About EARN
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) offers information and resources to help employers recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities; build inclusive workplace cultures; and meet diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) goals.
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EARN Partners
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EARN Staff
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FAQs
Who We Are
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User Agreement
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Accessibility Statement
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Privacy
User Information
Getting Started
Start here to learn how to recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities; why workplace inclusion of people with disabilities matters; and how EARN’s resources can help.
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Recruit
Build a pipeline of talent that includes people with disabilities.
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Hire
Identify people who have the skills and attributes for the job.
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Retain
Keep talented employees with disabilities, including those who acquire them on the job.
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Advance
Ensure that employees with disabilities have equal opportunities for advancement.
Phases of Employment
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Federal Government Employment
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Resource Library
A listing of EARN resources by topic.
Not an Employer?
Additional Resources
Dinah Cohen Learning Center
EARN’s Learning Center offers a wide range of training resources, including self-paced online courses.
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Additional EARN Resources
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Other ODEP Funded Centers
Other Tools
News & Events
EARN makes it easy to stay up-to-date on disability employment news and information. Start by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and eblasts, which will connect you to upcoming events, developing news and promising practices in the world of disability diversity and inclusion. And don’t forget to follow EARN on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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What's New on AskEARN
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Newsletters
EARN News
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Navigating Mental Health in Skilled Trade and Industrial Occupations
May 17, 2023 — 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Webinar Explore ways to support the mental health of skilled trade and industrial professionals at work. -
See All Webinars
A list of all webinars.
Upcoming Events
Resources for Finding Candidates with Disabilities
Explore resources your organization can use to source candidates with disabilities.
“Where can I find job candidates with disabilities?”
Many employers tell us that one of the greatest barriers they face in hiring people with disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, is that they have trouble finding candidates. That’s where effective outreach and recruitment strategies come in. Working with state and local service providers, such as vocational rehabilitation agencies, American Job Centers, Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and other community-based organizations, is key to helping you find candidates with disabilities with the skills, experiences and interests your organization needs.
- American Job Centers (AJCs): These centers located in communities throughout the country offer centralized employment and training services to help people both with and without disabilities prepare for and obtain employment. AJCs also help businesses recruit and hire qualified people with disabilities.
- Centers for Independent Living (CILs): These community-based nonprofit agencies are run by and for people with disabilities. They provide a variety of services, including those related to employment. They can help employers find qualified candidates with disabilities and provide advice on employment supports, such as transportation and technology, that may impact an employer’s ability to hire, retain and advance people with disabilities.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation/National Employment Team (NET): This is a nationwide network of business consultants that serve as employers’ points of contact for vocational rehabilitation (VR), the primary system of services and resources that specifically addresses the employment needs of people with disabilities. The NET’s focus is helping to ensure that the workforce needs of VR agencies’ business customers are met.
- Disability and Veterans Community Resources Directory: Maintained by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), this directory provides a list of organizations that can assist with training, recruiting and hiring people with disabilities and veterans.
- Employment Networks (ENs): ENs are private organizations or public agencies that have agreed to provide employment and vocational rehabilitation services and other types of support to beneficiaries with disabilities under the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work Program. Employers can contact one or more ENs in their area to let them know they are interested in employing people with disabilities and discuss the skills they need.
- Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies: These state and federally-funded programs help people with disabilities find, secure and retain employment. They also accept job postings from employers interested in hiring people with disabilities.
The following are job posting websites for employers interested in finding job candidates with disabilities.
- AAPD Career Center: Offers a job board for people with disabilities to search for jobs with leading employers. It is also a source for companies of all sizes to find job candidates with disabilities.
- abilityJOBS: Job board that connects job seekers with disabilities and employers. There is a fee for employers to post jobs.
- ABILITYJobFair: Offers accessibility online job fairs to help employers and job seekers with disabilities connect. Video, text chat, transcription and American Sign Language options are available.
- AbilityLinks.org: A free job board for people with disabilities and employers. To access the job board and post positions, you must create a user account.
- Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD): This membership organization supports a national network of university-based programs for people with disabilities and their families. It also offers a free job board for employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. For more information, email jmarks@aucd.org.
- Bender Consulting Services, Inc.: Provides recruiting support to connect employers with people with disabilities. Also offers training on disability employment strategies and accessible technology options.
- Disabled Person, Inc.: Offers a job board for hiring people with disabilities and provides tips to employers on inclusive hiring practices. Account registration is free. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Diversity Jobs: This job board helps employers find diverse job candidates, including people with disabilities and veterans. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Getting Hired: Getting Hired provides information, tools and resources to help inclusive employers hire people with disabilities, including disabled veterans. To access the job board and other resources such as training programs and accommodation solutions, employers must sign up to become a partner.
- OurAbility Connect: This job board connects people disabilities and employers. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Peak Performers: This nonprofit staffing and recruiting agency helps people with disabilities find jobs and employers connect with talent with disabilities.
- RecruitDisability.org: This job board for hiring people with disabilities partners with OneMoreWay.org, which provides information to employers interested in creating an inclusive workplace. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- The Viscardi Center’s Disability Employment Service (DES): This online job posting platform hosted by The Viscardi Center helps companies identify, reach and hire people with disabilities nationwide with the specific skills they’re looking for in a candidate. There is a fee for employers to post jobs.
- WRP.gov: The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a free recruitment and referral program that connects federal employers with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to demonstrate their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
- African American Conference on Disabilities: A national conference that addresses issues of interest and importance to Black people with disabilities.
- American Indian Disability Summit: A national conference that provides opportunities for networking, education and support for American Indians with disabilities.
- The Arc National Convention: A conference that creates opportunities from advocates, disability service professionals, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to discuss topics of such as employment, education, advocacy, housing and criminal justice.
- Association of People Supporting Employment First Conference (APSE): A conference that focuses on competitive integrated employment. Attendees include professionals who provide employment coaching services to job seekers and employees with disabilities.
- Consortia of Administrators for Native American Rehabilitation (CANAR) Conference: An annual conference that highlights issues of importance related to employment of Native Americans with disabilities. CANAR is a key partner of state vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Conferences: CSAVR holds two conferences each year (in the spring and the fall) to provide networking opportunities for VR professionals and others interested in employment of people with disabilities.
- Disability:IN Annual Conference: A global corporate disability inclusion conference that attracts employers from around the world. Attendees have the opportunity to connect with job seekers with disabilities who are part of Disability:IN's NexGen Leader Initiatives.
- Harkin International Disability Employment Summit: A summit that brings together individuals and organizations to discuss how people with disabilities can achieve their career goals and other topics related to disability employment.
- National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD): A conference attended by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and representatives of DD Councils throughout the country.
- National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Annual Conference: A conference that provides networking, advocacy and learning opportunities for self-advocates and professionals with disabilities. Members of Congress, government officials and other advocacy organizations also attend.
- National Organization on Disability (NOD) Leadership Council Annual Forum: A forum that brings together NOD Leadership Council members and corporate partners in disability workforce inclusion to network and learn from roundtable discussions and keynote speakers.
- Partners for Youth with Disabilities Youth Leadership Forum (YLF): An annual forum that helps youth and young adults with disabilities build leadership skills and prepare for employment, higher education and independent living. YLF is held annually in Massachusetts and other states across the country.
- Project SEARCH Annual Conference: A conference that helps employers learn about best practices and tools to improve and expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Inclusion Conference: An annual conference for HR professionals to promote diversity, equity and inclusion practices in the workplace.
- TASH Conference: An annual conference that brings together disability advocates and others to discuss best practices and network.
- Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service (VR&E): This service helps employers across the country fill workforce needs with trained, educated and experienced disabled veterans. It provides recruitment assistance based on employers’ specific qualification requirements, and candidates are skilled and pre-screened.
- Hire Veterans: A job board for hiring veterans. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Job Opportunities for Disabled Veterans: A nonprofit job board for hiring veterans with disabilities. There is a fee for employers to post jobs and search resumes.
- Military.com: A resource center, forum and job board for hiring veterans. Learn more about the benefits of hiring veterans, tax credits for employers, how to post jobs and more.
- Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) Conferences: CSAVR holds two conferences each year (in the spring and the fall) to provide networking opportunities for VR professionals and others interested in employment of people with disabilities.
- National Veterans Foundation Jobs for Veterans: This nonprofit organization provides resources to veterans and their families and offers a free job board for employers interested in hiring veterans. To post a job, email admin@nvf.org.
- U.S. Department of Labor Hire Veterans Website: Has resources for employers interested in hiring veterans, including a Veterans Hiring Toolkit and information on where to get one-on-one assistance. Learn more about posting jobs.