(BPT) - Can you imagine your ideal employee? That person might exhibit determination, adaptability, problem-solving and ingenuity. Those qualities are readily found in people with a wealth of untapped skills who also live with disabilities, making them strong candidates for companies needing to hire.
Qualities employers are looking for
People living with disabilities tackle daily challenges in pursuit of the lives they want. They handle detours on city sidewalks, learn to drive a truck using a joystick or graduate from colleges not designed for wheelchair users. These everyday obstacles reveal their grit and resilience.
According to the Department of Labor, the employment rate for people with disabilities between ages 16-64 was about 37% in 2024. People with disabilities face significantly higher unemployment rates and are nearly twice as likely to work part-time as those without disabilities. Thousands of talented people with disabilities - including paralysis - are ready and eager to enter the workforce.
Employers wanting to explore the many benefits of hiring people with disabilities can find resources and information from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC).
"A huge amount of untapped talent exists in the community of people facing challenges like paralysis," said Sheila Fitzgibbon, senior director, NPRC. "Employers struggling to find outstanding people for positions will be pleased to discover how much talent is out there, if they know where to look."
ADA basics
If you're considering expanding your hiring, you may have concerns about compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Passed by Congress in 1990, this federal law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in everyday activities, including employment. For questions about specific aspects of the law, contact your regional center at ADAta.org.
The ADA prohibits employers from rejecting qualified applicants simply because they have a disability, and bans discriminatory practices in the workplace. That means reasonable accommodations must be made for any job applicants and employees who need them.
Understanding accommodations
The best way to understand accommodations is to think of them as "productivity enhancers." Accommodations allow already capable people to do their jobs successfully. An accountant with limited dexterity might request speech recognition software to tackle spreadsheets with her voice rather than her hands, or a teacher with paraplegia might request a writing aid for grading homework.
Employees can request accommodations from their supervisor or human resources department when beginning a new job and anytime thereafter; there is no deadline for requests. Needs may evolve as the work environment or job specifics change, or as the employee ages. Applicants with disabilities can also seek accommodations to compete for a job. For example, a wheelchair user might request that a job interview occur on the ground floor of a building lacking an elevator.
Reasonable accommodation requests for people living with paralysis might include:
- Assistive technology like large-button keyboards or voice recognition software.
- Improved office accessibility, like installing automatic doors and grab bars in the bathroom.
- Assigned accessible parking spot near the entrance.
Finding employees
Employers can expand their talent pool by first ensuring their applicant screening processes don't exclude people.
"Employers are recognizing they may be unnecessarily eliminating applicants," said Susanne Bruyere, academic director and Employment Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) principal investigator at the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, Cornell University. "AI screening tools might pick up anomalies in resumes, like extended employment gaps, which happen for people with health conditions. That can automatically and inadvertently eliminate viable candidates."
One alternative is to use job boards and employment programs dedicated to increasing employment among people with disabilities. Here are some places to start:
- abilityJOBS connects applicants and employers through a resume bank, employment listings and virtual job fairs.
- AbilityLinks offers resume workshops and networking events with employers for veterans and people with disabilities.
- Our Ability Jobs helps job seekers with disabilities create in-depth job profiles, then matches them to openings using advanced technology.
- Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities connects federal agencies with recent graduates with disabilities; private sector employers can request access to applicants at earn@askearn.org.
- Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies provide career counseling and on-the-job training for people with disabilities; rehabilitation counselors may arrange short-term trials with potential employees.
Financial benefits
Beyond increasing your chances of finding great candidates, your business may benefit from financial incentives. Federal tax credits are available to businesses who hire and/or invest in workplace accessibility for people with disabilities, and a Work Opportunity Tax Credit can be claimed by employers who hire applicants facing significant challenges in finding work - including people with paralysis who receive Supplemental Security Income or have been referred through Vocational Rehabilitation.
The Disabled Access Credit provides a credit for small businesses that invest in accessibility improvements for people with disabilities, and the Barrier Removal Tax Deduction is available to businesses of any size. Examples of qualifying actions include widening doorways, installing ramps or modifying restrooms. Many state-based initiatives also offer tax credits for hiring, accessibility improvements and investments in workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities.
The bottom line
By expanding how you seek and hire talent, your business will benefit in significant ways - most importantly by helping you find the best person for every position.
Learn more about how your organization can benefit from hiring people with disabilities at ChristopherReeve.org/Ask.