Americans with Disabilities to Fill Job Openings
Oct. 2021
By. Alan Hubbard
It’s hardly news that America is experiencing a labor shortage, started by COVID-19 in 2020 that is still with us now.
One estimate, according to the Washington Post, says there are 8.4 million Americans collecting unemployment benefits, while there are 10 million jobs available. A CNBC survey of a select group of chief financial officers at major corporations in the United States said it is 95 percent harder to hire employees.
So, what’s happening here? Some workers have elected not to return to the office in the traditional setting, making professional and personal choices to stay in a remote environment. A Harris Poll survey in May for USA TODAY showed that about 40 percent of workers don’t want to go back to their office full-time.
As a nonprofit organization that has helped Americans with disabilities find at-home jobs for more than 25 years, NTI has long been a champion for remote work, even when it wasn’t possible. We knew the day would come where employees would want to work remotely, and companies would be offering it to keep their employees.
Another fact we are seeing is Baby Boomers leaving the workforce via retirement, with more than three million Americans retiring last year, compared to the usual two million, according to a Pew Research Center study. The number is expected to level off when we reach post-COVID-19 status, but it isn’t going to drop below the traditional levels.
The United States is also building back from the jobs lost because of the virus and shutdowns. While the jobs come back, though, there is still the matter of filling them. Ending unemployment benefits will help bring people back into the workplace, but still, American companies will be looking for workers.
That's where hiring Americans with disabilities can play a big role, especially as prejudices and stigmas are removed in the workplace, and a better understanding is developed. As we celebrate National Disability Employment Month, this is a great opportunity for companies to recognize the talents, work ethic, and desire Americans with disabilities bring to the workforce.
In the 31 years since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, strides have been made to help businesses realize the value of expanding their talent pool to include people with disabilities.
Now with the changes in the workplace, newly accessible technology, the move to more remote work, and the employee shortage during COVID-19, this is a time of change, and Americans with disabilities should be a big part of the solution.
Alan Hubbard is the chief operating officer at NTI, a nonprofit organization that helps Americans with disabilities and their family caregivers find at-home jobs. You can register for free at www.nticentral.org.