NDEAM: 8 Principles of "Good Jobs"

October is National Disability Awareness Month (NDEAM), and this year, the focus is “Access to Good Jobs for All.”

Everyone deserves a “good job.” But what exactly is a good job, and how do you know if you have one?

The US Departments of Commerce and Labor recently pinpointed eight principles as part of their Good Jobs Initiative that they say are essential for quality jobs – the kinds of jobs that support workers and their families. Jobs that benefit both local communities and the US economy and make businesses more competitive globally.

Let’s take a closer look at each of these principles through a disability-inclusive lens.

1. Recruitment and Hiring

The US Departments of Commerce and Labor notes that qualified applicants, especially those from underserved communities, should be actively recruited. 

How does this apply to the disability community?

Companies should reach out to the disability community and make their recruiting and hiring processes more accessible. Here are just a few ways to do this:

• Connect with disability-serving nonprofits and organizations

• Use a variety of mediums to find and recruit potential employees

• Make recruiting language more accessible

• Follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to make sure online content is accessible

• Share digital documents in multiple formats so that applicants can use the assistive technology they prefer

The Good Jobs Initiative recommends providing “reasonable accommodations” for people with disabilities during the application process.

They also recommend implementing hiring strategies designed to counter conscious and unconscious bias, like blind resume reviews. This is a process where all identification details (such as photos, gender, names, age, education and more) are removed from candidates’ resumes and applications. That helps hiring teams focus on candidates’ skills and experience instead of factors that lead to biased decisions.

2. Benefits

Full- and part-time workers should be provided with family-sustaining benefits – and that workers should be empowered and encouraged to use those benefits.

Benefits make up a significant portion of what companies provide to employees. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “The average benefits package is over 30% of an employee’s financial compensation.”

Here are some benefits to be aware of when considering a job offer that Disability Solutions has highlighted in the past:

• Insurance package (medical/dental insurance, flexible spending accounts)

• Paid time off/sick-leave, holiday pay, and vacation time

• Retirement contributions (401K, IRA, or pension plan)

• Bonus opportunities

• Stock options

• Educational assistance, training/advancement programs

• Work from home/hybrid work structures (commute time and expense if applicable)

• Non-traditional benefits or the perks a company offers its employees outside of the traditional benefits or compensation such as free food/beverages, parking/transportation, employee lounge, etc.

The Good Jobs initiative also recommends that organizations share examples with job applicants and employees that demonstrate to workers how they can and should use benefits like sick leave, parental leave, and more.

3. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)

All workers should have equal opportunity. They should be respected, empowered, and treated fairly. They shouldn’t face systemic barriers in the workplace.

The Good Jobs Initiative recommends that organizations study the operations of their workplace and adjust practices to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

They also recommend connecting underserved workers, including people with disabilities, with workers groups and mentors from underserved communities to help them identify resources and strategies for success in their workplace.

4. Empowerment and Representation

Workers should be able to take part in making decisions about their work, how it’s performed and organizational direction.

One way to do this is to create disability-focused Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). 

These groups can empower employees. Workers can come together and identify where organizations should make changes or improvements. They can provide feedback on how to make their workplaces more inclusive.

ERGs also allow employees with disabilities to get support from others with similar experiences and can provide networking opportunities.

The Good Jobs Initiative recommends that organizations collaborate with worker-centered groups or develop forums where employees can discuss their views about their workplace without any fear of retaliation.

They also recommend incorporating employee feedback into the workplace.

5. Job Security and Working Conditions

The US Depts. of Commerce and Labor says that workers should have a safe, healthy, and accessible workplace built on input from workers and their representatives.

They also note that employees should be free from harassment, discrimination and retaliation at work.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination in several areas, including employment. It also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants and employees with disabilities.

According to the US Dept. of Labor, a reasonable accommodation is an adjustment to a job, the work environment or the hiring process. These types of modifications allow people with disabilities to have equal opportunities to get jobs or successfully perform their jobs. 

ADA requires reasonable accommodations in three ways:

1. Making sure there is equal opportunity in the application process

2. Enabling people with disabilities to perform essential functions of their job

3. Making it possible for employees with disabilities to have equal benefits and privileges of employment

6. Organizational Culture

The US Depts of Commerce and Labor says that all workers should be valued, contribute meaningfully to the organization, and be engaged and respected, especially by their organization’s leadership.

One way for leadership to show engagement and respect is by committing to initiatives.

Here are a few initiatives company leaders can take to hold themselves accountable for disability inclusion:

• Communicate why disability inclusion is important to your business

• Educate yourself and your organization about disability inclusion

• Provide inclusion training

• Make sure the work environment is inclusive and that adequate policies are in place to support workplace accommodations

• Be transparent about progress

• Tie disability inclusion to companywide DEI initiatives

7. Pay

Workers’ pay should be fair, transparent and equitable. Disability Solutions has previously written about the importance of pay transparency in contributing to a culture of trust. 

Pay transparency is when a company decides to be open about what current and prospective employees earn as a step towards pay equity. 

Here are three benefits of pay transparency:

1. Equity: Identifying and addressing pay disparities based on disability and other factors can help make progress toward closing the wage gap.

2. Culture of Trust: transparency helps foster a culture where employees feel appreciated. A culture of trust leads to happier employees, who stay longer.

3. Productivity: Research suggests that employees who understand their employers’ pay structures are more motivated to perform better.

The Good Jobs Initiative also recommends auditing wages to help companies avoid pay disparities for women, people of color and other populations.

8. Skills and Career Advancement

The US Depts of Commerce and Labor says that workers should have equitable opportunities and tools to move on to future good jobs within their organization or outside of them. They should have transparent promotion or advancement opportunities.

The Good Jobs Initiative notes that organizations should provide information to all hires about opportunities for promotion and what steps and accomplishments will help employees reach those opportunities.

They also recommend that organizations work to make sure that all promotion and skills development opportunities reach all populations. They recommend setting up a mentorship program for people from underserved populations.

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Access to "Good Jobs" for All

NDEAM 2024 emphasizes the importance of providing all workers with disabilities the opportunity to pursue success in high-quality, non-discriminatory workplaces.

Organizations that implement these eight principles and build a culture of trust tend to have lower turnover, higher productivity and more stability and worker engagement.