Did you know that there are 1.3 billion people worldwide with a disability? And, despite being 3.5% more likely to be employed in 2022 than pre-pandemic, people with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed compared to those without disabilities. And in the U.S, workers with disabilities are paid over a third less than their colleagues without disabilities.
So, what can you as an employer do to promote disability inclusion and ensure that your job candidates and employees with disabilities have access to equal opportunities? Below, we share what a disability is and some best practices to create a more equitable workplace.
What Is a Disability?
According to the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law enacted in 1990, a disability is a mental or physical impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activity. And the types of disabilities vary. For example, disabilities can include chronic conditions, such as lupus. Or, they can be psychiatric or “invisible” disabilities, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Employers in the United States with 15 or more employees must adhere to the ADA to accommodate employees who identify as having a disability. Compliance with the ADA entails establishing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, addressing their medical inquiries and examinations, and defining “direct threats” where any significant risk of substantial harm is present.
Why Is the ADA Important?
Before the ADA was passed, workers with disabilities faced systemic and intentional discrimination in the workplace. For example, an employer wasn’t required to provide a ramp so someone in a wheelchair could access the building. And some employers refused to hire workers with disabilities or paid them less than their colleagues without a disability.
But employment is often essential to the independence and well-being of individuals with disabilities, and employers should provide accommodations to help those individuals find and maintain a job.
What Is Disability Inclusion, and Why Is It Important?
Disability inclusion at work goes beyond hiring employees with disabilities. Disability inclusion ensures that employees at your company have equal opportunities to succeed at work and receive equal pay for equal work.
And disability inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s also beneficial for companies. It can help expand your applicant pool and boost employee morale at a time when employees are prioritizing inclusive workplaces.
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Other benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities include:
- Higher retention rates
- Greater diversity to ensure a wide variety of perspectives
- Insight into serving customers with disabilities
- Tax incentives (subject to state, county, and municipal regulations)
How Can I Ensure My Workplace Is Inclusive?
While rights for workers with disabilities have come a long way, there’s still more work to be done. Here are a few steps you can take as an employer to create a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
Review Your Job Descriptions
Does the social media manager really need to be able to lift 70 pounds? Or does your software developer have to have a driver’s license? Often, we recycle job descriptions from years ago, not realizing that the requirements may not be necessary to succeed in the role or are simply outdated.
Take time to review your job descriptions carefully to ensure that the requirements listed are actually required for success in the role. Otherwise, any exclusive language could not only be limiting your applicant pool but could also be a violation of the ADA.
Be Mindful of Language
Words are powerful. They set the tone for culture and inclusivity in the workplace. Ensure that your language (and that of your employees) is inclusive.
For example, words like “handicapped” and “retarded” are considered derogatory and outdated. Instead of the R-word, say “intellectual disability.” Rather than saying “disabled person,” say “person with a disability.” This emphasizes the person’s humanity first.
Get Trained
One fundamental way to ensure your workplace is more inclusive is by learning more about disabilities and disability inclusion. Understood.org, an advocacy organization for those with learning and thinking differences, provides free training on disability inclusion, awareness, and etiquette. Anyone can take this course, no matter their role in the company.
They also provide a course tailored to human resources professionals, focusing on ADA compliance and necessary accommodations for employees with disabilities.
Additional resources you may want to consider include:
- 8 Disability-Friendly Interview Strategies
- Employers and the ADA: Myths and Facts
- How to Create a Disability-Friendly Workplace
- The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer
- The Valuable 500
The Future of Work Is Inclusive (and It’s Now)
We’ve come a long way in the last few decades regarding the rights of people with disabilities. But there’s still work to be done to ensure that the world of work is truly inclusive and provides equal opportunity for all. It’s up to all of us to take the necessary steps to create a workplace where everyone can thrive.
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