Exploring the costs and benefits of workers with disabilities

In the United States, the employment struggles of the disability community have been well-documented. Dating back to 1986, Harris Polls of adults with disabilities indicate low employment figures for this group (Taylor, 2000). Of over 21 million working-age adults with disabilities, only 37.7% work full- or part-time compared to 79.7% of non-disabled working-age adults (Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Disability Demographics and Statistics, 2007). In assessing the reasons to explain this employment gap, a host of internal (i.e., job readiness, academic attainment, and reliance on cash and medical benefits) and external factors (i.e., transportation, community accessibility, and negative employer attitudes) have been proposed (Hernandez, Cometa, Velcoff, Rosen, Schober, & Luna, 2007; Loprest & Maag, 2001; National Council on Disability, 2007). Of these factors, a major contributor to the employment gap has been the attitudes of employers towards hiring people with disabilities (Greenwood & Johnson, 1987; Hernandez, Keys, & Balcazar, 2000; Wilgosh & Skaret, 1987). Notably, Hernandez, Keys, and Balcazar (2000) found that although employers reported positive global attitudes toward workers with disabilities, they were less positive when specific attitudes related to hiring decisions were assessed. In the Hernandez review, employers expressed concerns with the work-related skills, productivity, supervision demands, and promotability of individuals with disabilities (Johnson, Greenwood, & Schriner, 1988; McFarlin, Song, & Sonntag, 1991; Roessler & Sumner, 1997). In addition, employers were worried about the cost of accommodations (Moore & Crimando, 1995; Roessler & Sumner, 1997; Waters & Baker, 1996). Costs and Benefits of Workers with Disabilities Employers are concerned about the bottom line: Will costs associated with workers with disabilities outweigh the benefits? There are a few studies indicating that such concerns may be unjustified. Parent and Everson (1986) reviewed 13 articles (primarily case studies and documentaries) from business and trade journals that addressed employers' experiences with workers with disabilities. Taken together, work performance was rated positively and workers with disabilities were viewed as dependable, loyal, and responsible. Moreover, when compared to those without disabilities, workers with disabilities were reported to have equal or better production, accuracy, and overall job performance ratings. Similarly, E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company found that their workers with disabilities were rated as equivalent to those without disabilities in the areas of job performance, attendance, and safety (DuPont, 1993). Sears, Roebuck, and Company reported that nearly all of the 436 accommodations reported from 1978 to 1996 required little to no cost (Blanck, 1996). Moreover, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) reported that most accommodations cost less than $500, and for every dollar invested in accommodations, companies reported an average of $40 in benefits (JAN, 1999). In a national study, Australian employers with a history of hiring people with disabilities through employment programs compared workers with and without disabilities (Graffam, Smith, Shinkfield, & Polzin, 2002). A review of employer data revealed that non-disabled employees performed significantly better on productivity variables (e.g., accuracy and quality of work). In contrast, employees with disabilities performed better on reliability variables (e.g., absenteeism and cost of absenteeism) and employee maintenance variables (e.g., cost of recruitment and number of worker's compensation claims); however, results were not statistically significant. Purpose of the Study Prior research examining the costs and benefits associated with workers with disabilities has been primarily subjective in nature, with employers and supervisors either describing or rating job performance using Likert-type scales. …