5 Steps Any Business Can Implement to Create a More Inclusive Workplace for Employees with Disabilities

Leading Disability Organization releases step-by-step guide to making businesses more inclusive amid nomination period for Ruderman Best in Business Award

Boston, MA — Did you know that over 70% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are unemployed? For a community that represents 20% of the entire American population, people with disabilities are far underrepresented in the workplace and is a reflection of one of the biggest problems we face in today’s society.

The Ruderman Family Foundation, a national leader in disability inclusion, is currently accepting nominations for its annual Ruderman Best in Business Award, recognizing businesses that have demonstrated a history of employing people with disabilities, training and supporting them and developing innovative approaches to maximizing employee’s abilities.

But inclusion is something everyone can contribute to, and the Foundation has provided 5 simple steps that any business can implement to increase inclusion:

1.     Use Technology: People with disabilities may need reasonable accommodations to do their jobs. Technology offers reasonably priced accommodations for a number of disabilities, such as speech-to-text software for a visually impaired employee or captioning screens for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

2.     Partner with a Job-Training Agency: Find the non-profit agencies in your community that are providing job coaching training for people with disabilities and partner with them to bring the supports that employees may need right to the job.

3.     Include Disability Awareness Through your Company: Inclusion happens when everyone in your company understands the value of hiring a diverse workforce. Include regular trainings focusing on disability awareness and inclusion.

4.     Accessible Environment: Make sure that your office or facility includes restrooms, hallways and storage space that are accessible for people of all heights and mobility.

5.     Online Accessibility: Inclusion extends to your online presence. You can make your web site more accessible with simple steps like using alt tags that that translate visual images and captioning on videos.

Last year marked the inaugural year of the award, which is in partnership with the Jewish Week Media Group, highlighting businesses selected through a national nomination and review process by judges from the business and disability communities, including Richard E. Marriott, Chairman of Host Hotels & Resorts and the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities and John Hockenberry, NPR journalist and four-time Emmy award winner. This year, 18 businesses from the United States and Canada will be awarded.

For more information about the Ruderman Best in Business Awards and to nominate a business, please visit http://www.thejewishweek.com/ruderman-best-in-business-2016. Nominations will be accepted through May 25, 2016.

About the Ruderman Family Foundation

The Ruderman Family Foundation is an internationally recognized organization, which advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society. The Foundation supports effective programs, innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout America.

The Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community and imposes these values within its leadership and funding. For more information, please visit www.rudermanfoundation.org 

Know of someone with a disability that's trying to find work?

If so, our friend Brooke Lightner here in Steamboat Springs may be just the girl to help you.

Work isn't easy to find, but inspiring work for people with disabilities is out there, you just may need some assistance in finding it. Brooke works for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Colorado’s leading placement organization for people with disabilities. The DVR Business Outreach Specialist team has more than 60 years experience in providing a bridge between companies and talented job seekers, committed to helping employers find candidates who are skilled, loyal, and committed to their success, as well as helping individuals with disabilities prepare for going to work, obtaining and maintaining employment.

DVR is your advocate. DVR educates businesses about the benefits of using DVR as a recruitment resource, the business outreach team prepares and delivers valuable disability awareness training to assist employers in learning about hiring and employing persons with disabilities, proper disability etiquette, and how these can positively impact the business bottom line. Other services to employers include: information and guidance about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and job accommodations, consultative services such as job retention for a current employee with a disability or who has recently acquired a disability, job analysis and adaptive technology, and information about possible DVR financial incentives and tax credits a business may receive for hiring a person with a disability.

Contact Brooke Lightner, the Business Outreach Specialist in your area for more information about our business services. 970-367-3220 or brooke.lightner@state.co.us