For the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.(Proj. 2511)
1) In-depth interviews (IDIs) with subject matter experts in State Government and the private sector (n=6).
2) In-depth interviews among employers of individuals with developmental disabilities (n=10).
Studies Regarding Employment Opportunities for People With Developmental Disabilities
First conducted in 2005
Repeated 18 years later in 2023 with a focus on the new challenges and opportunities for employment
Research objectives:
Thank you to these agencies, businesses and other organizations for participating in the qualitative portion of this very important study:
Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, DEED
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Minnesota Department of Human Services, DHS
HIGH IMPACT Mission Based Consulting Services, Allan Bergman
We very much appreciate the insights provided by these 10 employers who participated in the qualitative interviews.
PROFILE
of companies that employ people with disabilities
MOTIVATION
Why some companies employ people with disabilities
FLEXIBILITY and ACCOMMODATIONS
Why new and different hiring mindsets and processes are needed
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Ratings of employees with, and without, disabilities
NON-EMPLOYERS
Why companies DO NOT currently employ people with disabilities
FUTURE OUTLOOK
For hiring people with disabilities
At the location where you work does your organization employ any individual with any disability? Q8
Don't Know 2%
No 29%
Yes 69%
Do any of the individuals employed at your location have a developmental disability?** Q11
Don't Know 6%
No 10%
Yes 84%
n=138
Among employers in Minnesota at locations with 5 or more employees:
n=201
Employers at locations with less than 5 employees were not included in this survey.
The respondents were shown this definition of developmental disability:
Developmental disability refers to people with the most significant disabilities, such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, or individuals with two or more disabilities; manifested before age 22; attributable to a mental and/or physical impairment; and the lifelong need for assistance that is individually planned and coordinated.
See appendix for detail on employees' types of disabilities.
Companies that employ people with disabilities tend to be much larger, and more likely to be involved in retail trade or manufacturing, compared to those that do not currently employ people with disabilities.
5 – 19 people
11% Yes
50% No
20 – 99 people
15% Yes
19% No
100 – 499 people
39% Yes
29% No
500 or more people
35% Yes
2% No
* Employers at locations with less than 5 employees were not included in this survey
See appendix for detail on the number of people with disabilities employed, by company size.
Having a company culture that embraces diversity, with a workforce that represents their communities, are more important reasons why companies employ people with disabilities, compared to the practical need of filling positions when there is a shortage of workers in Minnesota.
Quote from an Employer
The most recent change is the aftermath of George Floyd's murder, with racial and cultural inclusion. Businesses get their act together in expectation of the public and of their employees. Hopefully this will lead to long term diversity. DEI opens the door to a lot of marginalized groups.
Over half of the businesses that employ people with disabilities (57%), were assisted by Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
38% Through a government CareerForce Center
45% Through a non-governmental, employment agency
57% One or more individuals with disabilities, alone or with a family member or other advocate, have come directly to us and applied for employment
Voice of Employer regarding Vocational Rehabilitation Services:
I'm not a special ed teacher, I don't have the training. I partner with Vocational Rehabilitation (services); they have the understanding. They come into my business and learn what we need. it's scary, but partner with an expert and they'll help with the process.
Employers gave high satisfaction ratings for services received from Minnesota DEED and CareerForce Centers, and slightly lower but still high satisfaction ratings for non-governmental employment agencies.
How satisfied are you with:
the Vocational Rehabilitation Services from DEED?
97% Top Box Total
Q18 n=79
the service you received from the CareerForce Center?
92% Top Box Total
Q20 n=53
the service you received from the non-governmental, employment agency?
89% Top Box Total
Q22 n=62
Flexibility in hiring processes are often required of companies that employ people with disabilities.
Quotes from Employers
With a typical job you Apply – Interview – Tour the workplace. For people with developmental disabilities, we do that backwards: Tour – Interview (what do they want to do and is this appropriate for them) – Tour again – Apply. Applications can be a huge barrier; we do that as a later part of the process.
Our hiring process is maybe slightly modified depending on what the candidate needs... If somebody needs their job coach to come along with him to the interview, that's completely fine. If there's some other assistance that they need, we talk through that before the interview process.
Do you have any positions that you have created specifically for individuals with disabilities? Q29
Don't Know 3%
No 43%
Yes 54%
Has an employment specialist ever been provided to your organization, to support an employee with a disability? Q32
Don't Know 4%
No 38%
Yes 59%
Just over half of employers (54%) have needed to provide accommodations for their employees with disabilities. (Various physical accommodations are shown below; process accommodations are shown on the next slide.)
Did any of your workers require any type of workplace accommodations for their disability? Q24
Don't Know 4%
No 25%
Yes 71%
The most common process accommodations enable employees with disabilities to work from home.
Did any of your workers require any type of workplace accommodations for their disability? Q24
Don't Know 4%
No 25%
Yes 71%
Half of the accommodations made for people with disabilities cost their employers less than $1,000; about a third (35%) costs between $1,000 and $5,000. Though costs were more than anticipated for 28% of employers, only 3% believed the costs of accommodations outweighed the benefits of employing people with disabilities.
The top-2 most important factors to successfully employ individuals with disabilities have to do with motivation and skills of the prospective employee.
Quotes from Employers
You must have leadership from the top-down communicating that this is important to the organization, because there will be some growing pains. There can't be enough communication about why we're doing this, why this is important.
If we know that there's somebody that's going to be coming in who, for instance, has a job coach and needs an accommodation, we talk through all that before the individual starts, in detail with the manager. And I also make sure that they understand that if anything ever comes up and you're scared or it seems weird or you just don't know how to handle it, just call me.
Employers appear to be equally satisfied with employees with disabilities as they are with their employees without disabilities, but for different reasons.
Quotes from Employers
Maybe they won't be as efficient, but an employee with developmental disabilities will bring a lot to your team culturally. They've motivated our other associates, also our guest experience has been elevated... They're so happy to be there working, it brings up the whole team. Happier associates provide better guest services which means more repeat business.
Employees with disabilities are valuable. They bring a lot to the job work ethic, attitude and loyalty. In a convenience store there is typically high turnover, but for people with developmental disabilities it's significantly less, at least half. It costs a lot of money to hire and train new employees, so loyalty is important.
Employees with disabilities are valued and appreciated for their positive attitude, loyalty, and impact on other employees and the companies as a whole.
All things considered, how satisfied are you with your employee(s) with disabilities, as compared to your other employees, who do not have a disability?
Very Satisfied
Employees with disabilities 51%
Employees without disabilities 54%
Somewhat Satisfied
Employees with disabilities 43%
Employees without disabilities 39%
Voice of Employers
The most amazing thing I saw was the complaining almost stopped from my current employees. It was unbelievable. They got to see how important it was to somebody else. It changed the whole attitude and people became very accepting, very forgiving, very understanding. It was amazing to see how my own people changed for the better when we started doing this.
Among companies that do not currently employ individuals with disabilities, six-out-of-ten (62%) have employed individuals with disabilities in the past.
At the location where you work, does your organization employ any individual with any disability? Q8
Don't know 2%
No 29%
Yes 69%
Some employers are fearful of the unknown, and express concerns about the potential complexities of employing, managing, and working with people with disabilities.
Voice of Employers
They're scared, right? "Like, I don't know how to manage that person. I don't know how to talk to that person." So, there's kind of a fear factor that nobody would admit to.
If employers don't have experience, it's fear of the unknown. Employers are just trying to do what they have to do with limited resources, and knowing what they know.
n=201
Concern for making a hiring decision that cannot be defended to senior management
Employers 23%
Non-employers 50%
Concern for safety issues
Employers 29%
Non-employers 47%
Concern for cost of accommodations
Employers 25%
Non-employers 43%
Concern for higher supervision and training costs
Employers 24%
Non-employers 43%
Concern for lower quality of work
Employers 21%
Non-employers 43%
Supervisors' inadequate knowledge of what accommodations should be made
Employers 23%
Non-employers 43%
Concern for increased worker's compensation claims
Employers 26%
Non-employers 43%
Current non-employers of people with disabilities are most concerned about senior management reactions to their hiring decisions, as well as concerns for safety and costs of employing people with disabilities.
Employers (n=138)
Non-Employers (n=58)
Our company's lack of information on disabilities
Employers 26%
Non-employers 41%
Concern about productivity levels
Employers 28%
Non-employers 41%
Our company's unfamiliarity regarding hiring of people with disabilities
Employers 21%
Non-employers 40%
Concern for employees with disabilities exhibiting unusual behavior
Employers 20%
Non-employers 40%
Concern for increased insurance rates
Employers 12%
Non-employers 40%
Concern for coworker acceptance
Employers 28%
Non-employers 36%
Fear of lawsuits brought by employees covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Employers 21%
Non-employers 34%
Concern employees with disabilities would lack skill and experience that we need
Employers 18%
Non-employers 34%
Employers that currently do not employ people with disabilities are more likely to Agree Strongly with every statement representing a barrier, or hesitation, to employing individuals with disabilities, as compared to current employers of people with disabilities.
Employers (n=138)
Non-Employers (n=58)
For both current employers and non-employers, the most attractive benefits of employing people with disabilities were the same:
Compared to current employers of people with disabilities, the non-employers were more attracted to the idea that people with disabilities could fill positions when there is a shortage of workers in Minnesota.
All respondents were shown the following statement . . .
Professionals from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), along with its partnering organizations, work directly with businesses to help them find the right candidates, resulting in successful integrated employment for people with
disabilities.
... and then they were asked this question:
If someone from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), or one of its partnering organizations, were to contact you regarding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, how likely would your organization be to pursue the possibility of hiring a person with a disability? Q44
Among employers that currently do not employ people with disabilities, 72% would be likely to pursue the possibility of hiring a person with a disability, if contacted by DEED or one of its partnering organizations.
Currently Employ People with Disabilities (n=138)
Likely Total 89%
Do Not Employ People with Disabilities (n=58)
Likely Total 72%
Minnesota's private sector employers gave very high ratings to the State for its efforts to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Employers rated the State's employment efforts on a 1-9 Excellence scale.
The State of Minnesota has a vested interest in improving job opportunities for people with disabilities. From your experiences, and anything you may have read, seen, or heard, how would you rate the State of Minnesota as a whole, on its efforts to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities?
63% Better than good!
23% Good
13% Less than good
State's efforts acknowledged by employers:
Equal opportunity activism
There is increasing conversation and activism concerning fair representation and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
It is possible for companies to recruit and hire people with disabilities by partnering with agencies that specialize in serving people with disabilities, such as vocational rehabilitation agencies.
Tax Credits and other Incentives
Businesses in Minnesota that hire people with disabilities may receive tax credit or other incentives.
A majority of employers in Minnesota, at locations with 5 or more employees, employ individuals with disabilities:
Two-thirds (69%) say they employ persons with disabilities
Eight-out-of-ten of them (84%) believe they employ persons with developmental disabilities
Companies that employ people with disabilities tend to be much larger, and more likely to be involved in retail trade or manufacturing, compared to those companies that do not currently employ people with disabilities.
Almost half of the companies that do not currently employ people with disabilities (47%) said their business was in Professional, Scientific, Tech Services.
Just over half of employers (54%) have needed to provide accommodations for their employees with disabilities.
Half of the accommodations cost less than $1,000 on average, per employee;
About a third (35%) cost between $1,000 and $5,000.
Though costs were more than anticipated for 28% of employers, only 3% believed the costs of accommodations outweighed the benefits of employing people with disabilities.
Employers are equally satisfied with their employees with disabilities as they are with their employees without disabilities, but for different reasons.
Employees with disabilities are valuable. They bring a lot to the job work ethic, attitude and loyalty.
For all employers at locations with 5 or more employees, whether they currently employ people with disabilities or not, the most attractive perceived benefits of employing people with disabilities were the same:
Compared to current employers of people with disabilities, the non-employers were more attracted to the idea that people with disabilities could fill positions when there is a shortage of workers in Minnesota.
Employers that do not currently employ people with disabilities, 72% would be likely to pursue the possibility of hiring a person with a disability, if contacted by DEED or one of its partnering organizations.
Over half of the businesses that employ people with disabilities (57%), were assisted by Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) from the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).
97% were satisfied with VRS services,
56% were very satisfied
38% of businesses that employ people with disabilities were assisted by a government CareerForce Center.
92% were satisfied with the CareerForce Center services,
58% were very satisfied
Minnesota's private sector employers gave very high ratings to the State for its efforts to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
An exemplary public and private sector partnership!
64% Better than good
Which of the following types of disabilities do (your employees) have?
(Please check all that apply) (Q10) (n=138)
A condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, lifting or carrying
50%
Cognitive disability
46%
Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing
45%
Blindness or low vision
43%
Autism
27%
Unsure, Don't know
2%
Other Disability
1%
YES (n=138) NO (n=58)
5 – 19 people
Yes 11%
No 50%
20 – 99 people
Yes 15%
No 19%
100 – 499 people
Yes 39%
No 29%
500 or more people
Yes 35%
No 2%
Though the larger organizations are more likely to employ larger numbers of people with disabilities, a third of the largest employers, with 500 or more employees in total, have locations that employ fewer than 5 people with disabilities.
Which of the following best describes the location where you work? Q3
Franchise or satellite office for larger corp. 11%
Corp HQ or Sole Office 89%
TOM PEARSON, Managing Director
t.pearson@marketresponse.com
SUSAN McCULLOUGH, Sr. Research Director
s.mccullough@marketresponse.com
DEREK PEARSON, Sr. Research Manager
d.pearson@marketresponse.com
LYNN SCHREIFELS, Research Analyst
l.schreifels@marketresponse.com
Enhancing Employment Opportunities for People with Developmental Disabilities
QUANTITATIVE survey research, conducted by Market Response International, April 2023
For the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities.(Proj. 2511)