Support Employees with Disabilities

Build a more inclusive workplace through accessibility training, diverse hiring practices, and providing appropriate employee support and assistance. 

Accessibility Training for Employers

Find information and classes to help you ensure an accessible and inclusive workplace. 

The ADA: Your Responsibility as an Employer 

Find out what your responsibilities are under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). This guide from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) details how this law makes it illegal to discriminate in all employment activities including recruitment, pay, hiring, firing, promotion, leave, and more. 

Federal Agency Employment Strategies: A Framework for Disability Inclusion (PDF 260KB) 

The U.S. Office of Disability Employment Policy published this comprehensive guide on how federal agencies can foster can inclusive workplace environment.

Northwest ADA Center 

As part of the National ADA Network, the Northwest ADA Center provides ADA information, training, and guidance to Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. 

Association of People Supporting Employment (APSE) 

If you’re interested in building a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace, APSE can design training and employment opportunities to help you meet your goals. 

Understanding How Blind Workers Perform Job-Related Tasks 

Educate yourself on how blind workers perform their job duties. 

Organization-Wide Accessibility: Everyone Plays a Part 

Explore effective strategies to help you develop and sustain a fully accessible workplace. This hour-long webinar from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) includes presentation slides and a learning guide. 

Self-paced trainings on disability inclusion 

Discover what makes a workplace disability-inclusive through this series of seven free online trainings from EARN. Each course will take you about 10-15 minutes to complete. 

Implicit Bias & People With Disabilities 

The American Bar Association developed this guide to help you understand what implicit bias is, how it’s harmful, and solutions to combat its negative effects. 

Hiring People with Disabilities

A disability-inclusive workplace starts with hiring diverse and talented workers with disabilities.  

Resources for inclusive recruiting 

Learn about laws and regulations that impact recruitment for people with disabilities, how to use inclusive messaging and branding in your recruitment materials, and ensuring accessibility during the recruitment process. 

Resources for inclusive hiring 

Find practical information on accessible interviewing, inclusive hiring and onboarding, and special hiring strategies for federal agencies, state employers, and small businesses. 

What types of jobs can people who are blind or have low vision do? 

With the right accommodations and training, people who are blind or have low vision (B/LV) have the same capabilities as anyone else and there are no “jobs for blind people.” View a list of successful people who are B/LV working in a variety of fields. 

Why hire workers who are blind or have low vision? 

Discover the benefits of hiring workers who are B/LV and federal and state hiring incentives that are available. 

Legal requirements for hiring someone who is blind 

Learn how the ADA protects job candidates and workers who are blind from recruitment to onboarding and beyond. 

Accommodating visual impairments during the employee selection process 

Get practical tips on how to help the hiring process run smoothly. 

FAQ: Inquiring Minds Video Series 

Check out some short videos that will answer questions employers may have about hiring someone with B/LV. 

Supporting Employees in the Workplace

Offer your employees the right support so they can participate and contribute fully in the workplace.  

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

JAN offers free consulting services and a wealth of resources for employers on all aspects of the job accommodation process from accommodation ideas to finding product vendors to ADA compliance assistance. 

JAN Workplace Accommodation Toolkit

If you’re an employer wanting to move beyond just basic compliance, this comprehensive toolkit provides guidance and resources for developing a strong accommodation infrastructure within your business. You’ll find useful information for recruiters, hiring managers, supervisors, managers, and IT team members, as well as training videos and accommodation policies you can put into practice. 

How can I help a current employee who is experiencing blindness?

Explore tips and resources to support an employee who is losing their vision. 

Human Resources Guide for Working With Employees Experiencing Vision Loss 

A publication by the National Research & Training Center on Blindness & Low Vision with information on how to recognize vision loss in an employee, job accommodations, and rehabilitation programs. 

Understanding invisible disabilities in the workplace 

Invisible disabilities are physical, mental, or neurological conditions that can’t be observed outwardly such as autism spectrum disorder, depression, and ADHD among others. Learn how these conditions affect workers and how to support your employees with invisible disabilities. 

Applying Performance and Conduct Standards to Employees with Disabilities

This EEOC publication offers practical guidance and clarification for employers and employees about performance and conduct issues that may be caused by a disability.