How Much Will It Cost to

Accommodate an Employee

with a Disability?

According to the U.S. Department of

Labor, Job Accommodations Network

annual report, “Workplace

Accommodations: Low Cost, High

Impact” which concludes “workplace

accommodations not only are low

cost, but also positively impact the

workplace in many ways.” This report

found that more than half of requested

workplace accommodation cost

absolutely nothing for the companies

to implement.

Employers reported that providing accommodations resulted in such benefits as

retaining valuable employees, improving productivity and

morale, reducing workers’ compensation and training costs, and improving company

diversity. The report also found that other

accommodations had an average cost of $500.

Companies earn an average return of $28.69 for every

dollar invested in making an accommodation.

Let Us In;

It’s a Sure Win!

Progress Center for

Independent Living

7521 Madison St

Forest Park, IL 60613

Phone: 708-209-1500

Fax: 708-209-17355

Website: www.progresscil.org

How Employers Can Benefit

From Hiring People with

Disabilities

Are You Responding to Your

Consumer Base?

Customers with disabilities and their

families, friends and associates represent a trillion dollar market

segment.

A large number of Americans also

say they prefer to patronize businesses that hire people with

disabilities.

Respond to marketplace needs.

How Could You’re Products and

Services Benefit?

Stimulate new product and service

development through disability-inclusive diverse team.

Customize products and services to

increase profitability.

Employees with disabilities bring

unique experiences and understanding that transform a

workplace and enhance products and services.

Employer Benefits for Hiring People with

Disabilities People with disabilities represent a large,

untapped population of job seekers. As an

employer you may not know all the benefits

of employing people with disabilities.

People with disabilities have proven to be

dependable and reliable workers that have a

positive effect on the work environment.

Research has shown that employers and co-

workers feel that that employees with

disabilities are productive as any other

employee and did not notice any additional

workload. By hiring people with disabilities

you are promoting an inclusive work

environment. Not only are you promoting an

inclusive work environment, you are adding

someone to your team that may be helpful in

diversifying your products and/or services

from their unique perspective as a person

with a disability.

Many employers think that making

accommodations for an employee with a

disability will be a financial burden. The

truth is most accommodations cost nothing.

Furthermore, there are many tax incentives

for employers that hire people with

disabilities.

What Are The Tax Incentives?

Tax credits that help cover the cost of

accommodations for employees with

disabilities of a business that for the

previous tax year had either revenues of

$1,000,000 or less or 30 or fewer full-time

workers may take advantage of this credit.

The credit can be used to cover a variety of

expenditures, including:

- Provision of readers for customers or

employees with visual disabilities

- Provision of sign language interpreters

- Purchase of adaptive equipment

- Production of accessible formats of printed

materials (i.e., Braille, large print, audio

tape, computer diskette)

- Removal of architectural barriers in

facilities or vehicles

- Fees for consulting services

The tax deduction, established under

Section 190 of the Internal Revenue

Code, is now a maximum of $15,000

per year. A business of any size may

use this deduction for the removal of

architectural or transportation

barriers.

The Work Opportunity Credit

provides eligible employers with a

tax credit up to 40 percent of the first

$6,000 of first-year wages