The Northeast ADA Center unveils the Small Business at Work Toolkit, a new resource to help small businesses successfully hire and retain employees with disabilities.

The free, web-based resource offers information and essential resources exploring how small businesses can capitalize on the talents of workers and job seekers with disabilities and the bottom line benefits of doing so. It also features easy-to-understand, practical advice on disability employment best practices, along with expert guidance on following Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

The toolkit was developed based on the findings of a 2019 research study focused on small business and disability employment conducted by the Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, according to a media release from the Northease ADA Center.

“Small businesses are the backbone of America, and finding and keeping qualified employees is crucial to their success. We created this Small Business at Work toolkit to help small businesses access a wider range of potential employees and to ensure that they are performing at their best.”

— Wendy Strobel Gower, Northeast ADA Center Project Director

Recognizing that many small businesses operate with small or limited human resources (HR) departments, the toolkit’s creators developed a centralized, easy-to-navigate resource that provides the information small businesses need, when they need it. Guidance is segmented into eight relevant categories including the business case for disability inclusion; the ADA’s implications in a small business; recruiting and hiring people with disabilities; providing workplace accommodations; responding to the COVID-19 pandemic; and more.

Key features of the toolkit are Situation Room scenarios to help small businesses practice the information presented, What to Do mini-guides that summarize key points, and Deeper Dives for additional learning from recommended resources.

For more information and to access the toolkit, visit Northeast ADA Center.

[Source(s): Northeast ADA Center, PR Newswire]


Related Content:
Include People with Disabilities in the Workplace This Way, Kessler Researchers Advise
Americans with Disabilities Report Positive Workplace Experiences in Kessler Survey
Job Seekers with Disabilities: Promote These Skills Instead