Employer Supports: Disability Awareness

When an employer considers hiring a person with a disability, they often find themselves wondering how to interact with the candidate. Some employers may not have much previous experience with people who have disabilities. They may feel self-conscious about meeting someone and nervous that they might say or do the wrong thing.

Fortunately, there are resources available that can provide employers with the knowledge and tools to engage with jobseekers and employees who have disabilities.

The Job Accommodation Network has issued a comprehensive guide that provides details on etiquette for recruitment, interviewing, and to use in the workplace. There are specific sections for mobility, sensory, cognitive, and psychiatric disabilities.

Coworkers, too, might feel self-conscious when meeting a new employee with a disability. EARN has published a concise guide for employers to share with employees called Working Together: Ensuring People with Disabilities Feel Welcome and Included in the Workplace. It explains how coworkers can communicate effectively and respectfully when working with a person who has disabilities.