- FAST FACTS
- WRITE AN INCLUSIVE DIVERSITY STATEMENT
- UNDERSTAND ADA
- DEBUNK DISABILITY MYTHS
- WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT
FAST FACTS
BDI SERVICE STATISTICS
- Last year, BDI served 596 people with disabilities and disadvantages.
- BDI successfully placed 205 individuals with employment and maintained a 73 percent retention rate with these jobs.
- BDI's products and services enabled the company to employ 143 people with disabilities and disadvantages at an average hourly wage of $10.87.
- Through our JWOD contracts, last year, BDI provided jobs for 33 people with disabilities at an average wage rate of $13.79.
- 1 in 5 Georgians have a disability. (Georgia Department of Labor)
- The 2004 American Community Survey estimated that Georgia's disabled community totals 1.1 million people.
- More than 400,000 Georgians with a disability are unemployed and of these, 276,000 would prefer to work. (Georgia Department of Labor)
- In 2005, under the JWOD program, 1,103 Georgians with disabilities were employed and earned $7.6 million in direct labor wages.
- In 2005, the Census Bureau reported that 37.5 million people, or 14 percent of the total population aged 5 and over, have a disability.
- A 2005 article published in the Wall Street Journal, reported that the number of people with disabilities are growing due to accidents, strokes, war-related injuries, and the aging of baby boomers.
- In 2005, 7.5 million working-age adults with disabilities were employed. Fifty-eight percent of men and 66 percent of women with disabilities were unemployed. (US Census Bureau)
- A 2003 study from Crain's Chicago Business found an 8 percent turnover rate among people with disabilities compared to an overall turnover rate of 45 percent.
- People with disabilities represent $1 trillion in annual aggregate consumer spending, $220 billion of which is discretionary funds.
WRITE AN INCLUSIVE DIVERSITY STATEMENT
Is your definition of diversity antiquated? If your business still defines
diversity in terms of race, ethnicity, and gender, consider updating it to
include people with disabilities.
People with disabilities are 20 percent of America's population and its
largest minority group, yet suffer from the highest rate of unemployment.
This population has critical perspectives and abilities to add to the workplace.
Plus, people with disabilities have equal or higher performance ratings, better
retention rates, and less absenteeism. Savvy companies recognize the value of
including workers with disabilities and specifically include this distinction in hiring policies.
With an aggregate spending power of $1.7 trillion dollars and a turnover
rate of 8 percent, companies are simply missing out on a wealth of talent.
But not all companies. Its no surprise that some of the most successful companies
have established recruiting and training practices that aggressively reaches out
to people with disabilities. In fact, DiversityInc recently published an article
listing the top 10 companies for people with disabilities in 2006. Topping this
year's list are Merrill Lynch, Cingular Wireless, SSM Healthcare, Merck & Co. and Eastman Kodak.
Each of these companies not only has active recruitment programs for people with
disabilities but most have some form of internal mentoring programs or council of
key members committed to diversity. There is also a company-wide culture that
embraces people with disabilities and the challenges that they face. In addition,
many of these companies have established supplier-diversity programs for people
with disabilities.
Tips for Hiring People with Disabilities
- Establish a recruitment process that directly targets people with disabilities.
- Embrace a top-down approach to diversity and inclusion
- If possible, establish a partnership with suppliers that employ or serve people with disabilities.
UNDERSTAND ADA
Not comfortable with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Here are answers
to the most frequently asked questions about this landmark piece of legislation.
What is the ADA?
The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to
those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age,
and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in
public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services,
and telecommunications.
Who does the ADA protect?
The ADA protects all individuals with a disability. An individual is considered to
have a "disability" if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded
as having such impairment.
What employers are covered by title I of the ADA, and when is the coverage effective?
The title I employment provisions apply to private employers, state and local governments,
employment agencies, and labor unions. Employers with 15 or more employees are covered.
Who is protected from employment discrimination?
Employment discrimination is prohibited against "qualified individuals with disabilities."
This includes applicants for employment and employees. Persons discriminated against because
they have a known relationship or association with an individual with a disability are also protected.
Who is a "qualified individual with a disability"?
A qualified individual with a disability is a person who meets legitimate skill, experience,
education, or other requirements of an employment position that s/he holds or seeks, and who
can perform the "essential functions" of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
What is discrimination based on "relationship or association" under the ADA?
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on relations or association in order to protect
individuals from actions based on unfounded assumptions that their relationship to a
person with a disability would affect their job performance, and from actions caused by
bias or misinformation concerning certain disabilities.
Does an employer have to give preference to a qualified applicant with a disability over other applicants?
No, an employer is free to select the most qualified applicant available and to make decisions
based on reasons unrelated to a disability.
What is "reasonable accommodation"?
Reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job or the work environment
that will enable a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the
application process or to perform essential job functions. Reasonable accommodation also
includes adjustments to assure that a qualified individual with a disability has rights and
privileges in employment equal to those of employees without disabilities.
When is an employer required to make a reasonable accommodation?
An employer is only required to accommodate a "known" disability of a qualified applicant or employee.
What are the limitations on the obligation to make a reasonable accommodation?
The individual with a disability requiring the accommodation must be otherwise qualified,
and the disability must be known to the employer. In addition, an employer is not required
to make an accommodation if it would impose an "undue hardship" on the operation of the
employer's business.
Can an employer maintain existing production/performance standards for an employee with a disability?
An employer can hold employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance
as other similarly situated employees without disabilities for performing essential job functions,
with or without reasonable accommodation. An employer also can hold employees with disabilities
to the same standards of production/performance as other employees regarding marginal functions
unless the disability affects the person's ability to perform those marginal functions. If the
ability to perform marginal functions is affected by the disability, the employer must provide
some type of reasonable accommodation such as job restructuring but may not exclude an individual
with a disability who is satisfactorily performing a job's essential functions.
Can an employer consider health and safety when deciding whether to hire an applicant or retain
an employee with a disability?
Yes, the ADA permits employers to establish qualification standards that will exclude individuals
who pose a direct threat -- i.e., a significant risk of substantial harm -- to the health or safety
of the individual or of others, if that risk cannot be eliminated or reduced below the level of
a "direct threat" by reasonable accommodation. However, an employer may not simply assume that
a threat exists; the employer must establish through objective, medically supportable methods
that there is significant risk that substantial harm could occur in the workplace.
What financial assistance is available to employers to help them make reasonable
accommodations and comply with the ADA?
A special tax credit is available to help smaller employers make accommodations required by the ADA.
An eligible small business may take a tax credit of up to $5,000 per year for accommodations made to
comply with the ADA. The credit is available for one-half the cost of "eligible access expenditures"
that are more than $250 but less than $10,250. A full tax deduction, up to $15,000 per year, also is
available to any business for expenses of removing qualified architectural or transportation barriers.
Information about the tax credit and the tax deduction can be obtained from a local IRS office, or by
contacting the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service.
The information compiled on this site was taken from the U.S. Department of Labor, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission and the Job Accommodation Network. For more information about the ADA,
visit www.ada.org.
DEBUNKING DISABILITY MYTHS
People with disabilities are people who just happen to have a disability. We are all people
who may share similar habits, attitudes, preferences, and perceptions. Adding a disability to
the mix often makes people focus on our differences rather than our similarities.
Debunking disability myths and misconceptions is a critical step in reinforcing our commonality.
Here are the top eight excuses employers may use to avoid hiring people with disabilities:
I can't hire a person with a disability, because...
- It's expensive.
It's not. Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe. A survey by the U.S. Department of Labor showed that most accommodations cost less than $500. - I don't want to accidentally do something illegal. People with disabilities need special legal procedures.
You won't. There are no special legal procedures for people with disabilities. Americans with Disabilities Act, among other laws, serves to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities by providing equal access in the areas of employment, transportation, public transportation, public accommodations, public services and telecommunications. - I don't have the kind of jobs a person with a disability can do.
You do. As with all people, certain jobs may be better for some than others. We all have different abilities to bring to the workplace. Be careful not to pigeonhole people into or out of certain occupations based on their disability. Just because you can only think of one way to do something does not mean that other ways that are equally effective do not exist. - I don't want my workers' compensation rate to go up.
It won't. Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's accident experience, not on whether workers have disabilities. A study conducted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers showed that 90 percent of the 279 companies surveyed reported no effect on insurance costs as a result of hiring workers with disabilities. - I don't want to sacrifice my company's performance standards.
You won't. People with disabilities should be evaluated for the skills and abilities listed in a job requirement. A reasonable accommodation should be provided if necessary; however, this does not limit their ability to meet performance standards. A person with a disability is no more an employment risk than is a person without a disability. - I need bright, go-getters, not people with learning disabilities.
They are. The nature of a learning disability is such that the person performs at an average to above-average level in all but one or two specific areas of functioning. Therefore, a person's ability to write a grammatically correct sentence is independent of his/her ability o create and organize thoughts. - I don't know how they will get to work.
They can. People with disabilities are capable of arranging their own transportation: walking, biking, driving, taking public transportation, hiring a driver or taking a cab. - I don't think they can perform as well as my non-disabled workers.
They will. In several studies, it was found that 91 percent of workers with disabilities scored average or better when compared to the general workforce. Their attendance is also better.
WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT
A one-year credit program called Work Opportunity Tax Credit is available to employers who
hire new employees from certain "target groups." The credit is used to reduce the federal
tax liability of private for-profit employers.
The maximum credit available is based on the total of qualified wages paid and the number
of hours retained during the first year of employment. The exact amount of net tax savings
depends upon each employer's tax bracket, plus qualified wages paid. This credit can NOT exceed $2,400.
The tax credit does not apply to certain relatives of employers, nor to rehired workers who
were not certified during their previous employment.
Requirements for WOTC. If an employer is requesting WOTC certification for a new employee,
a Pre-Screening Notice (IRS Form #8850) must be postmarked on or before the 21st day after
the employee starts work.
The new employee must work a minimum of 120 hours before the tax credit can be claimed.
While no WOTC tax credit may be claimed for an employee on an on-the-job training contract,
credit may be claimed for wages paid after the contract expires. However, the employee must
have been certified for WOTC prior to the first starting date with the employer. Also,
the time spent by the employee on OJT qualifies the employer toward fulfilling the minimum
retention period.
Who may qualify? Applicants who fall into one of the following groups may qualify for the WOTC:
- Qualified IV-a recipient (inlcudes AFDC)
- Qualified veteran
- Qualified ex-felon
- High-risk youth
- Vocational rehabilitation referral
- Qualified summer youth
- Qualified food-stamp recipient
- Qualified Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient
- Wages paid to temporary, seasonal, part-time, and full-time employees qualify for the credit.
- There is no limit to the number of employees for whom an employer may claim tax credit.
- The employer makes all hiring decisions.
- Claiming the tax credit requires minimal paperwork.
