Abstracts

Economic and Social Costs and Benefits to Employers of Retaining, Recruiting and Employing Disabled People and/or People with Health Conditions or an Injury: A Review of the Evidence. Edited by Karen Needels and Robert Schmitz, 2006. During the past 20 years, the United Kingdom has promoted fuller inclusion of people with disabilities into the workplace and, more broadly, into all aspects of public life. This volume identifies and synthesizes the best available evidence on the benefits and costs to UK employers of recruiting and retaining workers with disabilities. It addresses the following issues: (1) employers' understanding of disability and the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), (2) costs and benefits associated with employing people with disabilities, and (3) the extent to which public policy can alter the labor market outcomes of this population. 

Mathematica staff authored the following chapters:

"Overview of the Legislative and Labour Market Context for Disabled Workers." Debra Brucker and Robert Schmitz. The authors summarize the DDA and describe employer responsibilities, noting that 6.9 million working-age people in the UK were disabled under the DDA definition in 2005. Of this group, about half were employed during the year, compared with 78 percent of nondisabled people. As the population ages, the number of working-age individuals with disabilities will also grow, so policies encouraging employment are important to sustain economic growth.

"Framework for Employer Decision-Making." Karen Needels. This chapter provides a theoretical context for categorizing the economic forces that determine recruiting and retention of disabled and nondisabled workers. The model makes three important points: (1) employers want to find the right workers and retain them as long as possible, since recruiting is costly, (2) it is not possible to predict a candidate's productivity with certainty, and (3) some traits related to productivity are easy to assess, but others, such as self-assurance, appearance, and demeanor, may put candidates with disabilities at a disadvantage.

"Evidence-Based Recommendations for Policy and Research." Karen Needels. This chapter synthesizes the arguments and evidence presented in the entire volume. The author notes that policies must be developed with an eye toward distinctions among employers and people with disabilities, in particular, differences between small and large employers, public and voluntary entities, and mental and physical impairments. The chapter concludes with recommendations for future research.

"Guide to Employers for the Recruitment and Retention of Disabled People." Clara Williams and Craig Thornton. This appendix reviews factors and questions employers can consider in employment decisions.

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