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5 Myths & the Real Facts
The Business Case
Tax Incentives Tip Sheet
Best Practices For Finding
Qualified Workers

5 Myths & the Real Facts for Employers

Employees with disabilities: Myths and Facts
Myth #1
Myth
Hiring disabled workers increases workers compensation insurance rates.
Fact
Insurance rates are based solely on the relative hazards of the operation and the organization's accident experience, not on whether an employer has hired workers with disabilities.
Myth #2
Myth
Providing accommodations for people with disabilities is expensive.
Fact
Did you know that for the minority of workers with disabilities who do need some sort of special equipment or accommodation, 56% of these cost less than $600, with many costing nothing at all?1. And available tax incentives make it even easier for businesses to cover accessibility costs.

1Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy

Myth #3
Myth
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) forces employers to hire unqualified individuals with disabilities.
Fact
Unqualified candidates are not protected under the ADA. To be protected from discrimination in hiring, an individual must first meet all requirements for a job and be able to perform its essential functions with or without reasonable accommodations.

Myth #4
Myth
Employees with disabilities have a higher absentee rate than employees without disabilities.
Fact
Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.

Myth #5
Myth
Under the ADA, an employer cannot fire an employee who has a disability.
Fact
Employers can fire workers with disabilities under three conditions:
  1. The termination is unrelated to the disability or
  2. The employee does not meet legitimate requirements for the job, such as performance or production standards, with or without a reasonable accommodation or
  3. Because of the employee’s disability, he or she poses a direct threat to health or safety in the workplace.

(Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of
Disability Employment Policy)

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