34 DIVERSEability Magazine www.diverseabilitymagazine.com
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
VIRTUAL PROGRAM LIBRARY
YOUR HUB FOR
Virtual museum and destination tours Guided online classes and clubs Virtual employment support resources And more!
Learn more at TheArc.org/Virtual
Teach hiring managers about the reasonable accommodation process and other programs that may benefit employees. Confirm that hiring managers understand that all applicants are to be held to the same standard. Educate hiring managers about what they can and cannot ask during the interview process as it relates to disability. Practice disclosure conversations during an interview, so they are prepared for what to do should the topic of disability come up during the interview.
Accessible Interviews: What You Need to Know
Companies have an obligation to make rea- sonable accommodations during the hiring process to enable candidates with disabili- ties to participate in the interview process. Reasonable accommodations should not be viewed as special treatment, rather that accommodations level the playing field for those who may need to approach the inter- view differently in order to best demonstrate their skills and abilities. Remember that the goal of the interview is to accurately assess the candidate's skills, qualifications and expe- rience for the position they are applying to. A checklist of best practices to ensure accessible interviews is provided below. Make sure that any accommodations requested prior to the interview are in place before the candidate arrives. Visit the interview location before the interview to confirm it meets the candidates access needs. Check in with the candidate to see if they have what they need to participate in the interview fully once they are on-site. Allow service animals to accompany the candidate to the interview. Do not pet or distract the service animal. Ask job-related interview questions and those relevant to job functions. Focus on how the person plans to be effective in the position. Remember that you cannot ask any questions that are leading to reveal a candidates disability. Instead ask if the candidate can perform the essential functions of this job with or without a reasonable accommodation. Any candidate can be asked how they would perform a particular job task. If the candidate requires accommodations to do so successfully, ensure that they are provided. Remember to relax. Everyone is a little ner- vous in an interview situation. Do not let the fear of making a mistake in etiquette impact your ability to connect with the candidate.
Source: The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN)
Previous Page