• Employers are required to give applicants with disabilities a reasonable accommodation if they need one to complete the application process.

A critical area related to hiring which must be addressed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the treatment and processing of job applicants. Employers may tell applicants what the hiring process involves (e.g., an interview, timed written test, or job demonstration), and unless employers can show undue hardship, they are required to provide a reasonable accommodation to otherwise qualified applicants with disabilities that will enable them to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process and to be considered for a job.

Individuals with disabilities who meet initial requirements to be considered for a job should not be excluded from the application process because employers speculate, based on a request for reasonable accommodation for the application process, that they will be unable to provide the individual with reasonable accommodation to perform the job.

Online application systems must also provide equal opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities. In designing application forms, employers should keep in mind that individuals with disabilities may have trouble filling out paper or electronic forms. In such situations, employers must be ready to provide an effective reasonable accommodation so the applicant can provide them with the information requested on the application form.

Interviews

Employers should ensure the interview process is not a source of discrimination when hiring new employees. The interview is open to bias due to interviewer rating errors, and employers should not only prepare for the interview, but ensure that others involved are prepared as well.

The job interview should focus on the ability of an applicant to perform the job, not on disabilities. Employers shouldn’t turn down an applicant because of a real or potential impairment.