Best Practices for Disability Inclusion

We’ve talked before about how law firms should prioritize disability inclusion. Ahead of National Disability Independence Day on July 26 — a federally recognized day to celebrate the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) — we wanted to round up some of the best practices for creating inclusion for people with disabilities.

The sad truth is that lawyers with disabilities often are hesitant to self-identify. They worry colleagues and clients will treat them differently and that disclosing a health challenge will affect their career path. We all have a part to play in creating more inclusive environments, where employees feel safe bringing their whole selves to work. Have you considered these methods for removing physical and digital barriers for individuals with disabilities?

1. Make it easy for individuals with disabilities to self-identify. This can be accomplished with an annual firmwide survey — and language matters. A study found significantly more employees self-identified when asked to disclose a “qualifying condition” rather than a “disability.” The benefits of self-identifying are two-fold: It shapes legal professionals’ view of disabilities by showing them that they already are working with people with disabilities, even if they didn’t realize it. And asking people to self-identify demonstrates a firm’s commitment to fostering an inclusive culture.
2. Ensure that everyone knows the process for requesting accommodations. Create an ongoing process for individuals to ask for support, such as a quarterly firmwide email inviting employees to submit accommodation requests. The key is to check in with all employees. Asking only a subset of employees may leave individuals feeling called out. In addition, regular check-ins ensure that the firm reaches individuals whose health challenge is new or has progressed over time.
3. Cover all of the firm’s accommodations from a central fund. With a centralized accommodations fund, managers and HR do not need to worry about how approving a request will impact their department’s budget.
4. Update the firm’s videoconferencing policy. Make sure your policy allows for cameras to be off during calls. For people with a variety of health challenges, this can be a helpful accommodation, and it’s not one every employer thinks about. Communicate about this change, and the reason behind it, to make sure employees know they can make use of it without fear of stigma.
5. Make firm events fully accessible. Whether it’s a client event, bar association meeting or networking opportunity, venues and activities should be accessible to all. Hosting events in accessible spaces and including access information on event invites demonstrates the firm’s support of individuals with disabilities and signals they are welcome in the legal profession.

There’s a strong business case for hiring people with disabilities. An inclusive culture helps firms attract and retain talent, and companies that lead in disability inclusion generate stronger revenue and profit. For a look at firms getting it right, check out Vault’s rankings for Best Law Firms for Individuals with Disabilities.