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Inclusion@Work: A Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization

Explore strategies for creating disability-inclusive workplace cultures and meeting your organization's diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) goals.

Inclusion at Work wheel graphic

What’s the third largest market segment in the U.S.? The answer might surprise you. It’s not a particular race, gender, or cleverly named age cohort.  It’s people with disabilities. The size of this population—more than 50 million strong—surpasses Hispanics, Black Americans and Asian Americans, as well as Generation X and teens.  Add in their families and friends, and you’re looking at billions of dollars in purchasing power.

Want a slice? Any smart business owner would.  As with any customer segment, one of the best ways for a company to tap into it is to ensure it is represented in its workforce.

Inclusion@Work provides a path. Developed with input from a range of employers with exemplary track records in disability employment, the Inclusion@Work Framework outlines seven core components of a disability-inclusive workplace, along with a menu of strategies for achieving them.

Please note that some of the strategies described in Inclusion@Work are requirements for federal contractors covered by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. However, none of the strategies included in the Inclusion@Work Framework create any new legal requirements for employers, or change current ones. Rather, they are common-sense guidelines that can work in any workplace.