Employers
Developing a strong and diverse workforce is a goal of small and large businesses across the country. Yet, many businesses struggle with finding creative ways to tap into the growing number of workers with disabilities. Business Connections at VCU provides professional expertise and assistance to businesses seeking to enhance their employment practices and creating diversity in your workforce. Services available for employers include:
- Recruitment - Single point of contact for potential candidates, prescreened applicants, an expanded labor pool, and reduced recruitment cost.
- On-the-job Training - Employment Specialist to insure skill acquisition as well as to identify and implement accommodations if needed.
- Retention Support - Ongoing support for additional training or HR related support.
- Education and Technical Assistance - Expertise on disability related issues, ADA, and business tax credits.
Employers FAQs
- Are there business-led efforts to promote hiring people with disabilities?
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Yes, Disability:IN is a national non-profit that helps business drive performance by leveraging disability inclusion in the workplace, supply chain, and marketplace. Disability:IN serves as the collective voice of over 30 local affiliates across the United States, representing over 5,000 businesses. Disability:IN uses a business to business approach to connect employers with training, support, and solutions for increasing workforce and marketplace diversity by including people with disabilities.
- What resources are available for businesses about hiring and accommodating people with disabilities?
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The Business Connection job coaches will perform a Business and Job Analysis to identify potential accommodation needs for any position and assist the employer with.
Most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and the cost for those who do is minimal or much lower than many employers believe. Studies by the Office of Disability Employment Policy's Job Accommodation Network have shown that 15% of accommodations cost nothing, 51% cost between $1 and $500, 12% cost between $501 and $1,000, and 22% cost more than $1,000.
- What training oportunities are there for businesses?
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We have created a number of webcasts designed for employers who are interested in increasing workplace diversity to include individuals with disabilities. Topics are selected to help businesses build a more inclusive culture by implementing a number of practical and forward-thinking strategies. The presentations are short and concise, usually 10-15 minutes. Below are examples of our webcasts:
- How Recruiters Can Include Individuals With Disabilities
- The Interview Process: Best Practices for Interviewing Individuals with Disabilities
- What is a Job Coach? An Overview of the Role of a Job Coach in the Workplace Part 1 | Part 2
- Tips for Employers: Working with Employees with ASD Part 1 | Part 2
- Technology for Creating Inclusive Workplaces: The Free, Mobile Accommodation Solution APP
For additional webcasts and trainings for employers, please visit the Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Employer Practices for Individuals with Disabilities
- What are some success stories of employers hiring and employing individuals with disabilities?
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Visit our Monthly Spotlights to see some of our success stories.
Additional Information
Please see our Employer Brochure for more information on the service offerings. Folleto del empleador en español
For assistance accessing information related to our programs, please contact VCU-RRTC at rrtc@vcu.edu .