October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time when advocates underline the importance of empowering and employing people with disabilities.

For job applicants who may be blind or deaf or unable to walk, the biggest obstacle to their employment is often prospective employers’ misperceptions that they will require extraordinary and expensive accommodations.

In fact, hiring a person with a disability usually costs very little. Seventy percent of workers with disabilities require no accommodations at all. For those who need special provisions, perhaps a custom keyboard, phone, or computer program, the average cost is less than $500. The Department of Rehabilitation provides and pays for a variety of aids and, should costs to an employer become excessive, the IRS provides a tax credit.

In exchange for going the extra mile to hire someone with a disability, employers in surveys consistently say they get a worker who is often better than average, with good attendance, punctuality and acceptance of authority. Surveys also find that those with disabilities are less likely to have an accident at work.

In addition, the public looks favorably on companies who hire staffers with disabilities. One survey found that 87 percent of the respondents preferred to do business with such firms. "Hiring individuals with disabilities is, in fact, good for business," notes CT Hill, chairman and CEO of SunTrust Banks Mid-Atlantic.

A survey of consumer attitudes led the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation to report that "consumers more than ever want the companies they do business with to be socially responsible."

A Little Help From Friends

The real key to success on the job for someone with a disability is often the attitude and actions of co-workers. Are they welcoming and willing to help if necessary? The answers will probably have a major impact on what the worker with a disability is able to achieve.

California Job Journal’s decision to hire a blind recruitment consultant about a year ago turned into a real success story. The company needed only to install special software on the employee’s workstation and make a few adjustments to ‘business as usual,’ such as:

• Printed materials are converted to digital files which his computer ‘reads’ to him, using audio conversion software provided by the Department of Rehab. He also has a scanner at his desk, which enables him to read most any printed page. A co-worker is available to read items that don’t scan well, such as handwritten notes.
• Sales meeting handouts and agenda items are emailed to him prior to each meeting.
• In the break room, Braille-embossed stickers were placed on a few microwave buttons and his favorite selections from the vending machine.
• Office party entertainment was changed from a workplace scavenger hunt to a game of ‘Name that Tune.’
• A pet bedding area was created so his guide dog could lie comfortably next to his desk all day.

And what does the staff get in exchange?

"We get a great co-worker who is incredibly thankful to have his job and absolutely loves it here," raves office manager Linda Christian. "We get someone with an excellent work ethic and a positive attitude every single day. We get someone who acknowledges his limitations and jokes about his disability, which puts everyone at ease. Understanding what he deals with every day helps us keep our own problems in perspective."

A Warm Welcome

If you are planning on employing a person with a disability, Monster.com offers some hints on how to make that worker feel welcome:

• Assign a mentor or buddy to help the newcomer learn about the job and the company culture.
• Ask co-workers doing similar jobs to help get the new worker up to speed.
• Whenever possible, prepare the person for circumstances like staff meetings by telling her in advance what to expect.
• Explain when and where breaks and meal times take place.
• Include the new worker in birthday celebrations and any special workplace traditions.
• If your workplace is edgy or challenging rather than warm and cuddly, let the new worker know.
• Work to make sure any workplace cliques do not exclude the new employee.

Lastly, the biggest endorsement for hiring those with disabilities comes from the companies themselves. Ninety-seven percent of employers who have hired someone with a disability would do it again.