AccessibleEmployment.org; National Job Site To Connect Employers With Disabled Workers, USA

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 06 Dec 2007 - 2:00 PDT

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Today marks the launch of a new national job board dedicated to including disabled employees in today's workforce. AccessibleEmployment.org is designed to provide employers with one central place to post employment positions and search resumes of qualified disabled candidates. In addition, AccessibleEmployment.org also allows potential job candidates to post their resumes for review by prospective employers who have made a commitment to include people with disabilities in their workforce.

People with disabilities represent the single largest minority group seeking employment in today's marketplace. The unemployment rate of people with disabilities is ten times greater than the national unemployment rate. In fact, according to the U. S. Census Bureau, about 30 million Americans between the ages of 16-64 have a disability, and only 18 million are currently employed. This leaves a 44.2% unemployment rate within the disability workforce; a strong contrast to the national unemployment rate of 4.7%.

Some employers might expect that hiring individuals with disabilities would result in significantly greater costs. The most common concerns focus on the cost of accommodation, additional cost to company health plans, job performance, quality and quantity of work, flexibility, and attendance. What many employers do not know is that the costs of accommodating a disabled employee are rather low. According to the Job Accommodation Network, the average cost of workplace accommodations in 2006 was $600 or less.

Moreover, many employers can earn tax credits and experience a savings in health care costs when they hire a disabled employee because many individuals with disabilities are covered by Medicare and Medicaid. In addition, according to the U.S. Department of Education, workers with disabilities are rated consistently as average or above average in performance, quality and quantity of work, flexibility, and attendance.

Many large and small employers understand that hiring disabled employees diversifies, enriches, and improves the culture of any workplace. Since the workplace is also becoming more demanding and workers will need top-notch skills, AccessibleEmployment.org seeks to increase employer access to available talent.

http://www.AccessibleEmployment.org

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