By Paula Santonocito, AIRS Staff Writer
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Intended "to establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability," the statute addresses several areas, among which are Employment, Public Services, Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities and Telecommunications.
It's interesting to note that the ADA does not focus exclusively on furthering employment opportunities. However, by removing as many barriers as possible, the end result of the law would logically be increased workforce participation among disabled Americans.
But 10 years later is this the case? An article* in The Virginian-Pilot by Alexandria Berger notes that, while there has been some improvement, including a 27 percent increase in employment from 1991 to 1994 for workers with severe disabilities, obstacles persist. Citing Social Security Disability (SSD) being tied to Medicare as one factor contributing to employment difficulties, Berger also points to the need for accommodations by more employers, as well as the necessity of overt communication by candidates.
Becoming Informed
Information is essential to understanding, and this is particularly true when it comes to recruiting and employing the physically challenged. The Office of Disability Employment Policy addresses questions and concerns by providing straightforward answers about job-related matters for both employers and candidates. There are often real-life situations as examples.
Under Publications you'll find links to Accommodations Get the Job Done and Job Accommodations--Situations and Solutions. Both sections are valuable in that they detail the needs of individuals and show how employers responded. The cost corresponding to each accommodation is also indicated.
Job Analysis, An Important Employment Tool, provides guidelines for analyzing the various aspects of a position in order to determine how and where accommodations can be made. The categories Purpose, Essential Functions, Job Setting and Worker Qualifications are designed to assist with position assessment.
You'll also want to review Preparing for and Conducting an Effective Job Interview, as well as Attitudinal Barriers.
The entire site is filled with information aimed at legal, practical and personal understanding. In addition to publications, federal and state contacts are provided, and there are links to program and job-related sites.
Offering Training
Partnering with organizations and programs that are involved with training the disabled is one approach to recruiting this segment of the population. One such organization is The Kemtah Group, Inc.. Based in Albuquerque, NM, Kemtah is a computer services company that, among its services, offers job training and development programs for the general population, as well as specialized programs for people with disabilities.
Private rehabilitation counselors and vocational rehabilitation programs refer people with disabilities to the organization. Serving New Mexico, California, Arizona and Colorado, Kemtah takes advantage of its corporate partnerships to create, what Mark Cornett, manager of career services for The Kemtah Group, refers to as a seamless transformation from training to job site.
The organization utilizes its adaptive lab in Albuquerque to perform student assessments, offer tutoring, and provide training for the disabled. Training typically involves classroom time, which is followed by an internship, and then job placement. According to Cornett, the entire process usually takes six months.
The Kemtah Group, which also has a training center in Sacramento, CA, recently graduated five Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD) students from its specialized program in Albuquerque. Prior to graduation, four of the five individuals had been placed in programming jobs.
The Kemtah Group is a Microsoft partner. As such, the organization is in a position to train people for various careers in software, systems and systems support. Cornett says it's a market where the company can make a positive impact.
Providing Access
JobAccess is a service of CareerMosaic and ABILITY Magazine. Serving as an entryway to jobs at CareerMosaic, now Headhunter.net, the site targets both people with disabilities and employers looking to hire the disabled. According to Chet Cooper, publisher of ABILITY Magazine, it's a push and pull both ways. "What it's doing is driving more individuals with disabilities to companies who are seeking people with disabilities," says Cooper.
The site is currently undergoing some modifications as a result of Headhunter.net's acquisition of CareerMosaic. Technical issues related to access of the Headhunter.net database are being addressed. In addition, Cooper says there are other changes coming. JobAccess is working toward a standalone resume bank. A disabled job seeker will have the option of posting a resume at the site. If he or she chooses, the resume can also appear at Headhunter.net. "We're now in the process of working to do more of an outreach," says Cooper.
The opportunity for outreach also applies to employers. When a company places a banner at JobAccess, which in turn links to a corporate Web site, it sends a message that it is interested in candidates with disabilities. Likewise, even though jobs posted at the site are also part of a larger database, statistics are available regarding site traffic. This can prove beneficial for an organization wishing to track its recruitment effectiveness.
ABILITY Magazine, a print publication focused on issues impacting people with disabilities, also offers a forum for advertising. According to Cooper, most ads do not target specific positions, but many companies place general-purpose messages about diversity in the magazine. ABILITY Magazine is not online per se, but information about the publication can be obtained at the site. An overview of the magazine's content and objectives can be obtained by selecting Text from the homepage.
Reaching Out
The Findings and Purpose section of the ADA of 1990 indicates that "some 43,000,000 Americans have one or more physical or mental disabilities, and this number is increasing as the population as a whole is growing older." Indeed, the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) now puts the number of people in that category at 49 million.
With an estimated 70 percent of the disabled population unemployed, even with allowances for children and elderly adults who no longer wish to be working, the potential in terms of candidates is staggering. In order to effectively recruit these individuals, it is necessary to promote understanding and foster inclusion. The result of such efforts will mean that people with disabilities will be able to use their skills to contribute to the American workplace. The result, too, will mean that qualified candidates will fill open positions.
*Berger, Alexandria. "Don't Blame Lack of Jobs on Disability Act." The Virginian-Pilot 24 July 2000: E3.
-- Paula Santonocito is a writer and communications professional who has written about a variety of business and management issues and is a regular contributor to AIRS content. This article is reprinted by permission from AIRS, a global leader in Internet recruitment, tools, news and information. For more information on AIRS, please go to: http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/pages/airs.php. Copyright © Hanover Capital Management Corporation 1997-2001. All Rights Reserved
