Accommodating people with disabilities cost little to the businesses and contributes positively to the society, opined Katherine Hadda, Consul General of the US Consulate, Hyderabad.
Addressing a workshop for human resources managers of various segments to share the best practices for creating positions for persons with disabilities and train them here, she cited several examples of US companies reporting positive effect on their businesses after opting for persons with disabilities.
At the workshop organised in association with the Indian School of Business, Deque Systems, Enable India and Access Deeds Solutions, she cited a 2012 study in the US that revealed that 57 per cent of accommodations that the companies make actually cost nothing while the other accommodations typically cost under $ 500 each, according to a press release.
She said the US government adopted the ‘Americans with Disabilities Act’ in July 1990 which is the most comprehensive federal civil-rights statute protecting the rights of persons with disabilities. It provides access to employment, services, public accommodation, public transportation, and more.
The US government, she said, also offers an annual tax credit of $ 5,000 to small businesses to comply with the ADA and to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. A full tax deduction of up to $ 15,000 per year is also available for expenses of removing architectural and transportation barriers. By 2005, the rate of employment among persons with disabilities in the US rose to 45 per cent and by 2012 that number increased again by 15 per cent.
