Response by Tom Jedlowski, Director of Communications and Technology at the Tennessee Disability Coalition
Recently, the New York Times ran a terrific opinion piece highlighting a very simple truth: prejudice is a profit killer.
Many employers simply think it’s too costly to hire a person with a disability. Worse than that, many assume they’ll be unable to meet the benchmarks of the job or bring down morale.
In reality, this is short-sighted and prejudicial. It’s just poor business sense.
In Senator Ted Kennedy Jr.’s “Hiring People with Disabilities is Good Business” he outlines several examples of employers with fantastic inclusion programs. He talks about the best practices they share and how these practices are paying off in a big way.
“Companies that championed people with disabilities actually outperformed others - driving profitability and shareholder returns. Revenues were 28 percent higher, net income 200 percent higher, and profit margins 30 percent higher.”
Hiring people with disabilities is a smart choice. Let’s cultivate inclusive business in Tennessee.