Overview

A record number of people have left their jobs since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking new or different opportunities that better align with their personal lives and professional interests. Among the pool of job seekers, some have disabilities, including blindness or low vision. Hiring people with disabilities can bring many benefits to an organization: Workers with disabilities are reliable, innovative, and adept at solving problems. Businesses that hire people with disabilities enjoy high customer satisfaction and strong team morale.

With many companies reevaluating their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts due to greater awareness for equitable workplaces, HR departments need to see accessibility as a key tenet in the HR discipline.

Significance of Our Research

Deploying accessible hiring practices is not only the right thing to do, but a requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Through our work and further analysis of the AFB Workplace Technology Study, we obtained qualitative data highlighting the need for employers to integrate accessibility throughout their work instead of treating accessibility as an afterthought. Participant feedback further supports the practice of building a comprehensively accessible website and conveying an explicit commitment to accessibility, as described below.

Although our WTS research did not specifically investigate employers’ recruitment practices, some participants noted experiences of accessibility and accommodations being treated as an afterthought, rather than being incorporated into the hiring process from the outset. One WTS participant noted: “Coming to a new company as somebody who has accessibility needs is usually a nightmare to navigate processes that are optimized for the 99th percentile, and they just don’t know how to handle people who have different needs.” —White male in his 40s who became visually impaired as an adult.

Actions You Can Take

Recruitment of individuals who are blind or have low vision can be enhanced by (1) establishing relationships with vocational rehabilitation personnel and other organizations working with people who are blind or have low vision; (2) creating and maintaining accessible company web pages, job postings, and other career information; and (3) emphasizing a commitment to providing accommodations.

In supporting our mission to create a world of no limits, we’ve outlined additional actions you can take to make accessibility not only a part of your recruitment efforts but part of the recruitment foundation.

  1. Establish Relationships: Establishing relationships with organizations that work with people who are blind or have low vision, can be an effective way to find candidates to fit specific jobs within an organization. Job openings can be shared with potential applicants through a variety of organizations. There is a plethora of organizations at the state and national level that have programs designed to reach people with disabilities and actively encourage applicants with disabilities to apply for job openings. Following is a handful of organizations, which depending on your location, could have resources and/or partnership opportunities available.
  1. Job Posting & Application Accessibility: Ensure all organizational web pages, employment applications, and the job application process remains accessible, with maintenance to ensure continuity per the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) international standards, including WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, and WCAG 2.2 The following reference materials provide additional context around how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities.
  1. Create A Process for Requesting Reasonable Accommodations: A request for reasonable accommodation is the first step in an informal, interactive process between the employee and the employer. Employers who emphasize a commitment to providing accommodations provide assurance that employees who are blind or have low vision will be able to work in an environment where they are able to perform their job tasks effectively. Reasonable accommodations for applicants should be clearly stated during the hiring process, as well as for employees. Wording should be specific about reasonable accommodations that have been or could be provided within the organization (i.e., testimonials from current employees with disabilities). This process should include:
  • Method and/or way for requesting accommodations
  • Contact person for requests, including email and phone number
  • Online form that is fully accessible
  • Include language to your job application, website, and Career Page
  • Accessible screening tests and/or additional forms for interviews
  • Clearly state benefits for persons with disabilities, such as flextime, telework, and work-life balance.

  1. Website and Mobile App Maintenance: Creating and maintaining accessible web pages and mobile recruitment apps, not only allows for qualified candidates to find job openings, but also shows an organization’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility. A comprehensively accessible web page helps all applicants, regardless of disability status, understand the organization, its products, values, and people.

  2. Formatting and Captions on Website(s) and Social Networks: Ensure accessible formatting is used within posts on networking platforms, videos are described and captioned, and that all forms are accessible using only the keyboard. Without an accessible career page, prospective employees may not know there is a job opening available or may not have access to all the information about the job. A comprehensive, inclusive career page will entice qualified candidates with disabilities to apply for job openings. Showcasing a message about diversity and inclusivity from someone high up in an organization shows applicants how people with disabilities are valued at every level of the organization.

Workplace Technology Study Research Call Outs

Although our WTS research did not specifically investigate employers’ recruitment practices, some participants noted experiences of accessibility and accommodations being treated as an afterthought, rather than being incorporated into the hiring process from the outset. One WTS participant noted: “Coming to a new company as somebody who has accessibility needs is usually a nightmare to navigate processes that are optimized for the 99th percentile, and they just don’t know how to handle people who have different needs.” – White male in his 40s who became visually impaired as an adult.

Most participants in the WTS requested accommodations at some point during their employment. It is important to note that the average cost of accommodations is quite low, and many accommodations have no financial cost [7] Participants also reported wanting employers to trust their judgment on specific accommodation requests. Organizations that discuss providing accommodations in the recruitment phase of the employment life cycle show their understanding in providing for the needs of employees with disabilities.

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