How to Find Qualified Employees with Disabilities
Communicating and Interviewing Someone with a Disability

How to Find Qualified Employees with Disabilities

There are many resources available online to find qualified employees with disabilities:

State of Hawai`i Department of Human Services
The Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, a department within the State of Hawai`i Department of Human Services connects employers to individuals with disabilities who are seeking employment.

Hawai`i Centers for Independent Living (HCIL)
Among many other offerings, HCIL offers ADA Employment Training and related resources to employers.

Goodwill Industries of Hawai'i
Goodwill Industries of Hawai'i provides a free referral service for employers who are seeking qualified employees. On this site, employers may also advertise and recruit free of cost.

Hawai'i Workforce Infonet
Hawai'i Workforce Infonet maintains website content that helps employers find information about different industries, current wages for occupations and lists of training providers that offer programs in the skills they need for their employees.

LO'IHI
This state site houses valuable Labor and Occupational Information for the state of Hawai`i. Hirenet Hawaii can also be found here.

TICKET TO WORK
TICKET TO WORK is funded by the Social Security Administration with additional support from the U.S. Department of Labor. It is a free national referral service to assist employers in hiring motivated, qualified workers with disabilities.

Employer Assistance Referral Network
The Employer Assistance Referral Network, Department of Labor, connects employers with job vacancies to employment service providers who have direct access to job ready individuals with disabilities. It also provides technical assistance to employers in locating appropriate organizations and information as they seek to hire qualified candidates with disabilities.

Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities
The Workforce Recruitment Program, provided by the Department of Labor, is a resource for businesses nationwide to identify qualified employees for temporary and permanent positions. Applicants are highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates eager to prove their abilities in the workforce.

ForEmployers.com
ForEmployers.com is a website that helps employers find qualified workers with disabilities. Also on their site is information about accommodations and assistive technology along with laws that govern employment for individuals with disabilities.

U. S. Business Leadership Network
The U. S. Business Leadership Network is an organization that provides networking and support for best practices in employment. On their site you will find conference information and other resources. Local chapters can be formed and currently exist as listed on this site.

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Communicating with and Interviewing someone with a disability

When interviewing, it is unlawful to question a person about the existence, nature or severity of a disability. Questions should always be directed at the person's ability to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. The following resources provide information about legal concerns employers may have, as well as the social aspects of communicating with people with disabilities.

Preparing to Interview Someone with a Disability
Questions to Ask During an Interview
How to Interact with Someone with a Disability

Preparing to Interview Someone with a Disability

If the disability of your applicant is known or if an accommodation has been requested for the interview, there are some things that employers can do to make the interview a positive experience for both the employer and the applicant.

Interviewing Scheduling Etiquette
This handbook, provided by the City of San Antonio, provides a simple interviewing schedule checklist to help you prepare for an interview with an individual who has a disability.

Best Practices for Interviewing Disability Candidates - San Antonio Handbook
Handbook for Disability Candidate Etiquette

Service Animals
The City of San Antonio provides this online handbook published by the City of San Antonio. Find valuable information about interviewing applicants who use the aid of service animals.

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Questions to Ask During an Interview

If you are an employer there are certain things that you can and cannot ask an applicant or employee who has a disability. Employers CANNOT ask:

• "Do you have a disability?"
• "What kind of disability do you have?"
• "Is your disability serious?"
• "How will your disability affect this job?"
• All other questions relating to a person's disability

Employers CAN ask:

• "This job requires you to input information into a computer using Excel. Can you tell me about your experience in this area?"

If the applicant has a known disability, (for example, brought a seeing-eye dog to the interview), the employer may ask, "This job requires you to input information into a computer using Excel. Can you describe how you would accomplish this?"

The following sites provide additional information on what can and cannot be asked during an interview with an individual with a disability:

Employer Tips on Interviewing Applicants with Disabilities
The National Center on Workforce and Disability has prepared an extensive list of tips for employers when interviewing applicants with disabilities.

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How to Interact with Someone with a Disability

When working with or preparing to interview someone with a disability, it is important to be aware of the proper etiquette to use when interacting with people with disabilities. To learn about disability etiquette and how to properly interact with people with disabilities, visit any of the following:

Interacting with People with Disabilities
Community Resources for Independence is a nonprofit organization serving persons with disabilities. This page provides helpful guidelines on interacting with people with a disability.

Disability Etiquette Handbook
The City of San Antonio provides an accessible online handbook that deals specifically with employment and etiquette when interacting with people with disabilities. Other topics also include Reception Etiquette and Conversation Etiquette.

Disability Sensitivity Training
 Resource for simple and effective way to expose groups large and small to the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Workplace Disability Sensitivity Training - DOL
 Resource for diversity in the workplace & disability etiquette ... .

Watch Your Language
The National Center of Workforce and Disability provides valuable information in an easy-to-read format on the use of proper terms and language to use when working with persons with disabilities.

Department of Labor
The DOL provides information on employment and other labor related topics on its website.

CareerOneStop.com
CareerOneStop.com is a federal-state partnership. On this site you can find job and labor market information for your state.

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