Ways You Can Help Employees with Disabilities Maximize Their Benefits

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that 22.5% of people with a disability were employed — the highest recorded ratio since comparable data was first collected in 2008.

Many human resources and total rewards professionals have recognized the unique skill sets found in this workforce segment and have sought ways to attract and retain these workers. However, the HR/TR job doesn’t start and end there. One critical (and sometimes overlooked) task is helping employees with disabilities fully understand and maximize their benefits.

In an effort to shed light on October’s designation as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), Workspan Daily spoke with several experts on how organizations can maximize their resources to support these workers.

Promoting an Inclusive Workplace

Conor Hughes, an HR consultant, author and speaker, said there has been an increase in the working population of people with disabilities, partially due to more inclusive hiring practices and remote work opportunities, and a broader understanding of what constitutes a disability.

“With the expansion of definitions and recognition of conditions, there’s been a noticeable shift in how companies approach disability inclusion,” he said.

The bottom line: There is more recognition of these workers and fewer boundaries to their employment.

But promoting a positive and inclusive work environment can still come with its own set of challenges. For example, employees with disabilities may fear discrimination when disclosing their accommodation needs pre- and post-hire, said Carole Mendoza, vice president of benefits at Voya Financial.

To mitigate those concerns, Mendoza said employers should:

Provide mandatory training for HR and for functional leaders that addresses support and access to accommodations.
Encourage senior leaders to share their disability stories to support openness and foster inclusivity.
Recognize employees (with their permission) who have publicly disclosed their disability and utilized accommodations.

Personalized Benefits

While the work spelled out in the previous section is foundational in nature, Hughes emphasized the need for HR and TR professionals to thoughtfully and strategically convey employee benefits to aid workers who need accommodations.

“Employers should provide clear, accessible communication about benefits during onboarding, open enrollment and periodically throughout the year,” he explained. “Offering personalized consultations with HR or benefits specialists can also help employees navigate their options.”

Since there are many forms of disabilities, employers can adopt a flexible benefits strategy that allows employees to pick and choose the benefit options that work best for their needs, Hughes said — for instance, a benefits menu approach, where employees can select from various offerings (e.g., mental health support, ergonomic equipment, financial assistance) may help ensure inclusivity.

Additionally, employers can provide specific resources to employees with disabilities that extend to caregiving.

Mendoza provided several examples:

A concierge service that will identify a dedicated care coordinator to help care for loved ones who are aging, chronically ill, disabled or in need of medical care.
Special employee assistance programs (EAPs) that match employees and their family members with experienced clinicians to provide insight into the disabilities and caregiving community.
Backup in-home care for children and older adults who need support ordinarily provided by the employee.
No-cost financial consultations to employees in a disability situation, including assistance with Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) accounts, and understanding government benefits and how they coordinate with employee benefits.

“These are easy benefits to implement and provide fast ROI [return on investment] with reduced absenteeism, enhanced productivity and improved morale,” said Jennifer Miceli, director of compliance success at OneDigital. “These benefits reinforce the whole-person approach to employee engagement.”

Over time, providing a robust employee benefits package can help meet the needs of all employees and help people with disabilities have agency over their future with informed planning and action, Mendoza said.

Improving Benefits Communication

To effectively communicate benefits for employees with disabilities, Hughes, Mendoza and Miceli recommended several strategies for employers:

Create a communication plan. Employers should consider the levels and diversity of disability when creating a communication strategy to ensure benefits are clearly conveyed and made as accessible as possible to all.
Focus on accessibility and multiple delivery channels. This includes using plain language, providing information in different formats (i.e., text, video, audio) and ensuring all digital communications meet accessibility standards.
Take a year-round communication approach. Continual communication (versus just upon hire or during open-enrollment season) may foster greater retention, understanding and utilization. Share how individual and collective benefits can meet their specific needs. Utilize webinars and in-person events to provide personalized messaging. And, cater content to address the issues and needs that matter most to them.
Don’t forget about promotion. Promote benefits in both one-on-one and group settings to create a culture of openness and support. Employer resources may also include reminders about additional benefits such as EAPs or indemnity plans.
Highlight success stories of employees who have benefited from accommodations. This can help to reduce stigma, create connection, and encourage more employees to seek and access support.

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

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