Tech Tools for Hiring Disabled Candidates

Here are some handy tools when considering hiring the disabled:

• Hire Gauge is a free tool that helps employers calculate the potential cost benefits of hiring someone with a disability. Developed by Think Beyond the Label, a public-private partnership that focuses on increasing job opportunities for the disabled, the hire gauge illustrates the tax savings that can accumulate when a company hires a disabled employee.

• The Job Accommodation Network, or JAN, provides free consulting services on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues to both employees and employers. The website features a searchable database of workplace accommodation solutions for the disabled called SOAR, or Searchable Online Accommodation Resource. Suggestions are categorized according to disability, such as arthritis or multiple sclerosis as well as limitations, such as fine motor or fatigue and weakness. JAN, which is a service of the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, also provides assistance with American with Disabilities Act compliance issues.

• Disability.gov is a comprehensive website sponsored by the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy that features a section for employers. The site provides an extensive list of links to employer tools and resources covering areas such as recruiting and hiring, interviewing, occupational health and safety, and employment laws.