Read more online. There will be an estimated 850,000 unfilled IT positions at American companies this year. It's a gigantic hiring gap, but according to a new study by the Information Technology Association of America, executives are ignoring some of the best and brightest technology workers. People with disabilities comprise the largest single minority in this country. About 27 million disabled people are of working age, yet only 29 percent of them are currently employed.
Researchers say the disabled are a great, untapped human resource.
They are considered more reliable, dependable, punctual and loyal then their non-disabled counterparts. Read more online. In the next few years, it is estimated half a million inmates will get out of prison and start looking for work. Many are high school dropouts, have poor skills or substance abuse problems and, because of their convictions, are rarely protected by anti-discrimination laws. Today's tight labor market has progressive employers making exceptions for former convicts.