Why Hire People with Disabilities?

Employing People with Disabilities: The Business Case

Hiring Disabled Workers: Myths & Facts

Inclusion@Work: A Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization

503 Compliance. New rules from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), relating to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, went into effect in March 2014. Among other changes, these new regulations require federal contractors to set a goal of having 7% of their workforce comprised of individuals with disabilities. Click here for more information and resources on 503 compliance.

Equal Opportunity:  It’s the Law

Building an Inclusive Workforce A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining Employees with Disabilities

Incentives

Federal Government Employer Tax Incentives:

• Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
• Disabled Access Credit
• Barrier Removal Tax Deduction

Tax incentives for hiring people with disabilities. Tax incentives are available to eligible small businesses to hire individuals with disabilities and removing architectural barriers. Call the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Program at 617-626-5353 to learn how to qualify for and receive tax credits–or visit the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s website, where you will find basic information for small employers about EEOC-enforced laws and processes.

Through the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation program, firms can receive a premium credit for enrolling in a Qualified Loss Management Program. The purpose of this program is to apply a prospective credit, for a period of up to four years, to the premium of assigned risk insureds who subscribe to a qualified loss management firm, and remain in such firm’s Loss Management Program during that period.

Veteran-Specific Incentives:

• WOTC Extension for Hiring Veterans with Disabilities
• Veterans Economic Communities Initiative
• Special Employer Incentives for Hiring Service-Disabled Veterans

Labor For America Assisted Reemployment Program: 

Through the Labor For America (LFA) Assisted Reemployment hiring incentive program, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) provides temporary reimbursement for a percentage of wages to non-Federal employers who hire individuals receiving benefits under the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA). Both public and private sector employers can search the LFA database of Federal workers who have been displaced from their jobs by a workplace injury, but only non-Federal employers are eligible for financial incentives such as salary reimbursement and funding for reasonable accommodations. To help employers with the costs associated with new employee recruitment, training and transition into the job, the program provides reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the paid salary in the first year of employment, up to 50 percent in the second year of employment, and up to 25 percent in the third year of employment. To apply, visit https://www.rtw.dol.gov/#Create_Employer_Account.

State Employer Tax Incentives:

Some state-specific tax credit programs for hiring people with disabilities are based on the Federal Government’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) and others are related to accessibility improvements and employment supports. 

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services:

State vocational rehabilitation agencies may be able to help employers with some of the costs associated with assistive and rehabilitation technology for employees with disabilities. Employees who are VR clients can request VR assistance to help pay for this type of technology and other employment supports, such as sign language interpreters and readers.

On the Job training funds available through MA Rehabilitation Commission

Accommodations

Job accommodations are usually not expensive. The actual costs for 68% of workers with disabilities is $0-$500. For more about free job accommodations specific to your worker and workplace needs, call the Job Accommodations Network(JAN) at: (800) 526-7234 or visit the Job Accommodations Network web site. The Job Accommodations Network (JAN) provides free consulting services for all employers, regardless of the size of an employer’s workforce. Services include one-on-one consultation about all aspects of job accommodations, including the accommodation process, accommodation ideas, product vendors, referral to other resources, and ADA compliance assistance.

MassMatch assistive technology – guide for employers

Training & Consulting Services

Free consulting for employers from the Job Accommodation Network.

Training for employers and a myriad of other services regarding the employment of people with disabilities is available through Work Without Limits. Staff presentations and workshops include disability sensitivity, disability awareness & etiquette, and interviewing candidates with disabilities. http://www.workwithoutlimits.org/training-and-consulting#employertraining.

For employers in the public sector and non-profit agencies that support people with disabilities, the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc. offers staff training on person-centered planning, career development, and leadership development for people with disabilities. The Polus Center also provides internship and career exploration programs for people who are legally blind, and welcomes employers interested in business tours, becoming guest speakers, and providing internship opportunities. Polus is a Massachusetts Statewide Contractor for training and consulting services.  www.poluscenter.org.

The Disability Inclusion Accelerator™ provides employers a view of where you are in your disability inclusion journey – and helps you create an action plan to advance your efforts. The National Organization on Disability experts will analyze your Disability Employment Tracker™ responses and meet with you, in-person or virtually, for an in-depth discussion of How your company stacks up against others in the Tracker database, with question-by-question benchmarking; Leading practices with expert observations – informed by 35 years of experience – on where your company excels and your opportunities for improvement; A customized plan with quick wins, and medium and long-term actions, tailored to your business; A playbook on how to use the Accelerator to build buy-in across the organization.

The Lead Center focuses on improving employment outcomes and promoting the economic advancement of people with disabilities, including WIOA opportunities to build integrated cross-system collaborations that improve employment and economic outcomes for youth and adult job seekers with disabilities.

Recruiting People with Disabilities

Where can I find candidates with disabilities?

Posting Jobs to Recruit People with Disabilities  – If you’re interested in having your positions posted on the Work Without Limits job board and have access to a database of prepared, professional candidates, contact Bonnie Rivers at [email protected].

Massachusetts Business Leadership Network (MABLN) is a Massachusetts-based network of both private and public sector employers who are committed to diversity and inclusion and interested in building capacity to attract, recruit and retain employees with disabilities; market to and service customers with disabilities, and include disability-owned businesses in their supply chains. For more information contact Work Without Limits, http://www.workwithoutlimits.org/massbln.

Workforce Recruitment Program

Strategies to Support Employer-Driven Initiatives to Recruit and Retain Employees with Disabilities

Employees with Disabilities: The Forgotten Diversity Segment

Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Workplace: Best Practices for HR Professionals

Building an Inclusive Workforce

Encouraging People with Disabilities to Self-Identify