New Kessler/NOD Issue Call to Hire People with Disabilities

HARRIS INTERACTIVE SURVEY FINDS LARGEST MINORITY GROUP FALLS BEHIND IN COMPANIES ATTEMPTS TO DIVERSIFY

Kessler Foundation/NOD Survey of Employment of Americans with Disabilities finds that largest minority group falls behind in companies' attempts to diversify.

NEW YORK (October 5th, 2010)  A new survey sponsored by Kessler Foundation and National Organization on Disability (NOD) finds that although corporations recognize that hiring employees with disabilities is important, most are hiring very few of these job seekers and few are proactively making efforts to improve the employment environment. These results, from the Kessler Foundation/National Organization on Disability 2010 Survey of Employment of Americans with Disabilities conducted by Harris Interactive, are especially important given the focus on employment by media and government and with October recognized as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Data released in July 2010 from an earlier study, the Kessler Foundation/NOD Survey of Americans with Disabilities, found that little progress has been made in closing the employment gap between people with and without disabilities since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. In fact, only 21 percent of people with disabilities, ages 18 to 64, reported that they are working either full or part-time, compared to 59 percent of people without disabilities.

From this latest survey, although 70 percent of corporations polled have diversity policies or programs in place, only two-thirds of those with programs include disability as a component.Only 18 percent of companies offer an education program aimed at integrating people with disabilities into the workplace. The low figures are particularly notable given that a majority of employers perceive the costs of hiring a person with a disability to be the same as hiring a person without a disability (62 percent).

America's success in the global economy depends on how well we put to use the productive capacity of every person's talent, skill and ability. This new survey reveals that most employers are not aware of the unique contributions that workers with disabilities can make and do little to recruit them. The shockingly high unemployment rate among people with disabilities suggests that employers seeking dependable workers have a rich and ready talent pool of workers from which to draw,� said NOD President Carol Glazer. By following the leadership of companies like NOD partners Sam's Club and Lowes, employers will see that hiring people with disabilities can expand the productive power of their workforce.

Rodger DeRose, President & CEO of Kessler Foundation, says the survey results cannot be attributed solely to the economic climate, which is having a disproportionate effect on the disability community. Lack of awareness among employers and job seekers is also a factor.

"This is what Kessler Foundation plans to address. Our strategy is to improve these numbers by supporting employment initiatives through our grantmaking," said DeRose. "These results show that a broader approach is required to ensure employment opportunities for people with disabilities.We need the support of government, corpo