As implied in the popular expression "hidden job market," many open positions are never advertised publicly. It is estimated that about 65% of jobs obtained fall into this group. To find these "hidden" jobs, a job seeker must actively seek out contacts in their field. Establishing and maintaining these contacts is called "networking."
A good reason a business should hire a person with a disability is because the individual is a good match for a specific business need. In an article called Employing, Serving All Equitably: The Nordstrom Way, the author points out, "You may not have the very best person in the job if you didn't recruit any disabled job candidates."
Other advantages to hiring a person with a disability may include:
An employer does not necessarily need to prepare existing employees for the arrival of a new employee who happens to have a disability. In fact, the supervisor should let the new employee decide if and when to disclose a disability to coworkers.
The employer should take stock of the company culture to determine whether current employees need general information or training regarding working with individuals who have disabilities. The following actions may be appropriate:
An employer should interview a person with a disability the same way they interview other candidates. Procedures should not change when a disability is apparent or disclosed. Further, a hiring manager should avoid assumptions about the existence of a disability and its impact on job performance. They should feel free to ask questions about how each candidate will perform specific job tasks, taking care to ask the same questions of all applicants, not just those with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 protect job applicants with disabilities from discrimination during the hiring process. The Acts also state that applicants with disabilities must be allowed reasonable accommodations so they can access application materials and participate in interviews and other hiring activities.
People with disabilities are not necessarily sick or in need of constant medical attention, but even if an individual with a disability had medical costs higher than others, they would likely have a minimal impact on a company's insurance premiums because of how insurance rates are often calculated. Health insurance rates work on the principle that any given group will have a mix of people who range from those who never go to a doctor to those who have ongoing health care needs.
In the U.S. employers can apply for three different tax incentive programs meant to encourage hiring qualified people with disabilities and to defray certain costs associated with providing accommodations.
"At will" employment, also referred to as “employment at will” or "hired at will", is when the employer and the employee agree that either party can terminate the employment agreement without justification and often without advanced notice. "At will" positions typically offer the employee less job security than other types of positions. However, "at will" employees who have disabilities are afforded legal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from discriminating against employees with disabilities.
Making wise choices of what to study in high school and college is one of the important considerations for all students. Having a disability simply adds extra considerations to decisions. Below are a few of the many resources to help students with disabilities prepare for careers.
Guidance from high school and college career counselors can be helpful. Most can guide students to information on many aspects of a career choice, from the nature of the work involved to required skills and education to forecasts of job availability and salary expectations.
Disclosure of a disability is a personal choice. In a job interview, employers may inquire only about the prospective employee's ability to perform essential job functions. However, some individuals with obvious disabilities prefer to address the issue in the job interview to assure the potential employer of their ability to complete job functions. A request for a job accommodation can be made after the job is offered.