Are you looking to level the playing field for your job search? Luckily, there are many agencies dedicated to doing just that for people with disabilities. And some of this help is as close as your fingertips.
The Internet has a multitude of resources. You can go to any search engine and type in "disabilities employment," and many options come up. To save you some time, here are some of the better and more comprehensive Web sites:
- Office of Disability Employment Policy: From the US Department of Labor, this site provides information on employers who have indicated interest in recruiting and hiring qualified individuals with disabilities for open positions within their companies or organizations.
- Job Accommodation Network: This is practically a one-site-does-it-all resource set up by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. If you want to speak with an advisor about your particular job-seeking issues, you can call an expert in your particular disability.
- Employer Assistance & Resource Network: This is a free nationwide service that connects employers with job placement professionals who can identify qualified candidates with disabilities for their job openings.
- Disabled Businesspersons Association: If you're an entrepreneur or would like to be, the Disabled Businessperson's Association is the resource for you. So far, only a mission statement is available, but keep watching for more information.
- The National Organization on Disability: In addition to keeping workers current on the National Organization on Disability's most recent developments, this organization's Web site provides the latest in disability-related news, information and resources.
Exploring these sites will give you lots of information about employment for people with disabilities, and the better informed you are, the better you can target your job search.