Hiring Clinicians Who Have Disabilities

A number of health care organizations such as hospitals, clinics, and medical centers are hiring disabled clinicians to increase workforce diversity. People with disabilities contribute to organizational diversity and are ready and willing to make a difference in your organization. Here are two examples of financial benefits your organization may experience by hiring disabled clinicians (information from AllBusiness.com):

1) The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). If your business pays taxes, the federal WOTC has the potential to reduce your federal income tax liability by as much as $2,400 per qualified worker. As an employer, you may take a tax credit up to 40 percent of the qualified worker's first $6,000 in wages paid during the first 12 months for each new hire. For veterans with disabilities who meet specific criteria, the WOTC can be up to $4,800. There are 10 target groups for WOTC eligibility, including people with disabilities who are certified Vocational Rehabilitation referrals, qualified recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI)1 and the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work holders. One hotel property in the Tampa, Florida, area had a WOTC of more than $60,000 in 2006.

2) The U.S. Social Security Administration's (SSA) Ticket to Work Program (TTW). SSAs TTW Program provides employers an opportunity to generate $4,800 in the first nine months of employment when they hire a Social Security beneficiary with disabilities, and there is more to be earned over time. Employers must become TTW Employment Networks to participate in the program. There are more than 10 million Americans with disabilities who are Social Security disability beneficiaries, providing hundreds of recruitment opportunities for your business.