The Small Business at Work Toolkit

Helping small businesses welcome employees with disabilities
6
Two businesspeople chatting beside an open laptop in an office.

Hiring

Recruiting and hiring people with disabilities

A grab-and-go summary to take to meetings or use on the fly

Do this

Recognize the value of disability inclusive recruiting and hiring practices.

Not this

Let misperception guide your recruiting and hiring practices.

Do this

Broaden your talent pipeline by including people with disabilities.

Not this

Limit your access to talent by excluding new sources of applicants.

Do this

Consider new recruitment and hiring partnerships to help you meet your staffing needs.

Not this

Use partnerships that can’t access broader pools of talent or address turnover issues.

Do this

Make sure anyone who does hiring understands ADA limitations on disability inquiries during hiring.

Not this

Let managers and supervisors hire “on the fly” without procedures and guidance.

Do this

Be prepared to provide accommodations for applicants so they can fully participate in your hiring process.

Not this

Fail to inform applicants and hiring managers that accommodations can be provided during the application process.

Do this

Understand additional requirements for federal contractors around recruiting and hiring people with disabilities.

Not this

Continue with recruiting and hiring as usual when your business gets a federal contract.

Do this

Ensure that your hiring process is fully accessible to people with disabilities, including online and in-person hiring processes.

Not this

Limit your talent pipeline by not being accessible to all qualified applicants.

Do this

Prevent turnover by making new employees feel welcome and included, and by understanding the role of an inclusive work climate in preventing turnover.

Not this

Believe that there’s nothing you can do in your small business to prevent turnover.