Chamber Looks to Disabled Worker Pool To Address Labor Shortages

U.S. Chamber Looks to Disabled Worker Pool To Address Labor Shortages

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Chamber of Commerce today addressed the nation's growing labor shortages by encouraging employers to turn to the pool of disabled Americans who are unemployed, but fully able and willing to work.

"Maintaining and expanding this country's workforce is a top priority for employers and businesses," said Thomas Donohue, Chamber President and CEO. "Part of that effort includes tapping into the disabled worker population and other under-utilized groups."

Speaking at the fifth annual Business Leadership Network meetings in Washington, Donohue told business leaders that immigration reform, education investments and pushing for higher productivity can all boost workforce numbers but that forward-thinking is vital to sustaining the labor pool in the long term.

There are nearly nine million Americans with significant disabilities who want to work, but currently don't have jobs, according to the Chamber. Despite laws that protect disabled workers from workplace discrimination, the employment rate among disabled workers has changed very little since the 1980s.

Most crucially, too many employers are unaware of the vast pool of disabled workers, do not know how to tap into it, or are concerned about the costs and challenges associated with such hirings.

"Companies that have hired disabled workers have benefited from hard-working, dependable and productive employees," continued Donohue. "Only by getting the word out about these successes will we make the hiring of disabled workers the rule rather than the exception."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million companies of every size, sector and region.

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