Avoiding the Compliance Trap - An Initial Guide to Disability Affirmative Action Regulation in the United States

A Catalyst to Create Shareholder Value

Representing a population of 1.3 billion globally, people with disabilities (PWD) are an emerging market the size of China. The US Government has enacted new rules aimed to improve employment rates amongst PWD. These rules mandate that all federal contractors employ 7% of their workforce as someone with a self-disclosed disability. Disability is now on par with race and gender under affirmative action. Unto itself, this mandate will not lead to large-scale hiring, as Canadian and European experience shows. It does cause firms to focus on a market most know nothing about, providing opportunity to build both ‘social’ and shareholder value.

Avoiding the Compliance Trap - An Initial Guide to Disability Affirmative Action in the United States - 2014.pdf