This book is about the employment of people with disabilities in the United States and the important role of employer practices. Nearly one in five people report some form of disability, and they are only half as likely to be employed as those without disabilities. With the aging workforce and returning military veterans both contributing to increasing number of disabilities in the workplace, there is an urgent need for better ways to address continuing employment disparities for people with disabilities. Examining employer behaviors is critical to changing this trend. It is essential to understand the factors that motivate employers to engage this workforce and which specific practices are most effective. Disability and Employer Practices features research-based documentation of workplace policies and practices that result in the successful recruitment, retention, advancement, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

The Cornell team whose work is featured in this book drew from multiple disciplines, data sources, and methodologies to learn where employment disparities for people with disabilities occur and to identify workplace policies and practices that might remediate them. The contributors include individuals with expertise in the fields of business, economics, education, environmental design and analysis, human resources, management, industrial/organizational psychology, public health, rehabilitation psychology, research methods, survey design, educational measurement, statistics, and vocational rehabilitation counseling.

Susanne M. Bruyère is Professor of Disability Studies and Director of the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University.

[T]his book provides valuable information to academic researchers, industrial employers, and policy makers. Researchers can use this book as a guide-line of seeking collaboration with employers who can provide data for academic studies. Employers can use this book to gain benchmark information and practical recommendations for recruiting and accommodating employees with disabilities.And policy makers can use this book to think through multiple elements when formulating a new policy regarding disability in the workplace.