Hiring People With Disabilities

When we talk about hiring people with disabilities, we are also discussing the broader issues of labor shortages, diverse hiring practices, and the social reactions to an impairment. Hiring disabled workers can offer a number of important financial, legal, public relations and productivity advantages for a business while helping to avoid potentially harmful events such as lawsuits. Statistics and findings from studies conducted from 1998 through 2010 along with observations and best practice experiences realized from consulting efforts clearly speak to the business opportunities surrounding the hiring of qualified candidates with disabilities. Today, we can take pride in the progress that has been made regarding hiring practices for people with disabilities. Since the ADA was passed and benefits for hiring people with disabilities were first cited, many general ‘feel good’ statements or other somewhat exaggerated financial benefits were often used to build enthusiasm surrounding employment and disability. The 2009 passage of the ADA Amendments Act shows Congress’ intent to ensure greater ‘accommodation’ for a larger, more clearly defined group of Americans with disabilities. (more information on ADA
Amendments available on our homepage – www.thesierragroup.com). For businesses looking for ways to reduce their tax burden, hiring disabled workers can offer a number of important tax benefits. As of 2011, businesses can deduct the cost of making their facility more accessible to disabled workers, such as removing barriers or installing ramps and businesses may be eligible for a disabled access credit. They may also qualify for the work opportunity credit, which is available to companies that hire workers with special employment needs. If reluctant to include disabled individuals in your recruiting efforts, you limit your access to a source of talented workers. For business owners who may have difficulty attracting qualified
candidates