Workers with disabilities: an untapped resource
by Beth
I liked this commentary in Free Enterprise Magazine so much I thought I’d share some of it here. The essay is about the number of people with autism and other disabilities who are looking for work. It was written by Tom Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He points out that employers are pretty much unaware of the pool of qualified workers with disabilities. He says employers don’t really know how to go about finding these workers and that they worry about the costs and challenges involved when it comes to providing accommodations. Then he points out how these employers are missing out on a great untapped resource :
Employees with disabilities are generally dependable, dedicated, hardworking, and productive. Companies that take a lead in hiring people with disabilities are positioning themselves for success when worker and skills shortages will make diversity and inclusion programs a necessity rather than a choice.
With the unemployment rate so high right now it’s hard to imagine America facing a worker shortage any time soon. But hey, there are 77 million baby boomers out there! They’ll be retiring soon, and when they do, Many businesses are sure to face a skills shortage. Let’s hope that when that happens, and employers have trouble finding qualified workers for open positions, they’ll turn to this great untapped resource: workers with autism and other disabilities.