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The Florida Grantor, Fall 2003

Study Reveals Florida Employers' Attitudes Toward Workers with Disabilities

How do Florida employers measure up in their attitudes toward workers with disabilities? As an organization that promotes the hiring of individuals with disabilities, the answer to this question is important to the daily operation of The Able Trust, also known as the Florida Governor's Alliance for the Employment of People with Disabilities. In an effort to learn more about the attitudes of this target audience, The Able Trust and JM Foundation for Vocational Rehabilitation commissioned a study to explore employer attitudes.

As a whole, the study results were positive, revealing employers have positive attitudes toward disability practices and policies. However, the study did disclose some notable findings including a difference in attitudes between Chamber and non-Chamber groups.

Based on study findings, employers belonging to a Chamber group are more sensitive to the needs of workers with disabilities and possibly to the advantages of hiring them. In general, Chamber members are more experienced in dealing with employees with disabilities and more aware of disability issues, programs, and services.

Overall study findings show nearly two-thirds of employers lack an awareness of disability issues and have no established policy for hiring individuals with disabilities. Likewise, the majority of employers were not familiar with agencies and programs that assist with the hiring of people with disabilities, especially those agencies providing financial assistance.

The Able Trust hopes to improve employers' knowledge of disability issues and services in the next year with an aggressive campaign to educate employers on hiring resources. If you would like more information about the study and to see the resources available for employers looking to hire people with disabilities, visit The Able Trust website at www.abletrust.org.