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POWERED BY INCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

“It could be something like having an adjustable might be able to do most of the job but not all of it
workstation or allowing an individual to be up more often could be incorporated into the team.
if they need to be moving around,” said Rosingana. “There
are not going to be excessive costs. Sometimes when you “All it takes is for someone to reach out to us and let us
are thinking about hiring a person with a disability and it know they are interested and that they do want to hire
comes to accommodation being necessary, the cost is a people with disabilities,” said Sinha.
concern many employers may have. However, it may be
one that is unfounded.” When Justin Caine was attending college, he held a
part-time job in a local restaurant for several years. He
Though there is a learning curve involved, Sinha says he was continually passed over for promotions and
says there are lots of community resources available was relegated to the entry level position because of his
to assist, including at Peckham, where employers disability. Caine says persons with disabilities deserve
can access job coaches, obtain help determining more opportunities to advance into higher positions
appropriate accommodations and even visit a in the workplace, so he started an organization called
workplace to do job carving, which helps carve out ‘Beyond Our Barriers’ to help connect persons with
specific steps of a job so that a specific person who disabilities to career opportunities and helping more

HOW TO BECOME A MORE INCLUSIVE EMPLOYER

According to Rachel Mularz of Selective Case Management, employers that want to
ensure they have an inclusive application process for individuals with disabilities will
want to consider the following items:

1 Have an accessible web platform that a screen 5 Focus on the essential functions of the job.
reader can read and include audio. 6 Using person first language.
2 Make sure the area for in-person interviews is 7 Understand that accommodations are not
accessible. limited to just adjustments to physical
3 Promote and honor requests for reasonable equipment or modifications.
accommodations.
4 Inform candidates of tests or assessments
ahead of time.

“Management and leadership that are recruiting and interviewing benefit from understanding what the
Americans with Disabilities Act does to clarify accommodations, as well as accomplishing diversity and sensitivity
training; this will help the entire process be more accessible, not just for persons with disabilities but for
everyone,” said Mularz.

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