October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and across the nation, disability advocates are working to educate society about the advantages of hiring people with physical and developmental disabilities.
People with developmental disabilities represent a largely untapped market for potential employers, and that can stem from the fact that businesses don't understand how people with such disabilities can contribute to the workforce.
There are many people with such disabilities who want to work, and who have talents and abilities that stand to benefit businesses. People with autism spectrum disorder, for example, tend to be very attentive to detail, and often thrive on tasks that require intense focus or repetition. Companies like Microsoft and Ford Motor Company have created programs to recruit people with these disabilities, as they find they bring much-needed skills and abilities to bear on projects.
Benefits of hiring people with developmental disabilities include:
- Motivated, dependable and loyal employees: Many studies show that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities rank among the most loyal, dependable and motivated people in the workforce.
- Tax advantages: Businesses can realize tax advantages for hiring people with disabilities. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit is a federal tax credit available to employers who hire individuals from groups that face barriers to employment
- Each person comes with support: When businesses hire a person who received services from a county board of developmental disabilities, that person comes with support in the form of a job coach who helps the person learn the requirements of their job. This coach supports the employer throughout the training process, and can assist the person in the future if their job responsibilities or requirements change.
To learn more about how your business can benefit from hiring people with developmental disabilities, contact Michelle Garrett at 937-329-4025 or mgarrett@mcbddds.org.