Implications of Workplace Accommodations for Persons With Disabilities

Abstract

Demand-side and supply-side factors are explored related to workplace accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Employers who had sought and received consultation from the Job Accommodation Network were later contacted for a follow-up interview. The data from these 1,293 interviews include effectiveness of customized employment, direct benefits to employers, and indirect benefits to employers. The primary demand-side benefits of effective accommodation implementation identified by these employers were (a) retained a qualified employee, (b) increased the overall company's productivity as well as employee's productivity, (c) eliminated cost of having a new employee, (d) increased overall company morale, and (e) increased the accommodated employee's attendance.

KEYWORDS:

• accommodation
• customized employment
• disability
• employee supply-side
• employer demand-side
• job
• productivity
• work
• workplace