Article from Forbes
It would be reasonable to presume that companies would be reluctant to hire employees that would cost them more than other options. This is reasonable as we have seen trends to move manufacturing and call center operations to other countries. Within the country, companies have gone radical and taken measures to do things such as setting policies not to hire smokers or overweight people. Right? So, surely this is part of the problem. The perception that people with disabilities cost more than your average Joe.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce report, “Leading Practices on Disability Inclusion”, hiring people with disabilities is good for the bottom-line. The report has case studies from companies such as 3M,PepsiCo, Merck and AT & T. All companies in the report cite the benefits and importance of hiring people with disabilities. But, it does not clearly address the costs versus benefits of hiring people with disabilities.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Job Accommodations Network annual report, “Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact” which concludes “workplace accommodations not only are low cost, but also positively impact the workplace in many ways.” This report found that more than half of requested workplace accommodation cost absolutely nothing for the companies to implement. Some examples of these accommodations include scheduling flexibility, allowances in dress code rules or allowing somebody to sit (or stand) when other positioning is customary.
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE – http://www.forbes.com/sites/judyowen/2012/05/12/a-cost-benefit-analysis-of-disability-in-the-workplace/#2378c2394c07
What are the benefits of hiring people with disabilities? “… Participants noted low absenteeism rates and long tenures. They also described their employees with disabilities as loyal, reliable, and hardworking. An additional benefit to hiring people with disabilities was the diversification of work settings, which led to an overall positive work environment.”
