The Home Depot Collaborates With Disability Community to Enhance Employment Access for Job Seekers With IDD

In an innovative partnership, The Home Depot has collaborated with leading disability rights organizations to remove barriers and improve job access for applicants with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The Home Depot worked closely with The Arc of the United States, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), and Equip for Equality (EFE) to develop policy changes that will create a more equitable hiring process for this underrepresented talent pool.

As part of this process, The Home Depot undertook a comprehensive review of its entry level hiring and reasonable accommodation process and, with advice and input from The Arc and ASAN, made adjustments to avoid the potential for unintended screen out of applicants with IDD. The changes that The Home Depot has implemented include explaining up front, and in plain language, more details about the steps in the company's hiring process and the availability of reasonable accommodations, including by providing examples of specific accommodations for applicants with IDD, such as obtaining assistance from a job coach or support person and the ability to ask for a waiver of The Home Depot's online assessment, as well as conducting additional training on inclusive and accessible hiring practices that includes the recent changes.

Research from a collaboration between Accenture, Disability:IN, and the American Association of People with Disabilities shows that companies that employ people with disabilities financially outperform companies that don't. In addition, people with disabilities, on average, stay in their jobs longer than their counterparts without disabilities. Despite this, people with IDD continue to face unemployment and underemployment. Roughly 85% of people with IDD are unemployed. Many want to work and have skills to contribute but are not given serious consideration or opportunities. Among those who are employed, people with IDD are working fewer than 13 hours a week on average and less than one-fifth of them are getting any workplace benefits. This collaborative partnership is paving the way for more inclusion.

A good job is a key part of living a meaningful and inclusive life in the community for many people with IDD," said Katy Neas, Chief Executive Officer, The Arc. "For too long, this talented and capable workforce has faced barriers that shut them out from reaching their full potential. Today's announcement represents a pivotal step forward. By proactively listening to people with disabilities, The Home Depot is taking decisive action to dismantle employment obstacles. This collaborative approach marks a shift toward true equity and respect for people with IDD to pursue meaningful careers."

"Progress has been achieved today through dialogue and partnership between disability advocates and Home Depot," said Zena Naiditch, President and CEO, Equip for Equality. "We are delighted to partner with Home Depot to develop solutions that will ensure greater access to employment for job seekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The proactive approach Home Depot is taking is critically important to ensuring greater access to employment for people with disabilities."

"We're hopeful that this collaboration will result in a more inclusive hiring process and job opportunities for people with IDD," said Avery Outlaw, Executive Director, Autistic Self Advocacy Network.