How to Make the Hiring Process Accessible for Disabled Candidates

10 tips that go beyond an EEO statement.

I often see companies touting themselves as inclusive by way of an EEO statement in a job post, but then the only way to request interview accommodations is by phone, or the applicant must be able to lift over fifty pounds. Just these two endeavors alone eliminate Deaf and Hard of Hearing candidates, nonverbal applicants, those with any mobility-related disabilities, as well as disabled candidates who do not have access to a phone. Already, the company has failed to be accessible. Indeed, many may be deliberately trying to exclude disabled candidates due to ableist misconceptions about our productivity, discomfort surrounding accommodations, or plain stubbornness to try their hand at innovation. I’m not here to convince people to hire us with the business case or a personal appeal. Rather, I want to share ten tips that show how easy it is to make your workplace accessible way before signing contracts.

1. Rethink the Job Description.

Is it absolutely crucial for the job to be able to lift 50 pounds? How often will the person need to be able to lift that weight in a given work week? Are there dollies, forklifts, or other coworkers one could enable to help move that weight around instead? The point is, being able to lift that amount of weight may be necessary for a warehouse job, but not for most office jobs, for example. Is it necessary that a candidate be able to see? If so, will all candidates who wear glasses or contacts not be considered despite their qualifications? Will the assistive technology that many blind people already possess not be allowed in the workplace? While perfect vision may be of utmost importance for a pilot, that’s not the case for a teacher. Think about all technical aspects of the job and assume that accommodations are possible for each aspect, rather than automatically eliminating disabled candidates who may be a great fit for the job.

2. Provide a List of Available Accommodations.

Disabled job applicants often debate whether or not they should disclose their disabilities before being hired. Many of us may need accommodations in the interview, or we have visible disabilities, so we may not have a choice but to disclose. We know we are already at a disadvantage, so we may minimize our accommodation needs so that you will still give us a chance. In order to combat the power dynamic inevitably created in this instance, offer a list of accommodations you can reasonably provide either in the job post or early on in the job process. This not only makes the candidate feel more comfortable disclosing their needs upfront, knowing that their chances of being hired aren’t automatically thrown out the window by virtue of being disabled, but also manages expectations on both ends.

3. Include Pictures of Disabled POC Who Are Not In Wheelchairs On Your Website.

Every time I go to an “inclusive” company’s website, there is without fail a picture of a white man in a wheelchair to represent disability inclusion. For fear of stating the obvious, these images are representative of only a tiny portion of the disabled population. Many disabilities are invisible and thus cannot be photographed, but it’s time to move past the wheelchairs. Focus on capturing accessibility in motion, such as assistive technology being used, or a conversation in a Signed Language happening. Prioritize photographing people of color, transgender people, and nonbinary people who are also disabled. That way, those very same applicants can see themselves working for the company and be represented in the company’s image.

4. Send the Rejection Email Within One Week or Less.

If your HR department does not send out rejection emails, you are actively harming the mental health of applicants. Sending a mass email template takes no more than five seconds, but makes all the difference to someone who is waiting on pins and needles for news that could potentially change their life. The uncertainty of whether or not we will hear back or be ghosted is utter hell for neurodivergent jobseekers in particular, because we feel unable to proceed with normal life until we hear back, which is almost never a guarantee these days. For the ease of applicants, a minimum of two emails should be sent: one initially after the application has been submitted confirming that the application has been received, as well as giving a timeframe for when the candidate can expect to hear back, and the second being the rejection or the invitation for an interview. This kind of transparency makes a world of a difference for people whose lives hang in the balance.

5. Have Disabled People on the Board and in HR.

Disabled people should be represented at all levels in a company, not just confined to the lowest-level, lowest-paying jobs. When disabled employees are in the board meetings, they can ensure that the company’s practices benefit everyone, including disabled employees. A secretary with a chronic illness who is facing ignorant remarks from her superiors will not feel able to speak up on their own, but if there is a representative on the board, perhaps a unit on disabilities could be included in the new L+D program. Furthermore, when disabled people are put in charge of the hiring process, it is all but guaranteed that it will become more inclusive for everyone.

6. Make Sure Your Employee Bathrooms are Wheelchair Accessible.

Depending on your jurisdiction or the age of your office building, the entrance may or may not already be accessible via a wheelchair ramp. However, the issue lies in the inaccessibility of the employee headquarters. A ramp in the front without an accessible bathroom for employees suggests that disabled people are allowed to enter, but no one ever considered that they might work there. Companies should not wait until disabled employees are hired to make their workplaces accessible. Make the bathrooms wheelchair accessible. Offer desks at varying heights. Have quiet spaces for work or relaxation. The more you can plan for these things in advance, the easier integration will be for future disabled employees.

7. Avoid Personality Assessments.

Quizzes like these not only waste applicants’ time, but are ineffective at gauging personalities best suited for the job if everyone is dishonest on them. Neurodivergent people in particular overthink their responses on these personality assessments to the point where we give up on applying. From my point of view, it seems that the primary goal of these exams are to assess how complacent the individual is, and second, how likable they are. Both objectives should be thrown out altogether, and replaced with the question of how enjoyable this person will be to work with. Thinking in the long term, this is why fostering workplace connectivity would be more beneficial than screening for mutable personalities. If people are trained on conflict resolution, empathy, and team-building, everyone can be their best selves at work despite personality differences.

8. Allow Learning On the Job.

There are many barriers to obtaining qualifications for certain professions, such as university tuition not being affordable, certification programs not having closed captions, or classes not being accessible by public transportation. These barriers can prevent disabled candidates (and non-disabled candidates, for that matter) from becoming qualified for jobs in which there is actual upward mobility. If you already have a training program in place, there may not be a need for applicants to have any qualifications except the ability to learn quickly. If you do not have a training program, ask if it is possible to establish one. In order to see how effectively a candidate can pick up the job duties, think about holding a one-day paid trial to gauge how soon they could begin working autonomously. It is my prediction that this will lower turnover rates as well as give unemployed people immediate funds that they may desperately need.

9. Set Up a Calming Interview Room.

Interviews are stressful for everyone involved. Imagine how much more doable the process would seem if there were candles, plants, and fidget toys in the room? While a spa waiting room is not in the budget for everyone, an effort to make the environment as relaxed as possible will greatly improve the candidate’s ability to represent themselves well. Even the most competent of people may suck at interviews, so it’s vital to reduce nerves in the most anxiety-inducing part of the hiring process.

10. Make Sure Your Website Follows Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

If applicants cannot read or listen to your website, they cannot apply to begin with. Hire web accessibility experts to make sure the application is screenreader compatible, and minimize areas where applicants have to type in information that is already written on the submitted resumes. Check if the fonts are legible for those with dyslexia, and high contrast for those with colorblindness. This will ensure that disabled candidates interested in working at your company are privy to all the information they need from the get-go.

Accessibility is not nearly as expensive or complicated as people make it out to be. I hope these tips were helpful in giving you ideas on how to make your workplace accessible before, during, and after the hiring process. I could do a whole article on the interview process alone, so let me know if you’re interested.

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