October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month - What Employers Should Know

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month and the theme for 2024 is “Access to Good Jobs for All”. 
 
The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is typically twice that of those without disabilities.  As of July 2024, the unemployment rate of people with disabilities is 8.8% compared to 4.4% for people without disabilities (www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/research-evaluation/statistics). This is in spite of the fact that a simple internet search will reveal several research articles showing that hiring people with disabilities has many benefits for employers including dedicated workers, low turnover rate, reliability and punctuality, as well as tax incentives.
 
One concern employers may have about hiring people with disabilities is that the accommodations the employees may need are too expensive.  However, the Job Accommodations Network (www.askjan.org) has a plethora of examples of low cost or even no cost accommodations.
 
Employment is an important part of community inclusion. Competitive, integrated employment offers a direct pathway to greater independence and self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Employers can also benefit by having a larger and more diverse talent pool when hiring.
 
Provided by the Southeastern Ohio Center for Independent Living