1. SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People With
Disabilities: Practices and Policies Related to
Accessibility and Accommodation
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR
School Employment and Disability Institute
May 17, 2012
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012

2. Introduction
SHRM, in collaboration with and commissioned by the Cornell University ILR School Employment and Disability
Institute, conducted a survey with its members about organizational practices and policies related to employing
people with disabilities. Areas focused upon in this survey research included:
 Part 1: Recruitment and Hiring (Released April 11, 2012)
 Part 2: Accessibility and Accommodation (Released May 17, 2012)
 Part 3: Retention and Advancement (To be released soon)
In addition, the survey explored metrics that organizations track for all employees as well as for employees with
disabilities, and potential barriers in the employment of and advancement of people with disabilities.
The data findings included in this document focus on Part 2 of the research: Practices and Policies Related to
Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees with Disabilities.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
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3. Part 2:
Policies and Practices Related to
Accessibility and Accommodation
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
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4. Study Purpose, Partners and Funding
 Study Purpose: to provide new knowledge about differences in HR practices related
to hiring, retaining and advancing individuals with disabilities, and the relationship
between these practices and positive employment outcomes.
 Partners: SHRM, in collaboration with Cornell University.
 Funding: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research grant to Cornell University, Rehabilitation Research and
Training Center on Employer Practices (Grant No. H133B040013).
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
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5. Definitions
For this survey we define a “person with a disability” as someone who has a
physical and/or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. This
could include (but is not limited to) individuals with a physical disability, a chronic
health condition, a vision or hearing impairment, a mental health condition, or a
workplace injury or illness.
We define an “effective practice or policy” as one that leads to improved
recruitment, hiring, retention, engagement, workplace climate and/or advancement
of people with disabilities.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
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6. Key Findings
 What policies and practices related to accessibility and accommodation for people with disabilities
are currently being implemented by organizations? Three out of four (75%) organizations designate
an office or person to address accommodation questions. Organizations also allow employees to
exceed the maximum duration of medical leave as an accommodation (73%) and require training for
supervisors on legal requirements of disability non-discrimination and accommodation (73%). Majority
of organizations have established grievance procedures to address reasonable accommodation issues
(68%) and evaluate pre-employment occupational screenings to ensure they are unbiased (65%).
 Among organizations that have implemented policies and practices related to accessibility and
accommodation for employees with disabilities, which policies and practices were found to be very
effective? More than one-half of organizations (56%) indicate that having a centralized
accommodation fund (i.e., companywide fund to provide accommodations for people with disabilities)
was a very effective practice. In addition, a designated office or person to address accommodation
questions (54%) and a formal (i.e., written, documented) decision-making process for the case-by-case
provision of accommodations (54%) were found to be very effective practices related to the
accommodation of employees with disabilities.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
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7. Key Findings (Continued)
 Are some organizations more likely to have policies and practices related to accessibility and
accommodation for people with disabilities depending on the organization’s staff size or
sector? Larger organizations are more likely to have polices and practices related to accessibility
and accommodation of people with disabilities compared with smaller organizations. Publicly
owned for-profit organizations also are more likely to have some of these policies and practices
in place compared with privately owned for-profit organizations and nonprofit organizations.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
7

8. Policies and Practices Related to Accessibility
and Accommodation
Our organization…
Has a designated office or person to address accommodation
questions (n = 613) 75% 25%
Allows an employee to exceed the maximum duration of
73% 27%
medical leave as an accommodation (n = 557)
Requires training for supervisors on legal requirements of 73% 27%
disability non-discrimination and accommodation (n = 585)
Has an established grievance procedure to address reasonable
accommodation issues (n = 582) 68% 32%
Evaluates pre-employment occupational screenings to ensure
65% 35%
they are unbiased (n = 547)
Yes No
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
8

9. Policies and Practices Related to Accessibility
and Accommodation (Continued)
Our organization…
Provides advance notice to job applicants that reasonable
accommodations are provided during the job application 63% 37%
process (n = 552)
Has a formal (i.e., written, documented) decision-making
process for the case-by-case provision of 47% 53%
accommodations (n = 558)
Regularly reviews the accessibility of our online application
system to people with visual, hearing, finger dexterity and 30% 70%
cognitive impairments (n = 481)
Has a centralized accommodations fund (i.e., companywide 20% 80%
fund to provide accommodations for people with disabilities)
(n = 505)
Yes No
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
9

10. Effectiveness of Policies and Practices
Our organization… Very Somewhat Not Effectiveness
Effective Effective Effective Not Known
Has a centralized accommodations fund (i.e.,
companywide fund to provide accommodations for 56% 27% 2% 15%
people with disabilities) (n = 99)
Has a designated office or person to address
54% 28% 2% 17%
accommodation questions (n = 461)
Has a formal (i.e., written, documented) decision-
making process for the case-by-case provision of 54% 24% 1% 21%
accommodations (n = 262)
Evaluates pre-employment occupational screenings
50% 31% 1% 17%
to ensure they are unbiased (n = 353)
Note: Respondents who answered that a policy and practice related to accessibility and accommodation was “not in place,” “in development / under review” or
“don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
10

11. Effectiveness of Policies and Practices
(Continued)
Our organization… Very Somewhat Not Effectiveness
Effective Effective Effective Not Known
Requires training for supervisors on legal requirements
of disability non-discrimination and accommodation 46% 38% 1% 15%
(n = 426)
Allows an employee to exceed the maximum duration of
45% 35% 1% 19%
medical leave as an accommodation (n = 406)
Has an established grievance procedure to address
45% 31% 0% 24%
reasonable accommodation issues (n = 398)
Regularly reviews the accessibility of our online
application system to people with visual, hearing, finger 40% 30% 2% 28%
dexterity and cognitive impairments (n = 144)
Provides advance notice to job applicants that
reasonable accommodations are provided during the 39% 35% 1% 25%
job application process (n = 349)
Note: Respondents who answered that a policy and practice related to accessibility and accommodation was “not in place,” “in development / under review” or
“don’t know” were excluded from this analysis. Percentages may not equal 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
11

12. Comparison by
Organization Sector
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
12

13. Definition of Sectors
 Publicly owned for-profit organization is a limited liability company that offers its
securities (stock/shares, bonds/loans, etc.) for sale to the general public, typically
through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over-the-counter
markets. This is separate and distinct from a government-owned corporation, which
might be described as a publicly owned company.
 Privately owned for-profit organization is a business company owned either by
nongovernmental organizations or by a relatively small number of shareholders or
company members. This organization does not offer or trade its stock (shares) to the
general public on the stock market exchanges, but rather the company's stock is
offered, owned and traded or exchanged privately. Less ambiguous terms for a
privately held company are unquoted company and unlisted company.
 Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers
to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals rather than to
distribute them as profit or dividends. States in the United States defer to the IRS
designation conferred under U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c), when the IRS
deems an organization eligible. A nonprofit organization may or may not have
shareholders.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
13

14. Comparison by Organization Sector
Our organization…
regularly reviews the accessibility of its online application system to people with visual, hearing, finger dexterity
and cognitive impairments
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (44%) Privately owned for-profits (24%) >
profits profits
evaluates pre-employment occupational screenings to ensure they are unbiased
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (78%) Privately owned for-profits (58%) >
profits profits
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
14

15. Comparison by Organization Sector
(Continued)
Our organization…
has an established grievance procedure to address reasonable accommodation issues
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (78%) Privately owned for-profits (61%) >
profits profits
allows an employee to exceed the maximum duration of medical leave as an accommodation
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (81%) Privately owned for-profits (69%) >
profits profits
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
15

16. Comparison by Organization Sector
(Continued)
Our organization…
has a formal (i.e., written, documented) decision-making process for the case-by-case provision of
accommodations
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Privately owned for-profits (38%) Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (65%) >
Nonprofits (41%) profits profits, nonprofits
requires training for supervisors on legal requirements of disability non-discrimination and accommodation
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Privately owned for-profits (67%) Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Publicly owned for-profits (86%) >
Nonprofits (68%) profits profits, nonprofits
has a centralized accommodations fund (i.e., companywide fund to provide accommodations for people with
disabilities)
Organization sector Differences based on organization sector
Publicly owned for-profits (33%) Publicly owned for- privately owned for-
Privately owned for-profits (11%) >
Nonprofits (28%) profits , nonprofits profits
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
16

17. Comparison by
Organization Staff Size
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
17

18. Comparison by Organization Staff Size
Our organization…
regularly reviews the accessibility of its online application system to people with visual, hearing, finger
dexterity and cognitive impairments
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (19%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (52%)
100 to 499 employees (21%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations
25,000 or more employees (73%)
500 to 2,499 employees (29%)
provides advance notice to job applicants that reasonable accommodations are provided during the job
application process
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
2,500 to 24,999 employees (74%)
1 to 99 employees (52%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations
25,000 or more employees (80%)
evaluates pre-employment occupational screenings to ensure they are unbiased
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (55%) 2,500 to 24,999 employees (80%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations
100 to 499 employees (53%) 25,000 or more employees (88%)
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
18

19. Comparison by Organization Staff Size
(Continued)
Our organization…
has a centralized accommodations fund (i.e., companywide fund to provide accommodations for people with
disabilities)
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (9%)
100 to 499 employees (17%)
25,000 or more employees (59%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations
500 to 2,499 employees (19%)
2,500 to 24,999 employees (24%)
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
19

20. Comparison by Organization Staff Size
(Continued)
Our organization…
has a formal (i.e., written, documented) decision-making process for the case-by-case provision of accommodations
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (38%) 2,499 to 24,999 employees (62%)
Larger organizations > smaller organizations
100 to 499 employees (35%) 25,000 or more employees (74%)
requires training for supervisors on legal requirements of disability non-discrimination and accommodation
Smaller organizations Larger organizations Differences based on organization staff size
1 to 99 employees (62%) 2,500 to 24,999 (83%) Larger organizations > smaller organizations
Note: Respondents who answered “don’t know” and “in development/under review" were excluded from this analysis. Only statistically significant differences are
shown.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
20

21. Demographics: Organization Industry
Percentage of
Industry
Respondents
Manufacturing 26%
Finance and insurance 12%
Professional, scientific and technical services 12%
Retail trade 12%
Wholesale trade 9%
Transportation and warehousing 8%
Accommodation and food services 7%
Entertainment and recreation 5%
Information 5%
Utilities 5%
Construction 4%
Educational services 4%
Note: n = 637. Total does not equal 100% due to multiple response options .
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
21

22. Demographics: Organization Industry
(Continued)
Percentage of
Industry
Respondents
Health care and social assistance 4%
Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional and similar organizations 4%
Repair and maintenance 4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 3%
Administrative and support and waste management and
2%
remediation services
Management of companies and enterprises 2%
Public administration 2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 1%
Mining 1%
Personal and laundry services 1%
Other 8%
Note: n = 637. Total does not equal 100% due to multiple response options .
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
22

23. Demographics: Respondents by Organization
Sector
Privately owned for-profit organization 56%
Publicly owned for-profit organization 28%
Nonprofit organization 14%
Other 3%
Note: n = 611. Percentages do not equal 100% due to rounding.
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
23

24. Demographics: Respondents by Organization
Staff Size
1 to 99 employees 23%
100 to 499 employees 28%
500 to 2,499 employees 24%
2,500 to 24,999 employees 18%
25,000 or more employees 7%
n = 627
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
24

25. Demographics: Other
Does your organization have U.S.-based Is your organization a single-unit or a multi-unit
operations (business units) only or does it organization?
operate multinationally? Multi-unit organization: An organization
80%
U.S.-based operations only 60% that has more than one location
Single-unit organization: An organization in
Multinational operations 40% which the location and the organization are 20%
n = 617 one and the same
n = 635
For multi-unit organizations, are HR policies and
What is the HR department/function practices determined by the multi-unit corporate
responded for throughout this survey? headquarters, by each work location or both?
Multi-unit headquarters determines HR
Corporate (companywide) 57% 51%
policies and practices
Facility/location 26% A combination of both the work location
and the multi-unit headquarters 46%
Business unit/division 17% determine HR policies and practices
n = 519 Each work location determines HR
3%
policies and practices
n = 516
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
25

26. Further Information Available
 SHRM® Disability Employment Resource Page
www.shrm.org/disabilityemployment
 HR Tips
www.hrtips.org
 Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)
www.askEARN.org
 Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
http://askjan.org
 National ADA Network
www.adata.org
 Cornell Employment and Disability Institute publications online
http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu
 Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University
www.ilr.cornell.edu/edi
 U.S. Disability Status Report
www.disabilitystatistics.org
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
26

27. Survey Methodology
 Response rate = 23%
 Sample consisted of 662 HR professional respondents from a randomly selected
sample of SHRM’s membership.
 A series of e-mail reminders along with a call campaign were used to encourage
survey participation.
 Margin of error is +/-3%.
 Survey fielded October 19-December 15, 2011
• For more survey/poll findings, visit www.shrm.org/surveys
• For more information about SHRM’s Customized Research Services, visit www.shrm.org/customizedresearch
• Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research
SHRM Survey Findings: Employing People with Disabilities - Practices and Policies Related to Accessibility and Accommodation for Employees With Disabilities.
In collaboration with and commissioned by Cornell University ILR Employment and Disability Institute ©SHRM 2012
27