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Martha M. Hamilton
By Martha M. Hamilton September 29, 2011
Back to Launch educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilities

Numbers of individuals certified has increased

In the past two and half years, the Obama administration has promoted hiring workers with disabilities, including educating employers about the tax benefits that can accrue from hiring them.

"Looking at the list of people eligible for certification, it certainly has increased," said Lara H. Schwartz, vice president for external affairs of the American Association of People with Disabilities.

Labor Department spokesman Carl Fillichio said that more employers are taking advantage of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which provides a federal tax credit incentive of up to $9,000 for employers who hire disabled workers. According to Fillichio, 914,491 individuals were eligible for certification in fiscal year 2010, up from 692,421 in fiscal 2008.

The Labor Department provides information for employers and seeks their views about administration of the tax credit online. It also has funded the Guide to Hiring Incentives that outlines three tax benefits available at www.disability.gov.

As with providing information about best practices for recruiting, hiring and accommodating workers with disabilities, Schwartz said that in the case of educating employers about the tax benefits, the Obama administration has conducted "tangible and useful outreach." We rate this a Promise Kept.

Our Sources

E-mail exchange with U.S. Labor Department spokesman Carl Fillichio.

Telephone interview with Lara H. Schwartz, vice president for external affairs of the American Association of People with Disabilities