Most companies experience LESS turnover when they hire persons with disabilities.
Be it a Greek myth or an urban myth, a myth is not a fact. A successful business is built on facts not on myths. Myths can cause us to ignore the real opportunities that are present. All too often employers are not aware of what is myth and what is fact with respect to hiring and retaining persons with disabilities. By debunking the myths and focusing on the facts attitudinal barriers will begin to crumble and employers will benefit from the advantages of hiring and retaining persons with disabilities.
Can I require that job applicants disclose any disabilities that they might have?
If I hire a disabled person, will it not be difficult to fire or discipline him/ her?
Can I apply standard performance measures to an employee being accommodated?
Does the law say how soon an employer should have accommodation in place?
What if our union will not let us hire persons with disabilities for safety reasons?
ACCOMMODATION MYTHS & FACTS
Won’t accommodating workers with disabilities be extremely expensive?
If I hire individuals with disabilities won’t my worker’s compensation rates increase?
If an employee breaks his/ her leg do I have to provide accommodation?
What kind of medical proof can I ask for if an employee requests accommodation?
LEGAL MYTHS & FACTS
Can I require that job applicants disclose any disabilities that they might have?
A job applicant is not required to inform an employer of a disability during the hiring process. But he/ she may disclose any disability to ensure that an employer can provide appropriate job accommodations. An employer cannot use the disclosure to deny the applicant an interview or the job.
Although there are laws in place that protects the rights of individuals with disabilities, there are no special procedures for firing or disciplining employees with disabilities. If a performance problem does occur, follow your company's usual guidelines.
No. Employers should not strictly apply uniform standards; instead, they should evaluate employees based on what they are capable of doing.
No, there is no rule. But the employer should not delay the process and should try to arrange accommodation within a reasonable time frame.
To have a rule not to hire disabled persons for safety reasons is illegal. Also, it is illegal for unions to discriminate. Your hiring standards should be based on what is needed to do the job.
Government regulations require that the employer provides accommodation at every step of the hiring process. If you’re unsure whether or not an individual requires accommodation, it is acceptable to ask.
ACCOMMODATION MYTHS & FACTS
Won’t accommodating workers with disabilities be extremely expensive?
No. With some proper planning and the right information, most job accommodations can be simple and inexpensive. In fact, the majority of accommodations, about 80%, cost less than $500.
Your insurance rates are based solely on the hazards associated with your company’s operation and its accident experience, not on whether or not your workers have disabilities.
Yes. A broken leg is a temporary disability.
This is actually the ideal approach. The accommodation process is a dialogue, and all the parties must agree on what is the most appropriate form of accommodation.
You can ask for medical reports that say what the employee can and cannot do. You do not have a right to know what the medical diagnosis is, just what the employee can and cannot do.
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