborate on some of the benefits and accommodations that you offer. For instance, something like: “We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other applicable laws. To request an accommodation based on a disability, please contact…
Audit your career site:
Communication across all your channels, such as your website and social media pages, needs to reflect your commitment to disability inclusion. The message can be as simple as: “We welcome applicants with all abilities,” says Nish Parikh, CEO of SourceAbled.
Re-examine your tech stack:
When you think about it, talent acquisition processes and data management are built to exclude, right? “They're designed to get to the best candidate most quickly. And that's where we see the majority of people with disabilities falling out of the application process — those data management techniques,” says Sowash. What companies need to do is ensure that they have an accessible universally designed system. And then, review the data within their ATS to be sure there’s appropriate opportunity for talent with disabilities and that they're not being excluded.
Make success stories part of your employer brand:
“Too often, when companies are talking about disabilities on their corporate career site, everything is related to philanthropic endeavors,” says Sowash. Instead, candidates should be able to see people with disabilities who are rising through the ranks, or who are working successfully in your organization.
Inclusive interviewing: dos and don’ts for those who may have disabilities
DO
DO inform applicants in advance if they will be required to take a test or perform actual or simulated tasks. This allows them the chance to request a reasonable accommodation, if necessary.
DO inform applicants in advance if they will be required to take a test or perform actual or simulated tasks. This allows them the chance to request a reasonable accommodation, if necessary.
DO provide assistance in completing paper forms for those with low vision; have a sign language interpreter to facilitate communication with a deaf candidate; and allow an advanced look at portions of the interview process for those who are neurodiverse.
DO build the most inclusive application process possible so that when people are applying to jobs, they’re finding accessible systems and can apply without having to go through the accommodations process.
DON'T
DON’T ask job applicants to answer medical questions, take medical exams, or identify their disabilities.
DON’T rely solely on one form of evaluation or assessment, or get locked into specific experiences or degree attainment as job requirements.
DON’T be rigid about the interview format (i.e., only in person, phone, video) if a candidate shares a particular preference.
DON’T exclude applicants who might not be able to perform some tasks in a traditional way, especially if those duties are not essential to the role.
Not sure if your career site is inclusive enough?
Monster's employer brand experts can help
Explore more topics related to hiring people with disabilities
Neurodiversity in the workplace
Hiring blind and visually impaired workers
Show candidates your commitment to D.E.I.
Invisible disabilities in the workplace
Hiring autistic employees
Hiring developmentally
disabled employees
Download our report
Want to see more conversations about work and people with disabilities?
“I’m tired of hiding my Asperger’s at work. I got treated poorly when I opened up about it at my last job.”
– Reddit user, 2019
Change your job posting lingo
Instead of >>
Disabled person
Focusing on how the task is performed
Able-bodied or “must be able to carry/lift…”
Must be able to stand for long periods of time
Speak or write effectively
Person with a disability
Descriptions of the job task and the desired outcome
Ability to complete tasks with or without reasonable accommodations
Ability to remain at workstation for long periods of time
Communicate effectively
Use >>
Accommodation Tips
Tip
Some disability groups may prefer identity-first terms (such as “I am deaf” or “I am autistic,” rather than “a person who is deaf,” or a “person who has autism”). When in doubt, ask an expert.
Did you know only 15% of disabled workers in the U.S. require job adaptation? Accommodations that can help break down barriers are easier to provide than you might think.
Audit your website. Make sure it is accessible to those with vision and color-blindness, and provides closed captioning features. Use easy-to-read fonts for candidates who have dyslexia.
Be open to recommendations. “Be willing to bring in a consultant and do some training with recruiting managers,” says Carlson. Understand that most accommodation costs are minimal. Carlson estimates that most accommodations cost less than $500 per person.
Offer accommodations – without breaking the law. You can’t legally ask someone in an interview if they have a disability, but you can ask: “Is there anything you would like us to know that would make you more successful in this role?” “It’s totally their choice, but it allows them to have the opportunity to respond in a way that keeps it focused on the job, and not on them or their disability,” says Holder.
Walk the talk. Make sure your team is appropriately staffed to meet accommodation requests. “I can tell you that most times when my team is doing a talent acquisition audit, those emails and voicemails are very rarely returned,” says Sowash. “Just saying that you’re doing it is not going to cut it. You actually have to have that engageable process.”
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“I think a lot of companies in the past have fallen into the trap that diversity and inclusion is something that sits under HR and is part of people strategy. But it should be a business strategy.”
- Claire Barnes, chief human capital officer, Monster
Additional resources
Disability Equality Index
Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)
Easterseals.org
DisabilityTalent.org
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Want to learn more about hiring people with disabilities?
Read the Monster-Brandwatch report.
Blind and low vision
How to support blind employees or employees with low vision.
According to the U.S. Labor Department, 3% of all working-aged Americans are blind.
Have your job postings available in large text and/or in an audio format that can be read to the candidates.
Use alt text on your images.
Perform a site audit to make sure the color contrast on your website is accessible to screen readers.
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Helpful resources:
National Federation of the Blind
VISIONS
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Learn more about hiring talent who are blind or have low vision at Monster
Helpful resources:
National Association of the Deaf
DeafTEC.org
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Adaptive phone equipment to assist with
Closed captioning on your website
Speech to text apps
Texting
How to support deaf and hard of hearing employees:
“With physical disabilities like being deaf, there are lots of accommodations you can make as an employer around equipment and around the types of technology which the individual is using, which we’ve done at Monster with a lot of success,” says Barnes.
Deaf and hard of hearing
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Helpful resources:
NITW.org
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Avoid using automated personality tests. Instead, focus on skill-based hiring.
Recognize the unique skill sets of neurodiverse employees. For example, individuals with dyslexia tend to have strong problem-solving skills, and score high on creativity tests.
How to support neurodiversity employees:
People with autism, dyslexia, ADHD or other neurological conditions can add significant value to your organization. In fact, companies like Microsoft have implemented a global plan for neurodiversity hiring, specifically for roles like software engineer, data analyst, and data scientists.
Neurodiversity
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Helpful resources:
American Psychiatric Association Center for...
CDC.gov
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Have open conversations to remove the stigma of mental illness. Provide employee assistance programs for confidential help and support.
Create policies to support people’s need for paid time off, flexible schedules, and remote work.
Encourage company leaders to share both their struggles and successes.
How to support employees with mental illnesses:
Mental illness comprises the biggest population of people with disabilities, yet, stigma still remains. “The more we can talk about it, the more we can normalize it the better,” adds Monster’s Claire Barnes.
Mental illness
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Helpful resources:
Job Accommodation Network
ADA National Network
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Make reasonable accommodations. If an employee asks for things like accessible parking, accessibility equipment, or the use of a service animal, you should accommodate.
Ask what candidates need. Let them know in the job description and in your employer branding that your physical interviews space and virtual interview tools are ADA compliant. And make sure they are.
How to support employees with physical disabilities:
There’s a huge range of physical disabilities, and in many cases, they don’t prevent people from seeking all sorts of work opportunities.
Physical disability
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Helpful resources:
Understood.org
Military.com
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Have empathy. You never know what someone is going through, so don’t make assumptions if you can’t “see” that a person is not feeling well.
Be accommodating. The accommodation could be as simple as an ergonomic chair, reassignment of a non-essential task, or a minor scheduling adjustment.
How to support employees with invisible disabilities:
It’s estimated that seven out of 10 disabilities are hidden or not apparent. Invisible disabilities include conditions like epilepsy, bipolar disorder, arthritis, attention deficit disorder, lupus, anxiety disorders, and PTSD, to name just a few.
Invisible disabilities
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That’s because, she explains, a remote staffer has already built a system that works for them. It cuts down on everything from transportation challenges, physical challenges in an office place, and provides a safe work environment for those who require a lower level of noise, low lighting, etc.
“Historically, there’s been a pain point around workers having difficulty being candid about what their needs are, and the veil has been pulled back a little,” says Carlson. “Now, companies are being more proactive in inviting the conversation.”
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