This year, the Department of Labor (DoL) theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October), was “Disability Inclusion Starts with You.” The DoL recently posted a blog linking to a short video that encourages job applicants and employees to let employers know if they have disabilities. Many companies have difficulty getting applicants and employees to self-identify as individuals with a disability, whether due to an applicant’s oversight while filling out paperwork, concern of confidentiality or hiring discrimination, or other reasons.
Employers should encourage applicant and employee self-identification in order to both meet affirmative action obligations and make sure they are addressing, as early as possible, the needs of individuals with disabilities. Increased self-identification is an excellent step towards inclusion, but it also means hiring companies must be even more diligent in their treatment of self-identified disabled persons—even if the disability isn’t immediately evident.
For more information about good background screening processes, or to discuss an evaluation of your company’s current programs, we invite you to give us a call at (765) 932-5917.