Americans With Disabilities

Individuals with differing abilities and disabling conditions also play an important role in the workforce. As a matter of fact, in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed and employers were encouraged to hire individuals with different disabilities. There are over 40 million Americans with disabilities covered by the ADA. With more baby boomers in the workforce, the number of individuals with disabilities will continue to escalate. Individuals with the following conditions are considered disabled: hearing impaired, legally blind, epileptic, paralyzed, wheelchair users, and speech impaired according to the ADA. As a result, employers and human resource professionals are tasked with being more precise about job requirements, skills needed, and knowledge needed to perform each job. Also, special accommodations are expected to be made for disabled workers such as more flexible work schedules. Companies such as IBM have a long history of hiring disabled individuals. Thus, human resource professionals are responsible for staffing, recruiting, and training individuals with disabilities. One aspect of a thriving employment brand is the recruitment of individuals with disabilities.

Please begin by reading:

HR Professional’s Toolbox. (2011). Human resources guide to employing people with disabilities. Retrieved on September 13, 2014 from http://www.onlinehumanresources.net/hr-ada-overview.html

Myths and fact about people with disabilities. (N.D.). Retrieved on September 13, 2014 from http://www.in.gov/spd/files/Myth.pdf

US Department of Labor. (2011). Hiring individuals with disabilities. Retrieved on September 13, 2014 from http://www.dol.gov/compliance/topics/hiring-disabilities.htm

Then, drawing on the material in the background readings and doing additional research, please prepare a 4-5 page paper (not including the cover and reference pages) in which you:

• Analyze the importance of having disabled individuals in the workforce from a human resource professional perspective and discuss strategies for selecting and recruiting disabled individuals in the workforce.
• Identify different strategies for retaining disabled individuals in the workforce.
• What trainings could you provide?
• Discuss an effective and unbiased hiring process framework of selecting, interviewing, and recruiting disabled individuals in the workforce. For example, discuss the importance of structured interviewing, behavioral interviewing, reference/background checks, pre-employment screenings, job offers (e.g., employment-at-will or contracts), and post-offer screenings.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following points:

• Precision – Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
• Clarity – Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are excessive use of quotations how thoughts are conveyed?  Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?
• Breadth – Is the full breadth of the subject addressed?
• Depth – Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth?
• Grammar, spelling and vocabulary – Is the paper written well – is the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary suitable to graduate level work?
• Referencing (citations and references) – Does the paper use citations and quotation marks when appropriate?
• Critical thinking – Is the subject thought about critically, i.e., accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?