Employment Best Practices

Employment best practices begin with a strong understanding and commitment to workplace diversity. NOD and our corporate partners are committed to building a workforce that mirrors our customers and clients. Maximizing corporate diversity means including individuals with disabilities. The result is improved creativity, enhanced innovation, and elevated customer service—essential aspects to achieving premier status as a diverse employer.

Inclusion and diversity in the workplace means embracing all aspects of differences: race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnic background, and disability. Companies improve their business by creating an environment of inclusion and by demonstrating, in practice, the value of each individual.

Resources

The following resources provide guidance and information about employment best practices to ensure an environment of diversity and inclusion:

CEO Council

NOD provides CEO Council members with resources for building a universally inclusive workplace, guidance on expanding successful recruitment of people with disabilities, and workplace safety advice for employees with disabilities. We work closely with CEO Council members to support and expand their unique diversity goals. Find more about the benefits of joining NOD’s CEO Council.

Best Practices for Hiring Veterans with Disabilities

Deployment has left some veterans with injuries; it has also given them considerable ingenuity, resilience, and adaptability. Some employers, despite their desire to hire disabled veterans, have concerns about employing veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Traumatic Brain Injury. NOD has joined with Give an Hour—an organization that links veterans with mental health services—to produce the following guides on how to successfully integrate veterans into your company:

Tax Credit and Accessibility Information

Businesses with 30 or fewer employees or total revenues of $1 million or less may use a credit of up to $5,000 a year to offset costs associated with altering facilities, using interpreters, or other improvements to accessibility for customers or employees with disabilities. All businesses can take a deduction of up to $15,000 each year for the cost of removing barriers in facilities or vehicles.

To help business owners and decision makers understand the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and tax incentives, the Department of Justice has created the ADA Guide for Small Businesses, the ADA Tax Incentive Packet, and a new series of ADA Business Briefs, all available on the ADA Business Connection page of the Department of Justice website.

Businesses can also get answers to ADA questions and order publications by contacting the ADA Information Line at (800) 514-0301 (Voice); or (800) 514-0383 (TTY).

Tips for Successful Meetings That Include Interpreters

For meetings that include employees who may have a hearing disability, including an interpreter in the planning process is not much different than coordinating a conventional meeting. To ensure the best use of participants’ time, the same protocol applies. Follow the steps below to increase your chance of a successful, productive meeting with an interpreter:

Start and end meetings on time. (Often interpreters cannot stay late.)
Choose a moderator and someone to take notes for the meeting.
Distribute an agenda ahead of time and stay on course as much as possible. (Be sure interpreters have copies of printed materials.)
Remind participants to speak clearly and loudly enough for the room.
Take turns talking and be sure that everyone has a chance to participate according to his or her role.
Throughout the meeting, periodically summarize progress made.
Record action items and associated timeframes for completion in the minutes.
Distribute meeting minutes promptly.

Additional Considerations

Small informal meetings that are no longer than one hour can usually be handled by a single interpreter working alone. However, larger meetings involving topics of discussion that may be complex and difficult may require an interpreting team. Work with interpreters and referral agencies ahead of time to decide what is best for your meeting.

Position interpreters where they can hear and see as well as where they can be seen and heard. Often a seat beside the moderator or presenter is ideal.
Interpreters are not meeting participants. Do not include them in ice-breakers at your meetings. Give interpreters the option of introducing themselves to the group if they wish.
Include interpreters in planning meals and snacks.
Consider recording your meetings (this is often simple when you have dial-in participants). Deaf participants (and others) can review parts of the meeting which might have been missed (with an interpreter).
Follow up privately with deaf participants about meeting dynamics.

Understanding Lag Time

Interpreters (and real-time captioners) are always at least a fraction of a second behind both speakers and signers because they cannot know what will be said in advance. Lag time makes it difficult for deaf participants to smoothly join in group conversation. A moderator can ensure that deaf participants have a chance to contribute. Allow for lag time when posing a question to a deaf participant.

Interpreters Need Context

Context is especially important for interpreters in technical settings. Their understanding and their ability to accurately interpret will improve with exposure to your workplace. Use certified interpreters and establish an ongoing relationship with them. Ask for interpreters who work well with your employees by name when you contact your referral agency. Reliable agencies will send the individual professionals you ask for when they can.

For more information, visit the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), a national certifying organization.

The National Organization on Disability

It's ability, not disability, that counts.

For Business Leaders