Work 54 (2016) 135–148 135

DOI:10.3233/WOR-162265
IOS Press

Review Article

Hiring people with disabilities: A scoping

review
Rebecca E. Gewurtz∗ , Samantha Langan and Danielle Shand
McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada

Received 14 August 2014

Accepted 13 July 2015

Abstract.
BACKGROUND: Many people with disabilities continue to encounter challenges trying to secure employment.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to synthesize existent knowledge about the hiring process for people with
disabilities and explore research priorities from the perspective of key stakeholders.
METHODS: A scoping review of the literature related to hiring processes and practices as they relate to people with
disabilities was undertaken. As part of the scoping review, seven key informant consultations were conducted in order to gain
further insight into the key issues identified by those most involved in the hiring process for people with disabilities.
RESULTS: Findings from the literature and consultations revolve around seven inter-related topics: 1) regulations
versus practice, 2) stigma, 3) disclosure, 4) accommodations, 5) relationship building and use of disability organizations,
6) information and support to employers, and 7) hiring practices that invite people with disabilities.
CONCLUSIONS: Although barriers to employment for people with disabilities have been examined in the literature, there
remains a paucity of literature examining and evaluating strategies to improve hiring practices and employment opportunities
for people with disabilities. Future research must occur in consultation with key stakeholders including employers, people
with disabilities, and employment support workers.

Keywords: Employment support, hiring process, disability accommodations, disability disclosure, stigma

1. Introduction people with disabilities are consistently lower than

Many individuals with disabilities want to work but
face barriers to finding, securing and keeping jobs.
Employment provides an effective way to combat
poverty, and is an important form of social participa-
tion that supports dignity and a sense of belonging [1].
As a result, much focus has revolved around devel-
oping effective employment supports for people with
disabilities [2, 3]. However, employment rates for
∗ Address
for correspondence: Rebecca E. Gewurtz, Assistant
Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster Univer-
sity, 1400 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, L8S 1C7, Canada. Tel.: +1
905 525 9140/Ext. 22189; E-mail: gewurtz@mcmaster.ca.
that of people without disabilities [1, 2, 4, 5] and peo-
ple with disabilities continue to face multiple barriers
to finding and keeping jobs [4, 6, 7].
Efforts have also been directed at dispelling nega-
tive assumptions about employees with disabilities.
Legislative advances have improved employment
standards for people with disabilities and mandated
reasonable accommodations in many jurisdictions.
Recent studies and reports have highlighted that
accommodations for employees with disabilities are
often low or no cost [1, 7, 8] and that people with dis-
abilities have lower rates of turnover and absenteeism
[5, 6, 9, 10] thereby advancing the business case for
hiring people with disabilities [6, 7, 11].

1051-9815/16/$35.00 © 2016 – IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved
136 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
Despite the importance of employment for people
with disabilities and efforts to improve employment
outcomes, many people with disabilities continue to
encounter challenges trying to secure employment.
The purpose of this study was to synthesize exis-
tent knowledge about the hiring process for people
with disabilities and explore research priorities from
the perspective of key stakeholders (including people
with disabilities, employment support workers, and
employers). These priorities can be used to inform
research efforts in this area, guided by a clear under-
standing of the impact of current hiring processes
and practices on this population, as well as the expe-
riences and insights of those most involved.
2. Methods
In order to take stock of existing knowledge and
identify research priorities, we conducted a scoping
review of the literature related to hiring processes
and practices as they relate to people with disabili-
ties. This approach to reviewing the literature is ideal
for research topics that are complex and have not
been systematically examined [12]. It is a literature
mapping exercise that can be used to: 1) summarize
the extent, range, and nature of the existing litera-
ture; 2) to determine the value of undertaking a full
systematic review on the topic; 3) to disseminate
existing evidence; and 4) identify research gaps and
set research priorities [13, 14]. It is a way to identify
“the current state of understanding” ([15], p.10) and
outline a future research agenda by describing what
has been written about a topic, and how has it been
explored and examined to date.
The scoping review framework developed by Ark-
sey and O’Malley [13] and advanced by Levac et al.
[14] includes six steps: 1) Identifying a research
question, 2) identifying studies, 3) study selection,
4) charting the data, 5) collating, summarizing, and
reporting the results, and 6) consultation with stake-
holders.
2.1. Identifying research question
Within a scoping review, the research question
needs to be clearly articulated in order to guide
the scope of project. We began our work by asking
the broad question: “What is currently known and
what do we need to better understand about hiring
practices for people with disabilities?” This broad
question allowed us to address the following research
objectives:
1. Identify what is currently known about hiring
practices and processes as they relate to people
with disabilities, and specify gaps in the existing
literature base.
2. Explore research priorities from the perspec-
tive of key stakeholders including job applicants
with disabilities, employment support service
providers working with people with disabilities,
and those involved in making hiring decisions.
3. Develop a Canadian research agenda to examine
hiring practices and processes for people with
disabilities.
2.2. Identifying relevant studies
The initial phase of this scoping review began
with a search of electronic databases. To determine
appropriate databases for inclusion, we consulted
with an experienced university librarian and iden-
tified the following 9 databases as relevant to our
topic: CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing &
Allied Health), PubMed, ASSIA (Applied Social
Sciences Index and Abstracts), PsycINFO, Sociolog-
ical Abstracts, Web of Science, EMBASE, Business
Source Complete, and Social Science Abstracts. Key-
word search terms included: Disability, disabled,
handicapped, people with disabilities, combined with
hiring, recruitment, and employer. The search was
limited to articles published in English language
from 2000 to April 2014 in order to capture current
practices as well as how the landscape has changed
over time. We included articles from across disability
groups in order to capture the full range of litera-
ture on the topic of hiring people with a broad range
of disabilities. Due to the extent of the available lit-
erature, we did not employ further search strategies
such as checking reference lists and hand-searching
journals.
2.3. Study selection
Our inclusion/exclusion criteria were initially
stated broadly. We included all papers that were avail-
able in English, published between 2000 and April
2014, and focused on hiring people with disabili-
ties. As we reviewed the abstracts, we engaged in an
iterative process of further refining our inclusion and
exclusion criteria. Specifically, we excluded articles
about hiring intentions if they did not discuss actual
hiring practices, and about employment accommoda-
tions in general if they did not discuss implications for
hiring practices and processes. These decision were
 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
made to maintain our focus directly on our topic of
interest.
Our use of broad terms during the electronic
database searches generated a total of 842 articles.
We engaged in a systematic process of reviewing
and assessing the relevance of each article. First,
we removed the duplicates (105 articles). Next, two
members of the research team reviewed the titles of
the articles, resulting in the exclusion of 403 arti-
cles. We then reviewed the abstracts of the remaining
334 articles and excluded an additional 145 articles
because they did not meet the criteria and were not
about hiring people with disabilities. The research
team then reviewed the full-text of the remaining
189 articles. Among these, an additional 26 were
excluded because they could not be accessed through
the university library system and 110 did not meet
our inclusion criteria and were not specifically about
hiring people with disabilities. Therefore, a total of
53 articles were included in the review (see Fig. 1
for an outline of the study selection process and the
reference list for the articles included in the review,
marked with an asterisk).
2.4. Charting the data
The charting process involved three members of
the research team. We extracted data from each
Fig. 1. Study selection process.
137
article, including the citation, purpose, methods or
approach, and information related to the hiring pro-
cess/ practices for people with disabilities. The
extracted data was entered into a spreadsheet.
2.5. Stakeholder consultation
As part the scoping review methodology, we con-
ducted stakeholder consultations between March and
May 2014 in order to build on the findings from the
literature. Consistent with stage six of the scoping
review process, we consulted with stakeholders who
could direct us to additional resources related to hir-
ing people with disabilities, help us understand the
findings that were emerging from the literature by
sharing their lived experience, and help us ground
the findings from the literature within the Canadian
context [13, 14]. We used a convenience sample and
a snowball approach [16]. We initially drew on our
contacts in the field who could provide insight into the
hiring process for people with disabilities and help us
identify experts including: 1) people with disabilities
who have first-hand experience seeking employment
and with the hiring process; 2) employment support
service providers who assist people with disabili-
ties and employers during the hiring process; and 3)
employers, hiring managers and human resource pro-
fessionals who have experience hiring people with
138 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
disabilities. Seven key informants participated in the
consultations including three individuals with con-
genital disabilities and four service providers who
provide employment supports to people with different
types of disabilities. Among the informants with dis-
abilities, one was currently employed and two were
actively seeking employment, and all had completed
post-secondary education. One of the informants with
a disability was trained as a human resource pro-
fessional and had past experience recruiting people
with disabilities in the public sector. During the con-
sultations we asked key informants to reflect on
their experiences related to the hiring process for
people with disabilities and identify key issues or
challenges, consider opportunities to improve hir-
ing processes for people with disabilities, and to
identify future research priorities based on their expe-
riences. As informants shared their experiences and
insights, we also asked them to comment on findings
that were emerging from the literature in order to
guide and enhance our interpretation. All interviews
were audiotaped. This component of the research
was approved by a University Ethics Commit-
tee and participants provided written and informed
consent.
2.6. Collating, summarizing, and reporting
the results
The data from the literature and the consultations
were analyzed through a process of identifying and
synthesizing recurrent themes, points of agreement
and points of disagreement [17]. We engaged in an
iterative process of reflecting on emerging themes,
and comparing and contrasting the experiences of
key informants with the existing literature to identify
gaps and future research priorities [14]. Specifically,
all three members of the research team contributed to
the data synthesis process by reviewing papers and
coming together to summarize key themes. Points of
disagreement were discussed in team meetings until
we reached consensus. Each consultation was com-
pleted by at least two members of the research team so
that one researcher was able to reflect on the informa-
tion being provided in light of the emerging findings
and ask probing questions to help us better under-
stand the informants’ insights in light of the findings
from the literature. As we identified key themes from
the literature we returned to the accounts provided by
the key informants to consider how the themes were
reflected (or not) in their experiences.
3. Results
The findings from the literature and consultations
are presented together. From the 53 articles and the
seven key informant consultations we identified seven
key topics that have been examined to date and high-
light gaps that require further study. These include:
1) Requirements versus Practice, 2) Stigma, 3) Dis-
closure, 4) Accommodations, 5) Information and
Support to Employers, 6) Relationship Building and
Use of Disability Organizations, and 7) Hiring Prac-
tices that Invite People with Disabilities.
3.1. Requirements versus practice
Each jurisdiction has its own laws, policies and
rules that dictate expectations and requirements dur-
ing the hiring process for people with disabilities.
The effects of such legislation on the hiring process
were explored in 15 of the 53 articles using a variety
of methods, including employer surveys, qualitative
grounded theory, and narrative approaches. These
articles highlight how legislation across jurisdictions
sets employer requirements pertaining to the treat-
ment of people with disabilities during the hiring
process [18] including the questions related to health
and disability that can be asked [19, 20], and require-
ments for accommodations during the hiring process
and beyond [21, 22]. However, despite the presence
of such legislation, there can be a disconnect between
what is required by law and expected of employ-
ers, and their actual hiring practices [23–25]. That
is, legislation aimed at improving accessibility and
providing opportunities for people with disabilities
in the workplace can evoke fear while providing lit-
tle guidance about how to implement requirements
in practice [26, 27]. This tension was highlighted
in research by Kaye et al. [26] which drew on find-
ings from a survey of human resource professionals
and managers to assess reasons why employers may
choose not to hire, retain or accommodate people with
disabilities. The study found that incomplete knowl-
edge of the law can leave employers feeling uneasy
about hiring people with disabilities and can have a
negative impact on hiring.
Findings from both the literature and the consul-
tations with key informants suggest that one way to
address the tension between requirements under the
law and actual hiring practices is instituting poli-
cies that encourage or require employers to hire
people with disabilities that include a framework of
 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
accountability within the hiring process. For exam-
ple, an article by Birrell [28] suggests employers
can be held accountable by mandating annual reports
where organizations are asked to disclose the number
of employees they have with disabilities. Some key
informants went further by suggesting that employ-
ers in their communities should be required to hire
people with disabilities. For example, in reflecting on
her experience trying to infiltrate big chain stores who
often have standardized hiring processes that can pose
challenges for people with disabilities, one employ-
ment support worker noted: “I don’t think we will
ever break through the box store companies unless it
is mandated from our city . . . . That’s what we need.
We need box stores to hire individuals with a disabil-
ity from our program, that they have to support our
community or they just won’t.” The key informants
further highlighted that monitoring and enforcement
of existing legislation is insufficient and that people
with disabilities often have few options when they
feel they are being overlooked in the hiring process
because of their disability. One informant highlighted
this gap in existing legislation in Ontario by reflecting
on her experience and her options for action after feel-
ing she might have been passed over for an interview
after requesting accommodations for her disability:
“I could lodge a Human Rights complaint against the
two or three organizations that essentially denied me
an interview, but the amount of time and energy that
would take would be considerable. I am pretty sure
they would just give me the interview and not hire me
and claim that they didn’t hire me for a magnitude of
other reasons.”
3.2. Stigma
Stigma was a prominent topic echoed in both
the literature and through consultations with key
informants. This topic was examined in 16 of the
53 articles using a variety of methods including
employer surveys, qualitative and experimental meth-
ods. The articles included in this review revealed
different ways in which stigma can manifest and
influence the hiring process. Several articles explic-
itly highlight stigma as a barrier to employment for
people with disabilities [29–36], while others alluded
to the role of stigma in more indirect ways [37,
38]. For example, drawing on findings from qualita-
tive interviews with stroke survivors and employers,
as well as a survey of vocational specialists, Culler
et al. [29] reported on the negative connotations asso-
ciated with the term disability that instils a sense
139
of fear, unpredictability, and avoidance behaviours
in employers that can thwart hiring people with
disabilities. Similarly, Peck and Kirkbride suggest
some employers have a “fear of damaged goods”
([39], p.74), and that employers assume people
with disabilities will threaten their productivity and
profitability.
Stigma was often described in the literature as
being influenced by the type of disability. A common
finding was a hierarchy of hiring preferences towards
people with disabilities, with individuals with physi-
cal disabilities rated more positively than those with
mental health conditions or intellectual disabilities
[27, 33–35]. People with sensory disabilities such as
vision loss were also found to be highly stigmatized
by employers [32, 36]. While this view of stigma was
somewhat supported by the findings from our consul-
tations, key informants had differing opinions about
the nature of stigma. Some informants with physical
disabilities indicated they have felt stigmatized based
on the fact that their disability is instantly visible to
employers, versus those who have invisible disabili-
ties and can choose when to disclose. For example,
one informant who has both a physical disability and
a learning disability noted that he often does not dis-
close his learning disability because employers are
“occupied with the [wheel]chair.” Despite the dif-
fering manifestations, it is clear that stigma remains
a key barrier to the hiring process for people with
disabilities.
Our findings also revealed strategies that can be
used to help address and reduce stigma. Education
was frequently cited as a way to inform employ-
ers about what an individual’s disability actually
involves and what strengths they possess that are
well suited to a particular job [5, 39–41]. This was
also echoed by some people with disabilities during
consultations, who indicated that being able to com-
municate their capabilities to employers enhanced
success in hiring situations. It was also found that
sharing success stories of persons with disabilities at
work is another strategy that can be used to show-
case the benefits for both persons with disabilities
and employers [30, 35].This finding is consistent
with research by Wiggett-Barnard and Swartz [42]
who surveyed human resource managers from 86
different companies about the employment of per-
sons with disabilities, and found that companies that
had successfully employed a person with a disability
in the last twelve months reported a greater likeli-
hood of hiring persons with disabilities in the near
future.
140 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
3.3. Disclosure
Within the literature, the timing of disclosure has
been shown to have various implications for the
applicant during the hiring process. This topic was
examined in seven of the 53 articles, including studies
using qualitative, experimental, mixed-method and
observational designs. Bishop et al. [43] surveyed
93 human resource professionals and employers and
found that disclosing disability within a cover let-
ter is generally not viewed positively by employers.
Similarly, Pearson et al. [44] found that disability
disclosure within a cover letter negatively impacted
applicants and reduced the likelihood of being offered
an interview. Apprehension about disclosing disabil-
ity within one’s application was echoed during our
key informant consultations. For example, a person
living with a disability stated: “I used to disclose all of
the time. I thought it added something to the applica-
tion, as I felt like a lot of organizations have diversity
quotas and as somebody with a disability I tick that
box and fill that quota . . . [However], most of the time
now if the job is not directly related to disability I do
not directly mention it in application letters because
I think they may look at that and think I will require
accommodations down the road and I want a fair
chance at the interview.”
Once the applicant has successfully moved beyond
the application process and secured a job interview,
disclosure can take on different forms. Jans et al. [4]
conducted focus groups with individuals with dis-
abilities who were employed for at least 5 years and
found that approaches to disclosure varied depend-
ing in part on the visibility of the disability. For
those living with disabilities that are readily visible,
disclosure is somewhat inevitable and focus group
participants suggested it was important to discuss
their disability early on in the employment process.
This finding was also highlighted during our consul-
tations with individuals with mobility disabilities, as
two key informants explained that they usually dis-
close their disability prior to attending the interview
in order to determine if the location is accessible.
However, these informants described the negative
responses they have received as a result of disclosing
their disability. For example, one informant noted:
“On two or three occasions when I inquired to see
whether the location of the interview was accessible
they said no [and they] got really awkward and hung
up the phone.”
Individuals with invisible disabilities, on the other
hand, are often afforded more choice when it comes
to disclosure, and are able to weigh the potential
costs at different points in the employment process
[4]. For example, Dalgin and Bellini [33] assessed
employers’ hiring preferences and employability rat-
ings of videotaped applicants during a hypothetical
interview. Disclosure of invisible disabilities (both
physical and psychiatric) was found to have no sig-
nificant effects on hiring decisions and employability
ratings of the participants. However, they suggest
that their findings should be interpreted with cau-
tion because they do not align with existing literature.
They advise that their findings do not mean that
disclosure of disability has no impact on hiring
decisions, or that people with disabilities “should
take disclosure lightly or feel free to disclose their
disability at any time throughout the employment
process” (p. 12). The authors suggest that the appli-
cant’s qualifications, the way in which the individual
choses to disclose his/her disability, and the nature
of the request for accommodation influences hiring
decisions. Similarly, using videotaped employment
interviews with a sample of 56 college students,
Roberts and Macan [45] also reported that disability
disclosure did not result in significantly more nega-
tive ratings of applicants with disabilities. However,
the timing of disclosure during the interview influ-
enced ratings; applicants with invisible disabilities
who disclosed their disability early in the interview
process were viewed more positively. Jans et al.
[4] also reported on the timing of the disclosure
with mixed findings from the perspective of peo-
ple with disabilities. Although some participants with
invisible disabilities strongly suggested that individ-
uals should avoid disclosing their disabilities, others
felt that being open and direct about their disability
is preferred. These individuals suggested that even
invisible disabilities can become apparent on the job
or in the interview and might be misinterpreted if not
addressed directly.
The findings from the literature highlight the com-
plex and multifaceted nature of the decision to
disclose a disability in the context of job seeking.
The findings from both the literature and the consul-
tations suggest that counselling related to disclosure
can be a critical component of helping people with
disabilities through the hiring process. In particu-
lar, the findings reported by Jans et al. [4] highlight
that individuals with disabilities should consider in
advance how and what they wish to share with
hiring managers about their disability. Further knowl-
edge about disclosure and its impact on the hiring
process is needed to better support job applicants
 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
with disabilities, service providers, and employ-
ers (including hiring managers and human resource
professionals).
3.4. Accommodations
Throughout the literature reviewed, a common
theme was related to accommodations. This topic was
discussed in 15 of the 53 articles and has been exam-
ined through questionnaires, experimental design,
quantitative analyses and reviews. Findings from both
the literature and consultations highlight a pervasive
lack of knowledge on the part of employers regarding
the legal requirement to offer and implement accom-
modations in the workplace, including during the
hiring process [26, 37, 46, 47]. This lack of knowl-
edge about accommodations creates apprehension
regarding the actual costs associated with providing
accommodations to people with disabilities [24, 39,
40, 46, 48–50]. For example, in their study examin-
ing factors that influence employer hiring decisions,
Graffam and colleagues [48] found that almost 50
percent of employers surveyed reported that the cost
of accommodating a worker with a disability is
an important consideration. Research examining the
costs associated with accommodating workers with
disabilities indicates that most accommodations are
low cost and relatively easy to implement [1, 40, 51],
despite assumptions to the contrary [40, 51].
While financial considerations are a key con-
cern on the part of employers, other considerations
contribute to employer apprehension. For example,
in a survey of human resource professionals and
managers who had attended disability-related train-
ing, significant fears about the financial and legal
risks associated with hiring people with disabili-
ties were expressed [26]. The findings from this
survey suggest that employers are also concerned
about the amount of time associated with learning
about mandatory requirements, and the time and
resources required to institute appropriate accom-
modations. These assumptions about the additional
work involved in hiring people with disabilities can
influence hiring decisions [26, 48, 49].
Despite these general trends, it is important to
note some conflicting results. In their recent review
of employer attitudes, Ju, Roberts and Zhang [1]
reported that employers are increasingly recogniz-
ing that “the costs associated with hiring persons
with disabilities are reasonable and negotiable” (p.
121). Moreover, their findings highlighted a will-
ingness on the part of employers to hire persons
141
with disabilities, especially as a way to combat the
costs associated with high turnover rates. This recent
research suggests that employer attitudes are chang-
ing and that there is increased recognition that people
with disabilities can offer sought after employee char-
acteristics.
Within the consultations, the challenge of nego-
tiating accommodations within the hiring process
was identified by both service providers and job
candidates. When discussing priorities for improv-
ing the hiring process for people with disabilities,
one employment support worker stated: “ . . . they
[employers] need to tweak their hiring process from
the beginning to match an individual’s needs, not
after they have hired them. They need to do it before
that. They need to take that mentality and they need
to bring it from the start of the applying process, not
after they are hired.” Furthermore the key informants
highlighted the need to help employers understand the
difference between equity and equality. For exam-
ple, according to an employment support service
provider we spoke to, many employers are turning to
online application processes. Some candidates with
disabilities require adaptive technology, such as talk
to text software, in order to complete these applica-
tions. This concern was echoed by one participant
with a disability when she noted: “...if you don’t
have any policies around how you will accommo-
date somebody who requires adaptive technology
or you are going to make everybody take a test
but there is no way to adapt it for somebody who
either needs extra time or adaptive technology and
you say this is fair because its unionized and every-
body has to do the same thing but that’s not fair
to me or other people.” Thus, in order for persons
with disabilities to have an equitable chance of being
considered for a position, employers must recognize
that current hiring practices must be adaptable and
accessible to people with disabilities who might need
accommodations.
3.5. Relationship building and use of disability
organizations
Prominent in the literature was the idea that
building relationships between community employ-
ers and disability organizations that specialize in
placing people with disabilities into jobs is critical
to the hiring process. The importance of build-
ing relationships between employers and placement
organizations working with people with disabilities
was discussed in 17 out of the 53 papers reviewed,
142 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
and has been examined using a variety of methods
including qualitative, mixed methods, and surveys
of employers. Generally, the articles highlighted the
importance of forging relationships between disabil-
ity organizations and employers in order to facilitate
the provision of information and support to employ-
ers. Employers described the benefits of being able to
interact with employment support specialists during
the hiring process including having a place to turn
to when they have disability related questions, uncer-
tainty about legislative requirements, and challenges
related to accommodation [5, 39, 42, 48, 52, 53].
This relationship can dissipate lingering concerns
they might have about hiring people with disabili-
ties [5, 30, 53–55] and showcase opportunities and
success stories [56].
Furthermore, it is through a good understanding
of the needs of the employers that disability organi-
zations can best meet their needs and connect them
to job candidates with disabilities who are a good
fit to the position they are trying to fill [32, 34, 40,
41, 50, 57]. As employers reap the benefits of this
service, they might begin to reach out to disability
organizations when they have a vacancy and are seek-
ing qualified candidates [36]. The findings from our
consultations with key informants highlighted similar
issues related to the importance of developing rela-
tionships with community employers. Employment
support workers noted that the job development role
consists of engaging potential employers and under-
standing their hiring needs in order to forge mutually
beneficial long-term relationships: “The best thing
is for the employer to be calling us when they are
looking for an employee.”
3.6. Information and support for employers
Within the literature, there was a call for the provi-
sion of information and support to employers in order
to improve hiring practices and employment oppor-
tunities for people with disabilities. This strategy was
addressed within 10 of the 53 articles, the majority
based on surveys of employers, hiring managers and
human resource professionals. Generally, employers
wanted information about accommodations and the
cost of accommodations [5, 11, 24, 35, 42], the impact
of disability on the job and job performance [5, 47,
58], and the need for disability awareness training
[11, 24, 42]. There was also discussion about the
need to clearly articulate the business benefits of hir-
ing people with disabilities, including tapping into a
larger candidate pool and their skills, as well as the
dedication and reliability that people with disabilities
can bring to the job [21, 35, 38, 39].
Education and support for employers was also
highlighted within the consultations with key infor-
mants from the perspective of employment support
specialists and job developers for people with
disabilities. These service providers noted that edu-
cating employers to dispel myths about hiring people
with disabilities is a primary component of their job
and essential for moving beyond thinking about hir-
ing people with disabilities as charity. They described
how they address employer concerns head on, includ-
ing safety concerns and assumptions about the cost
of providing accommodations. Only then can they
begin to highlight the skills and competencies that
individuals with disabilities can offer as reliable and
dedicated workers. For example, one employment
support worker noted how she highlights the bene-
fits of hiring people with disabilities: “Rather than
you are doing us a favour, we are doing each other
a favour because we are providing you with an
employee and because it’s someone with a disabil-
ity and they have spent a lot of time looking for work,
once they find it, you are going to have the retention
and a dependable and reliable employee.”
The employment support workers we consulted
also emphasized that the provision of education
is ongoing in order to support retention and help
employers and job candidates with disabilities nego-
tiate creative solutions or address challenges they
might encounter on the job. They noted that most
concerns they encounter can be addressed with rel-
atively simple and inexpensive solutions. However,
employers often do not know where to begin: “Some-
times they do not know what to do, they have no idea.
So it’s up to us to do that education.”
3.7. Hiring practices that invite people
with disabilities
A significant theme within the literature was the
importance of establishing hiring practices that invite
applicants with disabilities. Such practices were
addressed in 18 of the 53 articles including surveys of
employers and human resource professionals, exper-
iments exploring factors that affect hiring decisions,
and qualitative studies of people with lived experi-
ence. The articles discuss a variety of approaches to
maximize the accessibility of the hiring process for
people with disabilities, including individual strate-
gies that employers can use at each step of the
hiring process. These practices also serve to create an
 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
environment that normalizes and supports the hiring
of persons with disabilities, and allows organizations
to access and accommodate people with disabilities
through their recruitment efforts [59].
A recent research report by the Conference Board
[60] suggests that one of the first steps in creating
a culture of openness and support towards hiring
people with disabilities is instituting commitment
and support from top levels of management. Such
support increases the likelihood that changes in hir-
ing practices will be made, and further allows for
positive role modeling. This approach can help nor-
malize a culture of respect towards hiring people with
disabilities for all employees to adopt [4, 60]. Key
informant consultations with employment support
workers also highlighted the importance of gaining
support within the organization from the top down.
One informant implied that without support from
management, employment opportunities will not be
made available: “That’s what it takes, right, some-
body in a high power [position] to stand up because
like it or not the world is full of followers.”
An essential strategy for the hiring process that
invites candidates with disabilities is to have a tar-
geted diversity plan. Such a plan enacts all aspects
highlighted in the corporate diversity policy, with
clearly laid out objectives, action plans and strategies
for how to hire and retain workers with disabili-
ties. One key aspect of this plan includes a clear
and up to date summary of the various jobs within
the company, highlighting the essential job duties
with explicit job criteria [30, 61]. Employers should
also include specific strategies for recruitment and
hiring people with disabilities [59, 60, 62–64]. For
example, strategies such as allocating a set portion
of the budget for accommodations, revamping job
descriptions, specifically indicating that employers
encourage applicants with disabilities to apply in
job advertisements, and having application forms
that are available in a variety of formats to make
them more accessible to applicants were noted in
the literature [42, 60, 62, 63]. Standardized proce-
dures and practices for the interview process should
also be specified including interview questions that
are based on job analyses, rating scales for answers
grounded in behavioural criteria, and having multi-
ple interviewers [33, 61]. In some cases, it might
be helpful to have an employment support worker
present during the job interview [65]. Moreover, it
is important that once the applications have been
received and interviews have taken place, hiring deci-
sions are made on the basis of objective criteria and
143
thorough follow-up procedures as this allows for fair
comparison to other candidates in the application
pool [33]. Perhaps most importantly, it is essential
that hiring managers, human resources personnel, and
employers look beyond the disability and recognize
the person as a potential candidate who can showcase
skills that can contribute to the organization [30, 60,
62–64, 66].
4. Discussion
Research to date appears to revolve around seven
topics: Regulations versus practices, stigma, disclo-
sure, accommodations, relationship building and use
of disability organizations, information and support
for employers, and hiring practices that invite people
with disabilities. The model Hiring People with Dis-
abilities: Summary of Existing Research (see Fig. 2)
was developed to describe and organize existing
research through the depiction of these interrelated
topics. Through our analysis of the existing litera-
ture and key informant consultations, it became clear
that the hiring process occurs in the context of exist-
ing laws and policies which in turn influence hiring
practices. The remaining topics appeared to present
in two interacting clusters. The first cluster is focused
on factors that affect hiring people with disabili-
ties including stigma, disclosure and the provision of
accommodations. The second cluster is focused on
factors that can improve hiring for people with dis-
abilities and revolve around ongoing needs including
the provision of information and support for employ-
ers, relationship building and the use of disability
organizations, and hiring practices that invite people
with disabilities. Findings from the literature and key
informant consultations highlight that the interaction
between these two clusters influences hiring people
with disabilities, and that successful hiring of peo-
ple with disabilities positively influences the future
hiring behaviours of employers.
The findings from the current review reveal that
decisions around disclosure and requesting accom-
modations occurs in light of perceptions of stigma and
beliefs about how their disclosure will be received.
However, some people with disabilities have fewer
options for disclosure. For example, some individ-
uals are forced to disclose prior to an interview in
order to request required accommodations. Our find-
ings highlight that disability organizations can play
a key role in dispelling myths about hiring peo-
ple with disabilities and that they need to clearly
144 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
Requriements versus practice
Factors that affect
hiring PWD
Disclosure
SƟgma
AccommodaƟons
Hiring people
with
disabiliƟes
Fig. 2. Hiring people with disabilities: Summary of existing research.
articulate the business case for hiring people with
disabilities. Greater awareness of the benefits to
business can lead to improved hiring practices that
are accessible and ultimately invite applicants with
disabilities. Positive experiences hiring people with
disabilities can continue to strengthen relationships
between employers and disability organizations,
work towards eradicating stigma associated with dis-
ability in the workplace, and improve the availability
of accommodations. One illustration of this process
occurs when top level managers commit to hiring
and retaining workers with disabilities and reach
out to disability organizations for support regard-
ing the best ways to do so. A positive experience
can lead to an ongoing relationship, hiring more
clients from the organization, and increased efforts
to recruit people with disabilities during the hiring
process.
In a recent review of employers’ attitudes towards
workers with disabilities, Ju et al. [1] found
that “employers showed positive general attitudes
towards workers with disabilities . . . [and that] fewer
concerns were identified in this review than previ-
ous reviews” (p.113). Furthermore, there has been
Factors that can
improve hiring PWD
InformaƟon RelaƟonship
& support building & use
for of disability
employers organizaƟons
Hiring pracƟces
that invite
people with
disabilites
increased attention to embracing diversity and pro-
moting people with disabilities as a means of
increasing diversity in the workplace [67, 68].
Despite these positive trends, employment rates for
people with disabilities have remained relatively
unchanged in recent years [1, 2, 4, 5, 69]. Our focus
on the actual hiring processes and practices allowed
us to identify ongoing barriers and accessibility issues
that remain within existing procedures and hiring
approaches. The findings presented from our review
highlight that there remains much work to improve
accessibility within the hiring process for people
with disabilities and further targeted efforts are
needed.
4.1. Future research
The findings from our review indicate there are
several issues impacting the hiring process for people
with disabilities that have been well established in the
literature. Our findings also revealed some proposed
strategies regarding how to address these issues and
improve the hiring and retention of workers with dis-
abilities, such as education and support for employers
 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
and hiring managers, building relationships between
employers and disability organizations, as well as
creating targeted diversity plans. However, there is
a paucity of literature exploring the actual use and
implementation of these strategies by employers or
other proposed solutions to address these issues. Fur-
thermore, there have been few attempts to evaluate
the effectiveness of these strategies for people with
disabilities and employers. Therefore, future research
is warranted to identify and evaluate the effective-
ness of strategies in improving the hiring process for
people with disabilities. Such research must occur
in collaboration with key stakeholders including
employers, people with disabilities, and employment
support service providers.
This research also highlights that engaging
employers and hiring managers in research related
to hiring people with disabilities can be challenging.
Future research must address this challenge and fos-
ter partnerships between employers, researchers, and
organizations that provide employment support to
people with disabilities. Through future research, in
consultation with key informants, best practice guide-
lines can be established regarding how to address
current barriers to hiring people with disabilities.
One issue that was not raised in this research is
employment for people with disabilities who have
post-secondary education or professional creden-
tials. This is surprising given that the three key
informants with disabilities all had post-secondary
degrees. The employment support process described
by the employment support service providers focused
largely on entry-level service positions, and this is
consistent with the literature. However, the number
of students with disabilities at post-secondary insti-
tutions is on the rise [70]. An important priority for
future research is exploring how to best support peo-
ple with disabilities with post-secondary training to
secure jobs that are well matched to their skills and
credentials.
4.2. Limitations of review
It is important to acknowledge that the current
scoping review contains some important limitations.
First, it is possible that some relevant publications
were not identified. In particular, we did not include
program evaluations or literature pertaining to inclu-
sive workplaces and diversity more broadly. This
body of literature might have added to the review
by providing some case examples and evaluations of
broader initiatives to improve diversity in the work-
145
place with potential implications for people with
disabilities. Second, we reviewed literature over a 15
year period, much of which was based on research
conducted outside of Canada. It is important to
acknowledge the fluid nature of the labour market and
that the findings from the studies may not represent
the current Canadian context, or the reality of specific
local labour markets. Although the stakeholder con-
sultations provided local context, the broad scope of
our review does mean that some of the findings from
the literature may be less relevant to the current hiring
climate in Canada. Third, we did not assess the quality
of the literature included within the review. Although
this is consistent with the scoping review methodol-
ogy [13, 14, 71] it becomes difficult to detect gaps
where the existing research is of poor quality. There-
fore, it would be beneficial if future research applied
more rigorous methodology to better explore the hir-
ing process for people with disabilities.
A further limitation is that the scope of our key
informant consultations was limited. Although one
key informant had previously worked as a human
resource professional, we were unable to recruit any
current employers or hiring managers who were will-
ing to participate in the consultations. Furthermore,
key informants did not represent a range of disabil-
ity groups. Therefore, key issues surrounding the
hiring process for people with other types of disabil-
ities might have been missed. In particular, we did
not speak to employment support workers who spe-
cialize in working with people with mental illness
or job applicants who identified as having a mental
illness.
5. Conclusion
This scoping review sought to explore what is cur-
rently known and what needs to be better understood
regarding hiring practices for people with disabilities.
A thorough review of the literature and consultations
with seven key informants revealed seven key top-
ics regarding what is currently known about hiring
practices for people with disabilities, and highlight
areas for further study. It is clear that while much has
been established regarding the existence of problems
related to the hiring process, there have been limited
attempts to examine and evaluate potential solutions.
Future research related to identifying and evaluating
viable strategies to improve hiring practices for peo-
ple with disabilities is warranted and should be made
a priority.
146 R.E. Gewurtz et al. / Hiring people with disabilities
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the seven key informants
who participated in the consultations.
Conflict of interest
None to report.
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