Competence and Flexibility …they are vital skills that employers seek. Today more than ever, businesses need people with the ability to adapt to different situations and circumstances. And perhaps more than any other group, people with disabilities possess precisely these attributes. On a daily basis, people with disabilities must think creatively about how to solve problems and accomplish tasks. In the workplace, this translates into innovative thinking, fresh ideas, and varied approaches to confronting challenges and achieving success..

Amid the ongoing workforce shortage, businesses are finding it more challenging than ever to hire talented workers. One source of talent employers should consider is people with disabilities. By recruiting, hiring, and retaining these individuals, businesses can give themselves a competitive edge and demonstrate their commitment to inclusion. The key is to focus on what a person can do rather than their limitations.

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) is a free resource that helps employers tap the benefits of disability diversity by educating public- and private-sector organizations on ways to build inclusive workplace cultures. EARN offers information and resources to empower individuals and organizations to become leaders in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are reliable employees and have an overall higher job retention rate. Many studies have shown that people with disabilities take less absent days, and that they are more likely to stay on the job longer than non-disabled workers. Recently, The Chicago Lighthouse studied the retention rate of employees in its Illinois Tollway Customer Care Center, which employs people who are blind, visually impaired, disabled and Veterans (as well as people without disabilities.) On average, the employees with vision loss or other disabilities and Veterans had a retention rate of 1.7 years. In contrast, the retention rate for employees without disabilities or that were not Veterans was only 0.9 years.

Every day, Americans with disabilities bring their skills and talents to our nation’s workplaces. They perform all types of jobs at all levels, in businesses of all sizes. They are entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders.

Yet, people with disabilities, including veterans with service-connected disabilities, have lower rates of employment than the general population. This is true despite people with disabilities often exemplifying the qualities employers seek, including adaptability and resourcefulness. What’s more, disability is diversity, and therefore a key component of workplace diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).

People with disabilities have long been excluded from or underrepresented in the workforce based on low expectations and preconceived notions about their capabilities.

While the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by President George H. W. Bush in 1990 opened the doors for inclusion and employment for millions of people with disabilities, a culture of stigma and misunderstanding has pervaded, especially when it comes to employment.

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) is a free resource that helps employers tap the benefits of disability diversity by educating public- and private-sector organizations on ways to build inclusive workplace cultures. EARN offers information and resources to empower individuals and organizations to become leaders in the employment and advancement of people with disabilities.

JAN’s Workplace Accommodation Toolkit is a free, comprehensive online resource for employers seeking to create more disability-inclusive workplaces. The Toolkit provides guidance and resources for developing or updating accommodation policies and processes while leveraging the best proven practices available to date. The Toolkit contains actionable accommodation policies and processes from leading U.S. businesses, a suite of accommodation forms, training presentations, and role play videos modeling inclusive behaviors. The Toolkit also includes best and emerging practices for creating an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities during all phases of the employment life cycle.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is the only non-regulatory federal agency that promotes policies and coordinates with employers and all levels of government to increase workplace success for people with disabilities.

ODEP’s mission is to develop and influence policies and practices that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities.