Resources for Hiring Disabled Workers

In today's tight labor market, restaurant managers might want to consider tapping into often-overlooked pools of employees - including people with disabilities, who are able to perform many industry jobs. Although unemployment of the general population is at an all-time low (between 3 and 4 percent), 65 percent of Americans with disabilities - half of whom want to work - are unemployed, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. Here are some resources to help you recruit employees with disabilities. - Business Leadership Networks in 32 states offer resources for recruiting candidates with disabilities and information on disability-employment issues. For more information, call Carol Dunlap at (202) 376-6200. - The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a toll-free consulting service that provides information about hiring and accommodating employees with disabilities. For information or a free consultation, contact JAN at (800) 526-7234 or log on to http://www.jan.wvu.edu - Online job-placement organizations sometimes specialize in employment for people with disabilities. Sites include http://www.jobaccess.org, http://www.abletowork.org and http://www.justonebreak.org. - Project ABLE is a national resume bank of people receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security income disability benefits who want to work. Employers send position descriptions or job announcements to Project ABLE. After the matching process (usually within 24 hours), the employer is forwarded the resumes of qualified individuals. To contact Project ABLE, call (757) 441-3362, fax (757) 441-3374 or email projable@opm.gov. - State Vocation Rehabilitation Agencies help train and place people with disabilities in jobs. For a list of state agencies, log on to http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofa/statevr.htm. - The Workforce Recruitment Program offers a free database of more than 1,200 college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are ready to enter the work force. For more information, contact Phil Mabin at (724) 891-3533.By hiring an employee with a disability, your restaurant could also be eligible for a Work Opportunity Tax Credit of up to $2,400 per new hire. For more information on this tax credit, log on to http://www.irs.gov/smallbiz/restaurants.Reprinted from Bread & Butter, April 2001.