City of Jacksonville

Why Hire Someone with a Disability?

1. Untapped Talent: There are a multitude of people with disabilities with the skills, talents, and abilities that are just waiting for the opportunity to show an employer how they can be an instrumental part of a company’s success. People with disabilities often encounter more barriers in their regular lives where they must come up with creative resolutions to move forward and be successful. This mindset gives more out-of-the-box thinking that benefits companies in finding solutions to complex and unexpected business problems.

2. Job Retention and Increased Productivity Rates: Persons with Disabilities on average have lower absentee rates, are highly motivated to prove themselves, and create an atmosphere within staff that increases overall productivity rates. It has also been shown that hiring a person with a disability increases other employees’ productivity as they are more motivated to elevate their job performance when seeing their coworkers with disabilities succeed. Maintaining qualified employees increases a company’s bottom line by reducing employee replacement costs.

3. Financial Incentives: There are federal tax incentives available to employers who hire employees with disabilities: (1) Work Opportunity Tax Credit, (2) Disabled Access Credit, and (3) Barrier Removal Tax Deduction. Furthermore, vocational rehabilitation agencies may offset the cost of some reasonable accommodations and services for maintaining employees with disabilities while also providing opportunities for on-the-job training programs for individuals with disabilities that are also clients of the Division of Vocational rehabilitation (DVR) and the Division of Blind Services (DBS).

4. Economic Impact: A study found companies that lead on key disability inclusion criteria realize 28% higher revenue, 2× the net income, and 30% higher profit margins outperforming other businesses.

5. Investor Interest and Expanding Your Market: Global investor coalitions are calling on companies to be more disability inclusive for sustainable performance. Hiring and maintaining employees with disabilities demonstrates a more inclusive culture at a company which makes them more appealing for other potential employees, investors, and customers. Recruiting and retaining workers also gives a competitive edge when applying for government contracts.

Resources:

• Job Accommodation Network JAN - Job Accommodation Network
• VR www.rehabworks.org
• DBS Florida Division of Blind Services Main Page
• Career Source CareerSource Florida
• Social Security The United States Social Security Administration | SSA
• Disability:IN
• EARN

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