Potential and Current Employers

If your company has already hired or is considering hiring someone or a group of people with disabilities, we applaud your initiative tapping into this pool of potential employees. We've compiled excellent resources that you and your team can read to help assist you in the hiring process as well as to help ensure a long-term employment success story.  If you are only going to read one thing, please look at the Disability Inclusion – Guide to Success, which was created by P & G.  If you would like to have a discussion about some next steps in the hiring process, feel free to fill out the “Ready to Hire” form and we will follow up with you.

Inclusive Employer Toolkit by Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities

The Inclusive Employer Toolkit helps employers recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities and foster an inclusive workplace. View

National Down Syndrome Society Employment Resources

An employment guide for employers and employees with Down syndrome and other disabilities. The #DSWORKS® Program is proud to present Guide Me & Watch Me Succeed. This valuable resource is designed to support employers as they train their employees with Down syndrome.

https://www.ndss.org/resources/resources/

Institute for Corporate Productivity Report

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) comprise an underutilized population of potential employees proven to be a positive influence on co-workers, customers, the community and a company's bottom line. Through survery data, case studies and individual success stories, this report demonstrates how workers with IDD provide both talent and productivity.

View Institute for Corporate Productivity Report

Steps to Success from ODEP • Office of Disability Employment Policy

Smart employers everywhere are learning that businesses inclusive of people with disabilities benefit from a wider pool of talent, skills and creative business solutions.  They're also recognizing disability diversity as an important way to tap into a growing market, since people with disabilities represent the third largest market segment in the U.S. So by proactively employing individuals with disabilities, businesses can gain a better understanding of how to meet the needs of this important and expanding customer base.

Small Business and Disability Employment: Steps to Success

Recruitment and Retention Resources

ODEP offers a number of free resources to help employers and Human Resource professionals invest in inclusion. You can download or order them at promotions.usa.gov/odep.html.

Stay In The Loop with ODEP

Click Here to subscribe to the ODEP weekly e-newsletter (ODEP News Brief) or monthly e-newsletter (Business Sense).

Key National Resources

Looking for more guidance on building and strengthening your disability inclusion efforts?  Check out these free tools and resources:

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
The leading source of free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.  JAN’s trusted consultants are available to answer your questions via phone, email or live chat.  AskJAN.org  800.526.7234 or 877.781.9403 (TTY)

Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT)
An online portal that shows you why it pays to build and buy accessible workplace technology and how to go about doing so.  Access PEAT’s TalentWorks tool to ensure that your online job applications and other recruiting tools are accessible to job seekers with disabilities.  PEATworks.org

Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE)
The powerful media campaign that’s changing attitudes about disability and employment. View and share the CDE’s award-winning public service announcements, posters, discussion guides and other products.  WhatCanYouDoCampaign.org  

Internships/Youth Resources
Internships can be an effective strategy for achieving disability diversity.  Check out these resources that can help you build an inclusive intern program, find qualified interns with disabilities, and educate young employees on workforce readiness skills.

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act Resources
Employers who are federal contractors covered by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act may also want to consult the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs’ Section 503 resource webpage  dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/Resources.htm, which provides a wealth of information and tools to assist covered employers in achieving their goals under the law.