Economic motivators for employers hiring people with disabilities in Atlanta

¶ … Economic Motivators for Employers on Employment Rates for People With Disabilities in Atlanta

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Definition of Disability

Statistics for Individuals with Disabilities

Effects Of ADA On Persons With Disabilities

Economic Motivators for Employers Hiring People with Disabilities

Factors Affecting Economic Motivators for Employers

Lack of Information and Knowledge Regarding Economic Motivators

Misconception about Individuals with Disabilities

Inaccessible Hiring Strategies

Conflicts with Existing Programs

Lack of Appropriate Planning and Difficulties in implementations Economic Incentive Programs

Unemployment Among People with Disabilities

Summary

Conclusion

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

Introduction

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Research Design

Variables

Selection of Participants

Complete description of the Research Participants

Type of Sampling

Instrumentation 50

Reliability 52

Validity 53

Appropriateness/rationale for use in the study 53

Ethical Consideration 54

Data Analysis 55

Qualitative Research Analysis 55

Quantitative Research Analysis 57

The Researcher's Role 58

Credibility 58

Dependability 58

Transferability 58

Conformability 59

Conclusion 59

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS 60

Introduction 60

Restatement of Study Purpose 60

Demographic Information of Study Sample 61

Section 2: The Primary, Secondary and Third Themes for Each Research Question 61

Section 3: Triangulation and Convergence, Corroboration, Correspondence of Qualitative and Quantitative Data 62

Qualitative Findings 63

Survey and Verbatim Responses to Interview Questions for the 4 Qualitative Research Questions 63

Quantitative Findings 65

Descriptive Statistics 65

Display Data 65

Mean 71

Standard Deviation 72

Analysis 73

Charts 75

Tables 84

Inferential Statistics 85

Hypothesis testing 85

Results 86

Discussion 89

Interpretation of results 89

Summary 90

CHAPTER V: DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 93

Introduction 93

Summary of Previous Chapters 94

Summary of Findings 96

Discussion 97

Analysis of the Findings 98

Comparison with Literature Review 98

Addition to Literature Review 99

Limitations 100

Recommendations 101

Increased Awareness 101

Job Hiring Training 101

Role of the Leader 102

Awareness amongst the Disabled 103

Follow-up Studies 103

Conclusion 104

REFERENCES 106

CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM

Introduction

According to U.S. statistics, about one out of every five people in Atlanta are disabled and one out of every three are completely disabled. During the principal employable years, 70% of people in Atlanta without disability have employment or a corporate equated with 67% of those with a less infirmity and 30% of those whose disability is bad (Bagenstos, 2010). The occupation rate of persons with infirmities remained constant in the 1980s in spite of a steady economy and effective landmark statute. With the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the physically challenged people were free from any victimization. Today, the employment rate for persons with disabilities is still improving (Bagenstos, 2010). The unemployed rate of persons with disabilities is a major factor that determines the economic status of a nation.

According to Budget (2005), every year, the local governments in Atlanta spend more resources to sustain persons with disabilities than it uses to assist them acquire employment opportunities and the low-slung work rate of persons with disabilities assumption is that it will cost Atlanta's budget more than $2,500 billion per annum. Several individuals in Atlanta have debated that the ADA has had the conflict of its proposed outcome and really dispirited the hiring of persons with incapacities. The outlook that human resource specialists have towards the ADA and what human resource experts believe are the finest ways to recover the hiring of persons with disabilities. The effort corporations put into employing persons with disabilities is what this research handles. It provides an awareness of the causes and ways of solving the problems in Atlanta (Budget, 2005).

Problem Background

According to Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), (2010) human resource experts' familiarity differs considerably for the different employer incentives for employing persons with disabilities. They, however, know a lot regarding the Veterans Job Training Act, Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit, and the Work Opportunity Tax Credit. This is why they have less information regarding the disabled. The size of the corporate also determines the information they have in regard to disability and the employers incentives. Small organizations prefer to maintain a low profile and avoid employing a disabled person. Most organizations do not involve themselves with the employers' incentives because they simply do not distinguish the advantage of it. They blame the local government of Atlanta for not giving quality incentives in order to motivate the organizations to employ disabled people.

According to OECD (2003), the government should increase the incentives in order to attract more organizations including small firms. Top global companies also contribute to the low rate of unemployment of the persons with disabilities. The control big market shares enjoy the benefit of strong competitive advantage and qualified personnel. They should lead by example by increasing the rate of employment of the persons with disabilities. In essence, they became role models for their subordinate staffs and other emerging companies. This study proposes that economic incentives from employer's rates for people with disabilities are unfamiliar to HR specialists and most corporations.

Improved use of economic motivators and the enhancement of the employment rate for persons with disabilities possibly transpire if there is efficiency in the distribution of economic incentives (Roessler, 2002). Improving the hiring of persons with disabilities is not just through the availability of Atlanta's incentive plans; announcement of these plans must be flawless and operative. For instance, HR specialists to identify the necessity for top management and show the rest the way out and tell them the importance of ethics.

According to OECD (2012), improving the hiring of persons with disabilities involves forming a friendly atmosphere. This does not mean firms have to suffer large expenses for equitable adjustments. Most adjustments often purpose to improve the rate of employment for the disabled persons and are less costly. Even though creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities is essential, the organization must ensure that these people enjoy equity and all other health and employment benefits. This involves aggregating the compassion and awareness of all workers towards those with disabilities. Human resource specialists in this study also indicated that firms in Atlanta employ a very small effort to recruit persons with disabilities. Increasing employing efforts to influence foundations of qualified persons with disabilities will escalate the chance to work (OECD, 2012).

Many firms are available to support employers and HR specialists in gaining access to the talented persons. The ADA has had a diversifying influence on the work of persons with disabilities in Atlanta. On the one hand, it has formed the need for firms to ponder competent persons with disabilities for work. HR specialists come to a consensus that the ADA did have an affirmative influence on hiring persons with disabilities. Generally, the ADA has formed an insight that firms may suffer legal defies if they fail to employ persons with disabilities. HR specialists must come into consensus with the actualities of the regulations, but pledge fears with facts.

According to UNECE Ministries Conference on Ageing (2008) current research on disability regulation cases revealed that, 85% of the resolutions were satisfactory to the employer, from either immediate verdict or the benefits of the situation. Furthermore, later Supreme Court cases have advanced explanations on intricate law, making it simpler for HR specialists apply it in their firms. It will necessitate many tactics and the resourcefulness and sponsorship of top organization and HR specialists in Atlanta. In view of this, are employer motivators increasing employment rates for people with disabilities? With the efforts of economic motivators are employers taking advantage of incentives accessible to them when they hire persons with disabilities?

Purpose of the Study

The government is making possible in persuading organizations to incorporate persons with disabilities in their work environments. As OECD (2003) asserts, regardless of the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act, there is still a high rate of unemployment for people with disabilities. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in partnership with the, University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation (CPRF) and Wichita State University (WSU) together conducted a research to get information on the reduced recruitment rate for persons with disabilities. The principal emphasis of the research was to find out how familiar employers are concerning various state incentives for hiring persons with disabilities.

The purpose of this Mixed study was to examine Economic Motivators for Employers on Employment Rates for People with Disabilities in Atlanta. Moreover, the study sought to find out how many firms really appreciate employer incentives and who in the firms make policies about implementing them. A minor focus of the research was to evaluate employers' outlooks and sentiments concerning the effect of the ADA on the hiring of persons with disabilities, decide on the amount of effort firms spend on hiring persons with disabilities and benefit from understanding the top managements' special involvements with disabilities. The research examined the ideas of employers on how best to mend the hiring of persons with disabilities.

The research design for this dissertation was mixed research method. This involved the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. Creswell (2009) stated that mixed method encourages pragmatic worldview and collection of both quantitative and qualitative data sequentially. Mixed research method will enhance the validity and reliability of the study because it provides the researcher opportunities to pursue a more detailed analysis of the research topic.

Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework in this study is constructed on Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs and is well established. Maslow proposed that unless the basic lower needs of the human being were met that the human would not even acknowledge the higher level needs. According to Roessler (2002) human resource managers can use Maslow's hierarchy of needs to motivate their employees in several ways. Physiological needs are associated with the physical well-being of an individual such as the need for food, shelter medical care, insurance disability assistance and most importantly an income. Managers can offer employees training, and education that can help employees improve all psychological levels improve in their jobs (Roessler, 2002). Maslow conceptualized this hierarchy as shown in the following illustration.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs

Figure 1.1 Source: Personality & Spirituality (2012)

The bottom level is comprised of the short-term basic individual or physiological needs of the person, which include food, water, warmth, and sex.

The second level is comprised of safety needs including security, stability, and order.

The third level is representative of the individual's needs for social affiliation or love and belonging.

The fourth level is the need for esteem or the need to be recognized among social groups and peers.

The next to the top level is that of self-actualization which is the individual's desire for deeper fulfillment through the realization of their full potential as a human being.

Finally, the level at the very top of the pyramid is that of self-transcendence or the experience of being in the unit and serving that, which extends beyond the individual self.

Maslow noted that the individual who while studying who is operating at the level of self-actualization experience peaks in learning. This are described as profound and life-altering and moments that once experienced are sought again and again. The individual is therefore motivated by these experiences.

Maslow's need hierarchy provides the theoretical framework to understand human motivation and incentives in many settings. Maslow proposed many changes in business management in order to make workplaces more responsive to the needs of workers. He called his ideas "eupsychian management," emphasizing the potential for human growth in the workplace (Roessler, 2002).

The theoretical framework in this study involves the use of Maslow's hierarchy applied to the 3M model (Roessler, 2002).

Maslow's Hierarchy of Human Needs The 3M Model

Mastery

Maturity

Match

Figure 1.2

Qualitative Research Questions

1. What level of knowledge do senior managers have pertaining to employer motivators for employing persons with disabilities?

2. How much are employer motivators for hiring individuals with disabilities used in organizations?

3. What do senior managers believe are the most effective recommendations for improving the employment of persons with disabilities?

4. How does the American Disabilities Act (ADA) support the employment of individuals with disabilities?

Quantitative Research Questions

5. Is there a significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

6. Is there a significant relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and employment of the disabled persons?

7. Is there a significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta?

Hypothesis

RQ5: Is there a significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

H0: There is no significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

H1: There is a significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

RQ6: Is there a significant relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and employment of the disabled persons?

H0: There is no significant relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and employment of the disabled persons?

H1: There is a significant relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and employment of the disabled persons?

RQ7: Is there a significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta?

H0: There is no significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta.

H1: There is a significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta

Definition of Terms

The disabled are people who have some incapacity.

Economic incentives are benefits group of person obtain when they meet certain conditions.

Americans with Disability Act (ADA) are for helping disabled people get employment easily just as normal people do.

Limitations and Delimitations

Limitations

The potential source of limitation to the study is evident in the method of data collection which is self-reporting. The accuracy of self-reporting sensitive information is sometimes questionable. This is because social desirability response bias occur when respondents provide answers that they think are socially or officially acceptable (Knight et al., 1998; Miller & Peyton, 2006).

Another source of limitation to the study is the sample size which is not an adequate representation of all disabled employers in the Atlanta general population. This limitation could affect the conclusion and generalization of the study.

Delimitations

One of the delimitations to the dissertation is this study will be confined only to the Atlanta metropolitan area. The uniqueness of this study within a specific context makes it difficult to replicate exactly in another context (Creswell, 2003). Many other studies describe all workers and the general population and this research intends to complement rather than reproduce existing information.

Participants' responses will be the reflection of, and confined to their personal experiences with their current employer in Atlanta metropolitan city.

Significance of the Study

There are relatively few empirical studies on examining the economic motivators for the hiring of disabled persons. Similarly, there is also sparse research on the evaluation of the knowledge by employers of economic motivators for the hiring of individuals with disabilities. .The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the biggest movement whose dedication is human resource administration. On behalf of more than 180,000 distinct members, the movement's vision is to help the requirements of HR specialists by availing the most critical and ample means available (OECD, 2012). As a prominent voice, the movement's vision is also to develop the human means vocation to certify that HR acknowledged as an important partner in evolving and implementing firm's plans. Started in 1948, SHRM presently has more than 1000 associate sections in the United States and followers in more than 150 countries.

The Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation, started in 1972 by John F. "Jack" Jonas Jr., is a charitable firm situated in Wichita, whose task is to offer persons with disabilities modified services, funds and skills, focusing on hiring and implementing decisions, to simplify their designated financial and individual freedom (OECD, 2012).

The University of Texas founded in 1969 enrolls more than 11,000 students. It is the third biggest part of the University of Texas Organization, and one of the federation's quickest increasing communal universities (Bagenstos, 2010). The University of Texas offers 78 bachelor's doctorates, and master degree courses, and with another doctorate course in the development phases is quickly moving towards an arrangement of being a doctor-providing organization (Bagenstos, 2010).

Wichita State University, which was first as a College, currently has a membership of more than 14,000 students. It has more than 50 undergraduate degree courses in more than 100 areas of scholarship in more than five undergraduate institutions. The Graduate College has a wide package including more than 40 master's degrees, with chapters in more than 50 areas and degrees in doctorate in the sciences, communicative disorders, clinical psychology, mathematics, chemistry, clinical psychology, and educational administration (OECD, 2003).

Disabled persons are human beings, and it is, therefore, important to give them the same opportunities as any other person living in Atlanta. In doing this, the government implements strict rules regarding the issues affecting the employed but disabled persons. The ratio should be the same as that of women in the job industry. Women in Atlanta are fighting so hard to acquire similar opportunities in the organizations. They want equity in their respective working positions. This opportunity should be available to the disabled people with the same qualifications as normal persons. As long as they exhibit work competence, allowing them to enjoy equality, as the normal people is the best way forward. This means giving them everything they require at work in order for them to be just as comfortable as the normal people are. The organizational culture adjustments are important in that they ensure that the workforce knows how to react to some situations in the organization. The organizational culture defines how the workforce will react to certain matters. If the top management creates a good environment for the disabled people, the rest of the workforce will respect the disabled employees and this reduces conflicts in work.

According to Great Britain, (1999) economic incentives for employers on employment rates for persons with disabilities are significant because organizations need to incorporate every person in the company. The communication of these incentives is still ineffective because very few organizations know about them. This research outcome concluded that very little information is available on the advantages of the employer incentives. There are several incentives for the employers each with its benefits. The employers should, therefore, find more information about the incentives in order to decide on the ones to take advantage of them.

However, the government should not only give the employers incentives but to pass a law where every employer should have a fixed number of disabled employees in the company depending on its size. This will install fear in employees making the number of jobless disabled increase. The number of dependents in Atlanta will also reduce because most of the disabled will be able to take care of themselves financially.

The dissertation will seek to contribute to the body of knowledge about economic motivators to employers for hiring disabled workers. The research findings may provide knowledge and awareness employers' perceptions of the economic motivators available for the hiring of disabled individuals.

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction

A literature review is a text body that offers an analysis of the major points of present knowledge that includes methodological and theoretical contributions to a given topic. This section assesses the available literature from intellectuals, professionals and researchers in the field of business management and other related fields. The chapter provides a general idea of the inquest, and it involves the information from researchers, professionals and academics regarding the effectiveness of economic incentives for employers hiring individuals with disabilities. The review assesses the increased rate of unemployment among individuals with disabilities despite the government efforts to establish work incentives programs for both employers and employees with disabilities. This review contributed to the research examining the economic motivators for employers to employ employees with disabilities. The review assesses the effectiveness of economic motivators for employees with disabilities in the U.S., but with a specific focus on Atlanta, Georgia.

Definition of Disability

According to Barnow (2008), disability is an intricate idea than employment. Richard Burknauser and Andrew Houtenville assert that disability is a controversial idea to measure and define. Adler Michele demonstrated that Federal programs utilize a wide range of definitions of disability. Conventionally, disabilities entails as senses, body, or mind characteristics that affect an individual's capacity to engage independently in all or some facts of daily life (United States Department of Health and Human resources, 2004). In the recent past, there has been increasing debate on the description of disability. The United States Census recognizes that descriptions of disability changes with time and these definitions have experienced shifts in the past thirty years. Given that the description of disability differs, gathering of statistics related to disabilities relies on the objective of which it is used for, and the study that collects the information. The U.S. Census of 2000 definition of disability entailed an affirmative reaction (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Four categories were involved which included mobility, employment disability, difficulties with overall life activities and mental disability. However, Singh & Creamer (2010) assert that there is a need to have a standard definition of disability to allow researchers to gather proper information required to measure the notion of disability.

According to Ferguson Career Resource (2009), statistics on individuals with disabilities are offered through scores of government agencies whose requirements for data are directed and compelled through their respective administrative requirements. Therefore, agencies do not provide collectively or individually a consistently applied, broadly accepted definition of disability. Among the general-purpose statistical agencies concerned with disability measurement, a collectively accepted, reliable definition of disability for evaluation and planning purpose lacks. The disintegration of information on individuals with disabilities, therefore, mirrors numerous legislative directives for different programs with different purposes, a lack of agreement on a functional definition and information needs governing different data gathering efforts (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). .

Statistics for Individuals with Disabilities

Over the last twenty-five years, a segment of the American society has come forward after being forgotten and invisible because they could not gain access to public spaces. With better legislation and new technologies, this has started to improve (Ferguson Career Resource Guide, 2009). Presently people with disabilities are getting involved in the society in the sense that they can attend school, utilize the internet and other types of technologies and more importantly, they can remain as active members of the labor-force. As people with disabilities speak up, the society is reminded of its call to stop the old stereotype of being taken care of and move toward the concept of self-determination and independence. Satisfying these requirements, calls for access to data regarding assistive technologies and about organizations that can assist individuals with disabilities to take their places as productive and active society members.

The United States Census Bureau reports that almost fifty million persons with disabilities live outside organizations. This number amounts to twenty percent of the population. One out of every five persons, one of them has problems performing one or more daily-living activities; these are individuals with disabilities. For other people, one out of three persons faces a temporary disability, which may include broken leg or arm (Ferguson Career Resource Guide, 2009). As the American population continues to rise, disability numbers go on increasing. Whether these disabilities are temporary or permanent, people require help to make up for the losses they face.

In every five persons in America, one has some sort of disability and may likely become a discrimination victim. With the aim of eradicating any form of discrimination against persons with disabilities, the U.S. Congress endorsed the 1990 Americas with Disabilities Act (ADA). The role of the ADA is to ensure equality of prospects, independent living, economic self-sufficiency and full participation of people with disabilities. According to (Ferguson Career Resource Guide (2009), estimates of the number of individuals with disabilities in the United States differ considerably depending upon definition. For instance, an individual may have disabilities in relation to certain occupation, but not with regard to other activities performed outside or inside of their homes.

Additionally, data on the degree, severity, limitation and type of disabilities is intricate to acquire. To demonstrate estimates of the percentage of the working-age population with a work disability from 17.2 to 8.5 (1980 census), the range of estimates is equally huge when addressing youth, children and elderly. As the aged populace of the United States augments, so is the number of individuals with disabilities rise, and the effects of policy is abundantly apparent that efficient planning for rehabilitative, social and medical services calls for consistent and reliable estimates of the characteristics and numbers of the future and current individuals with disabilities

According to statistics from U.S. Census Bureau, the total number of individuals with disabilities is 49, 746, 248. In this statics, 24, 439, 531 are males and 25, 306,717 females (National Academies, 1990). One of the most common stereotypes regarding the disable persons is that all individuals with disabilities are deprived and hence not viable individuals. While 26% of persons with disabilities hold an annual household income that is below fifteen thousand dollars, a huge percentage of persons with disabilities have earned that correspond to, or surpass the average per capita income for all Americans.

Effects Of ADA On Persons With Disabilities

The American with Disabilities Act expands upon earlier accessibility mandates and other civil rights legislation that considered discrimination illegal. The ADA covers more than nine hundred separate disabilities. Specifically, the ADA covers certain sections that include accommodation and accessibility requirements for all state and local government services, employment, transportation and communications. This rule tries to guarantee equal prospects for individuals with disabilities. Ferguson Career Resource Guide (2009), employers must make practical accommodation for eligible employees with disabilities, to ensure that job needs and structure do not become obstacles to employment.

While some people completely disclose their disability during a job interview, when the disability is not apparent, some do not disclose their disability. According to Perry (2010), such persons get the job, show up for the job and then notify the employer about their disabilities later. Perry (2010) asserts that the employer should understand the disability first prior to hiring such individuals so that he/she can know what to do and the measures to take before absorbing such individuals. However, the Americas with Disabilities Act promote deception unintentionally or intentionally. Section 102 of the ADA prohibits employers from performing any medical assessment or make inquiries of an applicant for a job as to whether the applicant has some form of disability or seek to know the severity of an applicant's disability (Lee, 2001). While Americans with Disabilities Act does not want individuals with disabilities to face limitations, the Act instead places limitations on employers. American with Disabilities Act allows individuals with disabilities to hide their disabilities until they get hired, and when it is too late for employers to fire them when the disability incurs increased cost to the employer.

Economic Motivators for Employers Hiring People with Disabilities

Public policies intended to protect working-age women and men with disabilities focus on providing benefits in lieu of employment. Social Security Disability Insurance and Supplemental Security Income provide cash benefits to persons with disabilities believed to be unable to work. Social Security Disability Insurance is a social insurance program that offers cash transfers to working-age males and females depending on their past labor earnings (Roessler & Sumner, 1997). Individuals who have been enrolled in the Social Security system and SSDI and who show that they cannot undertake ay significant gainful activity given their functional or medical limitation are eligible for these benefits.

While persons with disabilities receive programs that benefit them because of their disabilities, the United States government stresses on the competitive employment of adults with disabilities. The country holds few national policies that support the employment of adults with disabilities (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). While these policies are not as extensive or broad as those of many European nations, the United states government does offer numerous incentives and benefits for employers in an effort to inspire them to hire employees with disabilities. Current incentives include tax credits, employer benefits for training periods and indirect supports offered through job coaches. Examples of specific incentives and skills training programs for hiring persons with disabilities include:

The Jobs Training Partnership Act, which was established in 1981 to, prepared unskilled adults and youths for entry into the labor market and to afford job training to economically underprivileged persons and other people experiencing critical barriers to employment. This program also benefits those people in special need of training to acquire productive employment (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). The Targeted Job Tax Credit is another incentive that allows organizations tax credit for a maximum of 2, 400 for employing people with disabilities. Tax deductions of up to thirty-five thousand are available for expenditures linked to modification or adaptation of business organizations (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). . Second Injury Provision of the Workmen's Compensation Fund is another incentive that offers protection for an organization if an accident happens to a worker as a direct result of an employee disability.

The Department of Labor offers waivers that allow members to pay employees with disabilities less than the predominant industry wage to allow time for training and establishment of the competitive workplace. Another overlooked benefit is the availability of employment specialists who offer training, placement and follow-along support services of employees with disabilities (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Funding is also accessible to defray excess cost linked to accommodations and training or employing individuals with disabilities from vocational rehabilitation, private Industry Councils and, the United States Employment Services. Numerous Social Security Benefits programs (Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Income) offer monthly Medicare benefits and monthly income to adults with disabilities and their relations.

People criticize these programs citing that these benefits serve as a disincentive to acquiring employment. However, recent attempts have started to engross work incentives such as a 9-month trial period, during which a person may work and earn any amount of money without mislaying any benefits, reimbursement of disability-linked work expense, and an expansive period of program eligibility (Lee, 2001).

According to Perry (2009), the government offers tax breaks to organizations that hire individuals with disabilities. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) stated that the government must raise communication concerning tax incentives to allow more companies to hire more individuals with disabilities. The concept communicated is that employers should find value not in the money they receive as taxes but in an employee personal contribution to the organization. According to Perry (2009), few employers have taken advantage of incentives accessible to them when they hire persons with disabilities. Some individuals with disabilities admit that; they would want employers to hire them for their professionalism and the contribution they make in the organization as opposed to hiring them because of the tax breaks they receive from the government.

Employers employing individuals with disabilities qualify for tax deductions and credits. These tax credits and deductions include Disable Access Credit, which offers a non-refundable credit to small organizations that spends its resources while offering access to employment of people with disabilities. Organizations eligible for a Disabled Access Credit are those that made a maximum of one million dollars or those that hold over thirty full-time workers (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Another tax benefit for employers is the Barrier Removal Tax Deduction that inspires organizations to remove transportation and architectural obstacles to the persons with disabilities and the aged mobility. Organizations may claim a maximum of 15, 000 dollar deduction every year for eligible expenses (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Organizations claim the reduction through listing it as an individual expense on the income tax return.

Organizations may utilize the Disabled Tax Credit as well as the transportation or architectural tax deduction in a year. The other tax credit include the Work Opportunity Credit that offers qualified employer tax credit of maximum 40% of the initial 6, 000 dollars of first-year salaries of an employee with disability who is certified by the government agencies as disabled (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Work Opportunity Credit is accessible to employers when employees with disabilities have worked in the organization for at least ninety days.

The Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit is another economic incentive for employers hiring persons with disabilities (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Welfare-To-Work is a tax credit for organizations that employ persons from particular qualified groups of disabled persons who have completed or are in their final days in rehabilitative services from the United State Department of Veteran Affairs or from a state. The government has also put in place The Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit which is a tax credit for organizations that hire persons certified by the assigned local agency as a person who received Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). The Welfare-to-Work permits tax credit of a maximum of 8, 500 dollars for people receiving TANF.

The Veterans Job Training Act is another work incentive offered in the United States that offers costs of training for employers of permanent unemployed veterans of the Vietnam era or Korean conflict. The government also provides the Architectural/Transportation Tax Deduction, IRC Section 190, which refers to a deduction taken by organizations for making public transportation means or facilities usable and accessible to the elderly and individuals with disabilities. The Mentor-Protege Program, P.L. 102-172 Section 8064A is another work incentive that allows employment of persons with disabilities through Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs) (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). The Department of Defense receives technical support in areas, which include financing, management and production where the major contractor is reimbursed through the federal agency for expenses incurred during technical help offered to protege. The Social Security Administration Employment Cash Provision and these formula-based cash incentive are dependent on favorable employment upshots for persons with disabilities who are capable of foregoing their SSI or SSDI benefits.

On Job Training Program in another is another work motivator available for employers hiring individuals with disabilities. Through this program, employers are provided with finances that cater for the costs the employer spends in training employees with disabilities (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). The provided finances can be utilized for trainer wages and training classes. With On-the-job training, the employer gets the prospect to try out a worker without feeling compelled to employ the person if the training does not help the employee (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). This program functions for employers through helping them with the costs of training and assists employees by providing experience and training. With knowledge of On-the-job training, the program can be so efficient for both the employee and the employer. Even with these incentives for employing persons with disabilities, very few employers have knowledge of the incentives.

A study conducted by Lengnick & Gaunt (2003) indicated that employers exhibit more knowledge about Work Opportunity Tax Credit, the Veterans Job Training Act and Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit. However, understanding of these incentives varies. Respondents included in Lengnick & Gaunt (2003) indicated less knowledge as regard the Disabled Access Credit, the Architectural/Transportation Tax Deduction, Mentor-Protege Program and the Social Security Administration Network Cash Provision (Filner, 2009). As regards these programs, employers underscored that they had no knowledge of them, and they never heard of these programs.

However, to increase individuals with disabilities and employer awareness of these programs and incentives for veteran employment, the Jobs for Veterans Act in 2002 introduced the President's National Hire Veterans Committee within the Department of Labor. This committee brings together representatives from private employers, service organizations with officials from the Small Business Administration and Organization Labor, United States Postal Service, Office of Personal Management and Department of Labor (Filner, 2009). The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) directs the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program (WOTC). The program offers economic incentives for employers employing employees from targeted groups such as individuals with disabilities. This tax credit facilitates reduction of a company's national income tax liability.

Besides receiving tax credits to promote hiring individuals with disabilities, employers can lower recruitment costs through utilizing National Job Referral services that include individuals with disabilities. The National Job Referral services include Employer Assistance Referral Network and Ticket to Hire. Donald (2009) asserts that employers may have incentives and disincentives to employ persons with mental illnesses. The disincentives are found, partly in stigmatized views of persons with mental illness and isolated negative experiences that strengthen these views. For instance, an employer may deem that employing a person with mental illness could put at risk the physical safety of customers, coworkers and that the person's mannerism may disrupt the work setting, or customers may demean the organization if they realize that an employee of the organization is mentally disabled. According to Donald (2009), a range of activities is required to overcome employer disincentives and promote incentives.

In 1999, the Work Incentives Improvement Act and the Ticket to Work Act was endorsed to introduce federal programs to assist in the provision of employment and other forms of support to persons receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and Social Security Income. Incentives are also available to states to research shifts in disability policies and programs and to provide an extensive range of support to persons with disabilities in efforts to helping them become independent (Donald, 2009). The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit offers tax credits to employers who employ marginalized persons including veterans and individuals with disabilities where tax credit of a maximum of four thousand and eight dollars yearly for new hires. Another employer's financial incentive includes the Disabled Access Credit, which offers tax credits to small organizations for expenses attained in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Factors Affecting Economic Motivators for Employers

Louis Harris survey conducted in 2000 indicated that sixty-seven percent of persons with disabilities prefer to join the employment sector. The basis of these overwhelming statistics includes obstacles to employment, which include reduced awareness and knowledge among employers (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Most employers may be uninformed or hold only partial data regarding increased rates of unemployment among persons with disabilities. These employers may also be uninformed on the availability and accessibility of the state and federal incentive programs. Most people with disabilities remain unemployed because of unenthusiastic employer's assumptions (Retish & Raiyter, 1999). For example, employers may fail to realize the worth of persons with disabilities in the labor market or employers may hold preconceived ideas regarding the ability of persons with disabilities in the places of work (Lengnick-Hall & Gaunt, 2003). Although the private sector may fail may not consider prioritizing the employment of persons with disabilities, the public sector guarantees proper social equity and representation in government employment.

The government holds a powerful role as the replica employer of persons with disabilities besides holding the responsibility to guarantee that all persons, regardless of their characteristics and health conditions are well represented. However, only 7% of individuals with disabilities from the federal labor force and this number include persons with less severe disabilities (U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2006). As a result, there is an apparent difference amid the number of unemployed persons with disabilities and the numbers of employed persons with disabilities in the public segment. Out of the twenty percent of persons with disabilities in the United States, seven percent of them are employed in the public segment. In Georgia, over fifty-three percent working-age persons with disabilities remain unemployed (U.S. Census, American Community Survey, 2006).

Prejudice against persons with disabilities takes place in employment procedures in all sectors that include public employment. The United States Congress has attempted to promote employment of persons with disabilities. The endorsement of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act proscribed discrimination against eligible handicapped persons through organizations and federal agencies that receive federal funding (Hays, 2009). The Rehabilitation Act extended beyond discrimination, asserted federal agencies and contractors to train actively, and recruit persons with disabilities need that affirmative action. According to Hays (2009), the execution of the affirmative action functions to amalgamate the society, lower income inequalities, enhance distributive justice and enhance effectiveness through guaranteeing that individual's talents are used regardless of their health conditions.

The American with Disabilities Act made it unlawful for employers in the private sector, local and state government to show partiality against individuals with disabilities in the sector of employment (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity, 2005). Strong and apparent language in ADA section 102 provides that no covered entity have the right to discriminate against eligible persons with a disability because of disability with regard to processing of job application, employee's discharge, and compensation of employees, hiring, job training and other employment privileges (ADA 1990). The amendment of the American with Disabilities Act of 2008 offered an even expansive definition of disability to make it easier for a person searching for protection under the Act.

Notwithstanding the numerous trails through the federal government to promote the hiring of persons with disabilities, the unemployment are among disabled persons remain high. According to Gewurtz & Kirsh (2009), new laws that seek to promote employment of persons with disabilities are inadequate to eliminate systematic discrimination in the practices of employment. Gewurtz & Kirsh (2009) further asserts that individuals with disabilities constantly experience many obstacles to employment that include discrimination because of gender, socioeconomic status, age, and race. In addition to prejudice founded on these aspects, persons with disabilities experience many other obstacles to employment.

Lack of Information and Knowledge Regarding Economic Motivators

Findings from different studies have confirmed that awareness and lack of understanding among employers, financial issues, safety and legal concerns, inaccessible recruitment strategies and restrained social links among persons with disabilities, inconsistent government programs and potential attendance issues are the major obstacles that prevent hiring of persons with disabilities (Hays, 2009). However, these barriers depend on an individual's level and the type of disability. These are just some of the major obstacles identified through research. However, lack of awareness and understanding among employers is a major concern and an obstacle that hinders employment of persons with disabilities. Research indicated that people with disabilities experienced prejudice and discrimination from their employers, an aspect that depressingly affects their employment.

Reports from the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission confirmed that issues such as prejudice are evident in the government. In 2006, persons with disabilities hired through the federal government filed three thousand, eight hundred and forty three grievances of unfairness founded on practical accommodations, conditions/terms, employment terms and harassment (Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008). As regards these statistics, it is apparent that discrimination subsists against persons with disabilities. Grievances presented to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from persons with disabilities concerning issues such as harassment and discrimination have been on the rise since 2002.

According to Schur (2002) who cited the United States Commission on Civil Rights (1983), 4.2 million persons with disabilities deem that they have faced discrimination (Schur, 2002). Schur also confirmed that lack of proper knowledge and preconceived concept concerning the aptitude of persons with disabilities are the leading factors that hinder employment of persons with disabilities (Schur, 2002). A study conducted in Atlanta that involved two hundred businesses identified perceptions, attitudes and knowledge towards employing persons with disabilities as major hindrances to the employment of this group of people, particularly in the private sector. Responses from questions on obstacles that private employers experience in hiring individuals with disabilities indicated that persons with disabilities do not have the potential to perform sufficiently what they are required to do (Schur, 2002). These were the responses from forty-nine percent of the surveyed business people while twenty-five percent of surveyed people indicated a lack of understanding regarding persons with disabilities. Employers also think that when they employ individuals with disabilities, they may experience increased litigation costs caused through high-profile cases. In this regard, employers have a tendency of staying away from employing persons with disabilities citing increased litigation costs.

Misconception about Individuals with Disabilities

Employers also avoid hiring persons with disabilities due to the misapprehension that individuals with disabilities would regularly be sick or fail to finish their assigned tasks. Moreover, employers fear poor attendance of individuals with disabilities due restrained accessibility to the means of transports. Other employers avoid hiring persons with disabilities because of fear of augmented investment in measures of safety. Employers fear about the call to offer extra prop up during emergencies given that most persons with disabilities may face an augmented danger of physical injury. On the contrary, Conlin (2000) cited a study carried out by DuPont that indicated that individuals with disabilities exhibit a ninety-percent above-average work presentation, with attendance and safety records that are above average.

The misconception that individuals with disabilities are all underprivileged makes organizations less willing to use up the money needed in making the products and buildings of these individuals accessible. The more individuals with disabilities are spotted in workplaces; the more misapprehensions get dismissed. However, for most persons with disabilities to be hired, some sort of resource adjustment to overcome certain limitations is needed (Roessler & Sumner, 1997). This demonstrates the significance of data access regarding helpful facilities. When individuals with disabilities access modern resources, they become more independent; this trend dismisses the negative stereotypes leading to considerable accessibility

Another barrier to employment of individuals with disabilities includes financial concerns. The finances are linked to practical accommodations as presented in American with Disabilities Act. However, these issues are because of misconceptions where some employers consider that the finances required to accommodate employees with disabilities are higher and would past the one thousand dollar mark (Bobby Dodd Institute, 2006). Another survey conducted by New Jersey State University in 2003 indicated that forty percent of companies involved in the survey indicated that it is costly or complex to offer accommodations to employees with disabilities (Dixon & Kruse, 2003).

Organizations are required by law to make changes and provide indispensable accommodations to handle the functional restraints for persons with disabilities. While people misconceive the cost of accommodating persons with disabilities, Georgia Department of Labor Rehabilitation Services indicates that the normal cost of accommodating individuals with disabilities in the workplace does not exceed one hundred dollars (Georgia Department of Labor Rehabilitation Services, 2009).

Inaccessible Hiring Strategies

Inaccessibility of targeted recruitment policies is another barrier that hinders hiring of persons with disabilities. Findings from a recent research indicated that over seventy percent of the 200 hundred companies surveyed in Atlanta do not have specific hiring or recruiting practices for employees with disabilities. Small companies reported fewer hiring policies for individuals with disabilities. Inaccessible hiring strategies for persons with disabilities hold chronological patterns, akin to lack of appropriate hiring policies for ethnic minorities and women before the 1960s (Presidential Appointments Improvements Act of 2007). Affirmative action strategies promoting the hiring of individuals with disabilities have instigated targeted policies to support ethnic minorities and women to enter into elections. While persons with disabilities have constantly faced frustrations in their efforts to seek for employments, and affirmative action strategies aimed at assisting in encouraging their employment, this group of persons constantly experience similar issues they experienced before the introduction of the ADA and affirmative action and the establishment of work incentives.

Employment of managers and officials in the government is also faced with challenges of hiring individuals with disabilities. While the appointing power makes room for the procedure of recruiting individuals, managers hold no understanding of the procedure of hiring these people (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008). The government has set aside a non-competitive strategy that allows the hiring of individuals with disabilities who apply for federal work (Schedule A). However, managers because of lack of understanding regarding the program (Schedule A) appointing power do not use this hiring power completely. With respect to the process of a job application, individuals with disabilities are not able to affix their Schedule an application form while applying for federal jobs online.

Conflicts with Existing Programs

The most significant barrier that hinders individuals with disabilities from getting hired is the conflict amid available government programs. Scores of present policies put off persons with disables from seeking employment. Individuals with disabilities may fail to search for employment for fear of losing significant health care services that include long-term supports and services, which include assistive technology, and personal assistance services (Presidential Appointments Improvements Act of 2007). Presently, waiting people for individuals with disabilities to be eligible for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) may go beyond 5 months and individuals with disabilities are inspired to remain unemployed in the course of this period, as seeking employment would obstruct them from receiving the Social Security Disability Income.

In addition, beneficiaries of SSDI, who may obtain employment risk losing their benefits because of receiving income that extends beyond a specific level. Another aspect that makes persons with disabilities choose to remain unemployed is because SSDI benefits receive a reduced tax compared to earned income (Taylor, 1998). Conflicts with accessible support programs put off many individuals with disabilities to seek employment given that these people may get numerous cash benefits from programs which include veterans benefits, private disability insurance, Temporary Assistance which individuals with disabilities may lose if they enter into employment that earns them an income that goes beyond a given level of income. The government programs support low anticipations for self-support and self-reliance turns to a self-fulfilling prophecy for individuals with disabilities (Fabian, Glacia & Beveridge, 2009). While the government attempts to promote employment of persons with disabilities through public programs, eligibility needs for government benefits put off this group of persons from looking for employment.

In the fiscal year 1998, over 10 million persons received either Social Security or SSI disability benefits. The programs represent the two largest disability benefit programs in the United States, with estimated expenditures of about 66 billion dollars in 1998 (Presidential Appointments Improvements Act of 2007). While both SSI and Social security involves a number of work incentives and provide rehabilitation services to the employed persons with disabilities, the number of persons who leave these roll to go back to work is minimal. According to Presidential Appointments Improvement Act of 2007, less than one percent of SSI recipients and approximately one percent of Social Security recipients depart the SSA disability rolls per year through returning to work.

The small occurrence of return to work on the part of persons with disabilities who receive Social Security or SSA benefits may be partly due to the SSI and Social Security requirements that a person's impairment makes her or him incapable to engage in any significant work. Given that eligibility for these benefits depends on proving one's inability to work, recipients risk losing health insurance coverage and cash benefits if try to work. While existing incentives in the SSI and Social Security disability programs tries to lessen these dangers, proponents of increased work prospects argue that more focused efforts were required to resolve the conflict amid constant health insurance coverage for persons with disabilities or choosing to work (Presidential Appointments Improvements Act of 2007).

Lack of Appropriate Planning and Difficulties in implementations Economic Incentive Programs

According to Stapleton (2006), scores of government reforms aimed at motivating employers to employ individuals with disabilities have not yielded any success. For example, the Work Incentives Act and the Federal Ticket to Work of 1990 has experienced restrained execution success given that organizations are dampened from taking part due to the intricate payment structure and the call for open capital to buy the needed training equipment. In spite of the efforts through the government to be practical in promoting employment prospects for persons with disabilities, these efforts have not been doing well because of lack of appropriate planning and intricacies in implementations of the programs. Conflict or lack of harmonization with the already existing government programs is made worse and lack of liability and setting of the objective by one office or agency within the federal government. In addition, lack of tactical planning in employing individuals with disabilities blocks the government from achieving its recruitment objectives. Statistics presented via government agencies indicate forty-three percent of agencies in 2005 failed to introduce any form of the objective to promote employment attitude for individuals with disabilities (U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2008).

Summary

The ADA was formed to augment the employment rates of persons with disabilities through legalizing employment discrimination and rising workplace accessibility. However, American with Disabilities Act has faced much criticism because of lowering the rates of employments through increasing costs of firing and hiring employees with disabilities because of the potential requirement for accommodations and dangers of lawsuits. From the review of literature, the problem of the increased unemployment rate of individuals with disabilities is triggered by lack of information and knowledge of the accessible economic incentive programs for employers hiring people with disabilities (OECD, 2009). Most employers and targeted employees are unaware of the work incentives programs provided by the federal government to all states. Moreover, the provisions of the American with Disabilities Act particularly section 102, which prohibit assessments of the employee's health status, also prohibit the effectiveness of economic incentives for employers hiring individuals with disabilities (United States, House, 2003).

Other factors that hinder employment of people with disabilities besides ineffective work incentives include legal and safety issues, financial concerns, lack of strategies for recruitment and incompatible government programs that discourages individuals with disabilities from seeking employment because of fear of losing Social Security or SSI benefits. Community and employer attitudes, inadequate jobs in the local community and lack of employment and job placement supports are other factors that impede hiring of individuals with disabilities.

Conclusion

Notwithstanding the efforts by the national government to promote the hiring of persons with disabilities, the unemployment rate for this group of individuals still remains high. The literature review has assessed the effectiveness of economic incentives such as tax credit made available to employers hiring people with disabilities across all states in the United States including Atlanta, Georgia. The establishment of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the introduction of economic incentives for employers hiring individuals with disabilities are not sufficient to eliminate discrimination against the employment of individuals with disabilities. The fact that individuals with disabilities continue to experience many obstacles in the employment sector is an indication that the economic incentives offered by the government to enhance employment of individuals with disabilities are not effective.

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

Introduction

This research examined the Effectiveness of Economic Motivators for Employers on Employment Rates for People with Disabilities in Atlanta. The government is playing a critical role in enhancing the performance of organizations consequently encouraging the integration of people with disabilities in the workplace. Despite this essence, there are still high rates of disabilities among the persons with disabilities. The study sought to find the number of firms that appreciate employer motivators and implement relevant policies towards the minimization of the rate of unemployment among the persons with disabilities. This research adopted and implemented the concept of the qualitative and quantitative method towards examining the research questions. This relates to the integration of administration of self-administered questionnaires, interviews and evaluation of existing literature review of the research scope. The research sought to address the following research questions:

Qualitative Research Questions

1. What level of knowledge do senior managers have pertaining to employer motivators for employing persons with disabilities?

2. How much are employer motivators for hiring individuals with disabilities used organizations?

3. What do senior managers believe are the most effective recommendations for improving the employment of persons with disabilities?

4. How does the American Disabilities Act (ADA) support the employment of individuals with disabilities?

Quantitative Research Questions

5. Is there a significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

6. Is there a significant relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and employment of the disabled persons?

7. Is there a significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta

Research Design

This study utilized mixed method research design with the aim of evaluating the research questions effectively and efficiently. The specific research design that was used for this study was a concurrent mixed method. This involved the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data concurrently. According to Johnson and Onuwuegbuzie (2004), the mixed methodology is a research that mixes or combines both quantitative and qualitative research techniques, methods, approaches and concepts into a single study. It helped to answer research questions that cannot be answered by qualitative or quantitative approach alone (Creswell, 2009). The main objective with reference to the integration of this research design was to gain insights and familiarity for effective and efficient investigation. The mixed method design focused on the achievement of the following goals and objectives:

To gain insight of the basic details, settings, and concerns in relation to the research scope

To obtain a sufficiently grounded picture of the scope and the situation under the investigation for the achievement of quality and substantial findings

To generate new ideas and assumptions for the development of tentative theories and hypotheses in relation to the research questions and sub-questions

To determine the feasibility of the study in future interactions or executions

To offer direction for the future research and techniques for the confirmation of the developmental theories and framework

To refine for more systematic investigations and formulation of the new research questions with the aim of gaining effective insights on the developing issues

To gain useful information on the background of the specific topic

To adopt and integrate flexible and appropriate design with the aim of addressing the research questions while examining what, why, and how questions

To gain effective approach towards research priorities in relation to the formulation of the formal hypothesis and precise research problems or issues

Variables

An independent variable refers to the variable in which the research has control over in relation to what to choose and manipulate (Andrew et al., 2011). It is what the researcher thinks will affect or influence the dependent variable. In some cases, it is difficult to manipulate the independent variable because of being fixed or its evaluation with respect to how it affects something else. The research will focus on examining the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variables.

A dependent variable refers to what the researcher decides to measure during the study or experiment (Andrew et al., 2011). This is an indication that the dependent variable responds to the independent variable. It derives its name because of its tendency of becoming a consequence or outcome of the independent variable. This indicates that for dependent variable to occur there must be an independent variable in the first place.

Selection of Participants

Examination of the research exercise depends on the ability of the research to adopt and integrate representative population or participants (Perry, 2004). This research focused on the integration of about 300 participants. These participants participated in the administration of the questionnaires and interview instrumentations with the aim of achieving valuable findings in relation to the research questions.

Complete description of the Research Participants

Atlanta City

Number of Participants

Description of Participants

Five Points District

75

40 HR specialists in major companies

15 disability advocates

10 normal employees

10 persons with disabilities

Luckie Marietta District

75

40 HR specialists in major companies

10 disability advocates

10 normal employees

15 persons with disabilities

South Downtown District

75

30 HR specialists in major companies

15 disability advocates

10 normal employees

20 persons with disabilities

Bland town District

75

40 HR specialists in major companies

20 disability advocates

5 normal employees

10 persons with disabilities

From the above table, the participants were divided into four critical categories: normal employer/employees, persons with disabilities, human resource experts, and disability advocates. There were 150 human resource experts in the context of the named districts in Atlanta City. There was also the need to note the participation of 55 persons with disabilities, 60 advocates or activists in relation to disability, and 35 normal employees/employers within the context of Atlanta City. There was no age limit in the participating in evaluating the research questions and scope. The participants were selected through random sampling from local companies in the Atlanta metropolitan area. There was no relationship or conflict of interest between participants and researcher.

Type of Sampling

The research adopted a simple random sample method often referred to as SRS in the selection of the participants in the stated districts (Morrow, 2011). This relates to the identification of the HR specialists, disability advocates/activists, persons with disabilities, employees/employers in the four districts in the context of Atlanta City. A simple random sample in relation to size n consisting of individuals from the population is obtained in such a way that every set of the individuals has an equal chance to be in the actual sample selected. In this case, population refers to the collection of people the study focuses on examining the research questions and sub-questions. This sampling method is critical because of its ability to eliminate bias in the development of samples such as in the above case of data/participants (O'Hara, 2011). The random sampling method is also easier to implement and interpret in order to deduce relevant information with reference to the research questions. The population of Atlanta City is approximately 433,000 (McMahan, 2009). This is an indication that the study sought to examine 0.07% of the population with the aim of denoting the occurrences within the context of the city.

Instrumentation

The research focused on utilizing questionnaires and interviews as research instruments for evaluating research questions. There were two forms of administration of the questionnaires. These included online/internet and physical administration of the questionnaire by the researcher. Online administration of the questionnaire was applicable in the case of inaccessible participants under which the researcher focused on the administration of the instruments through their emails. The survey used in the study was the Employer Incentives for Hiring Individuals with Disabilities Survey (2003) and previous research conducted by Hall (2003). This survey was used to gather information about employers on the incentive benefits that are offered to employees by use of the Likert scale. The Likert scale (1932) was developed to measure attitudes by asking people to respond to series of statements about a topic, in terms of the extent to which they agree with the statement, and so tapping into the cognitive and affective components of attitudes (Mitchell & Jolley, 2010).

The questionnaire and interview structures focused on the integration of open-ended and closed questions in order to capture relevant information in relation to the research questions and sub-questions (Mitchell & Jolley, 2010. Its major advantage is that they do not expect a simple yes/no answer from the respondents, but rather allow for a degree of opinion. It aids collection of quantitative data that can be easily analyzed (Mcleod, 2008). The Likert scale is an ordered one-dimensional scale from which the respondents choose one option that aligns with their view. There were five options in the questionnaire. The responses are (5) strongly agree (4) agree (3) neither agree nor disagree (2) disagree (1) strongly disagree. The benefit of the Likert scale is that questions used are usually easy to understand and so lead to consistent answers (Mcleod, 2008). The research instrument consisted of 16 items on a 5-point Likert scale. Five is the highest mean score possible and one is the lowest mean score possible. Items 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 14 and 16 are used to answer research question six. Items 2, 5, 6, 8, and 15 are used to answer research question seven. Items 10, 11, 12, and 13 are used to answer research question eight.

The researcher self-administered the questionnaire by hand and collected the qualitative data for the study. The researcher personally contacted the respondents and explained the purpose of the study before giving them the questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed by the respondents at their convenience, and the researcher will return on a later day to pick up the questionnaire after completion by the respondents. This method generally receives a greater response rate than other methods of distributing survey instrument. It presents the opportunity for personal interaction and respondents feel more compelled to complete the questionnaire after a positive interaction. Furthermore, Mond et al., (2004) stated that this method is relatively less expensive and yields a fairly high response rate. The researcher monitored the response rate by checking on how many questionnaires have been returned. The researcher made a return visit to remind politely those that had still not returned their questionnaire to do so.

Items in the questionnaire were grouped into logically coherent sections. Questions that are similar were grouped together, making it easier and comfortable for respondents to complete. For example, questions that use the same response format, or those that cover specific topic were grouped together. The researcher provided clear and concise instructions on how respondents will answer each question in the questionnaire. This was achieved by using short sentences and basic vocabulary.

Reliability

The researcher ensured that the responses from participants met the requirements of reliability and validity through Triangulation. Triangulation is the process whereby a researcher searches for convergence among different sources of information to form themes or categories in the study (Creswell & Miller, 2000). Reliability is one of the two important and fundamental characteristics of any measurement procedure. Reliability refers to the extent to which the questionnaire tests, observe, and produce the same results on repeated trials (Morrow, 2011). This is an indication that reality focuses on the stability or consistency of the score following the administration of the research instrument. This research exercise integrated three critical aspects towards the realizing reliability of the questionnaire to reveal consistent results: internal consistency, equivalence, and stability. Equivalence refers to the agreement between two or three research instruments administered at the same point and time. It was measured through a parallel form in which one administers alternative forms of the same instrument to either the same or different group of participants. The higher degree of the instruments will illustrate equivalence in examining the research questions and scope (Morrow, 2011). Stability occurs when the same or similar score are achieved by repeated testing in the same group of respondents. This is an indication of the consistency of the scores from one time to another. This was assessed through the integration of the test-retest in relation to the administration of the same instrument to the similar group and conditions. Internal consistency refers to the extent through which items on the test measure the same aspect. The research implemented split-half reliability index in order to measure this aspect of reliability.

Validity

Unlike reliability, validity focuses on examining the extent to which the instrument measures what it is supposed or purports to measure (Brace, 2008). This research focused on the integration of three aspects of validity in the form of content, face, and criterion-related validity. Content validity refers to the degree in which the instrument fully assesses the construct of interests. This was achieved through the rationalization of the instrument by raters in relation to the construct of interest (Brace, 2008). Face validity is a reflection of an element of the content validity in which the end result in the review of the instruments and characteristics of the construct of interest. Finally, criterion-related validity is achieved when one is interested in determining the relationship of scores with reference to a specific criterion.

Appropriateness/rationale for use in the study

One of the rationalities of the implementation of the questionnaires is the practicability of the questionnaires towards the achievement of the goals and objectives of the research exercise. The instrument also offers an opportunity for the collection of a large amount of information from a large sample in the shortest time possible. The outcome of the questionnaire also offers an opportunity for the researcher to quantify through a software package or individual analysis. Quantification of the results makes it ideal for comparison with other research studies thus effective in gaining insight into this research scope. Quantitative and qualitative data are applicable in the generation of theories or frameworks thus appropriate for the collection of information in this research study (Bryman, 2012).

Ethical Consideration

The first process in the collection of data and execution of the research was to seek the IRB approval. This is through the inclusion of a detailed description of the research, methods, hypotheses, and procedures applicable. The application included a description of the population, steps towards minimizing risks to the patients, and essence of confidentiality. The application is also related to the grant proposal, questionnaires/survey applicable to the research exercise. The application entailed recruitment materials and consent.

The other essence of approval relates to seeking the institutional approval through detailed description of the components of the research such as methodology, hypotheses, proposal, and analysis methods. This facilitated the execution of the next step in relation to the integration of valuable instruction and materials applied in the execution of the research exercise. The setting of the research study was in the context of the various districts listed above with the central location in the Bland town district.

The research exercise adhered to the ethics of the informed consent with the aim of enhancing confidentiality and autonomy of the participants. This is critical because of the need to promote their privacy rights and security in relation to utilizing critical information effectively and efficiently in accordance with the terms of the research project. This ensured the anonymity of the participants as well as maintenance of the confidential records during the collection of the data process.

This research exercise focused on the elimination of the bias of the researcher during the execution process through maintenance of objectivity. This is through the collection of data as they are provided by the respondent without any alteration or premeditated judgment on the issue at hand. This is essential towards the achievement of reliability and validity of the research process and instrument. The data collection took three days. The researcher collected all the questionnaires after administration for the entry into a personal computer for analysis. This took approximately two weeks with the aim of coming up with an effective and efficient illustration and interpretation of the research findings. At the completion of the research, the data was stored on a disk and is locked up in a safe for three years at the researcher's home. Thereafter, the disk will be destroyed.

Data Analysis

The stated research questions adopted and implemented diverse measurement and analysis techniques for the purposes of accuracy and quality interpretation of the research findings or consequences of the administration of the questionnaires. This research utilized these analysis methods for each research question:

Qualitative Research Analysis

The qualitative data analysis for the study began with interview discussions. As data was collected, it was transcribed and manually categorized into themes in a way that answers the qualitative research questions. The researcher utilized the constant comparison analysis approach (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Ryan & Bernard 2000) to examine, describe, and summarize participants responses to the open-ended questions asked during the focus group discussions.

RQ1: What level of knowledge do Human resources have pertaining to employer motivators for employing persons with disabilities?

The researcher used constant comparison approach to answering research question 1. This method enabled the researcher to examine participants' expressions of their perceptions about the question related to employer motivation asked in the focus group. The researcher was able to identify how one expression is different or similar to the other. The similarities and differences generated from participants' expressions of their perceptions helped the researcher to develop themes and sub-themes what will be used to analyze question 1.

RQ2: How much are employer motivators for hiring individuals with disabilities used organizations?

The researcher used constant comparison approach to answering research question 2. This method enabled the researcher to examine participants' expressions of their perceptions about the question related to employer incentives asked in the focus group. The researcher was able to identify how one expression is different or similar to the other. The similarities and differences generated from participants' expressions of their perceptions helped the researcher to develop themes and sub-themes what will be used to analyze question 2.

RQ3: What do human resources managers believe are the most effective recommendations for improving the employment of persons with disabilities?

The researcher used constant comparison approach to answering research question 3. This method enabled the researcher to examine participants' expressions of their perceptions about the question related to employer recommendations asked in the focus group. The researcher was able to identify how one expression is different or similar to the other. The similarities and differences generated from participants' expressions of their perceptions helped the researcher develop themes and sub-themes what will be used to analyze the question .

RQ4: How does the American Disabilities Act (ADA) support the employment of individuals with disabilities?

The researcher used constant comparison approach to answering research question 4. This method enabled the researcher to examine participants' expressions of their perceptions about the question related to the effect of American Disabilities Act asked in the focus group. The researcher was able to identify how one expression is different or similar to the other. The similarities and differences generated from participants' expressions of their perceptions helped the researcher to develop themes and sub-themes that would be used to analyze question 4.

Quantitative Research Analysis

Participants' responses were entered into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 to analyze resultant data. Descriptive statistics were utilized to answer research questions five, six and seven.

RQ5: Is there a significant relationship between senior manager's perception of disabilities and the performance duties scheduled for their disabled employees?

Research questions five implemented the Pearson's Product Moment Correlation to test the relationship between the perception of disabilities and increase employment to answer question five.

RQ6: Is there a relationship between senior managers' personal experiences with disabilities and the employment of the disabled persons?

Research questions seven implemented the Pearson's Product Moment Correlation to test the relationship between the employer's experiences and employment to answer question six.

RQ7: Is there a relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta?

Research question seven implemented t-test in the examination of the relationship between the means of the two populations.

The Researcher's Role

Since this is a mixed research process, the researcher executed the following roles: thematising, designing, transcribing, interviewing, questionnaires, analyzing, verifying, and reporting the findings of the research. This is through the promotion of elements of objectivity and transparency in the collection, analysis, and interpretation processes.

Credibility

The credibility criteria involved establishment that the outcome or the results of the mixed research are believable and credible from the participants' point-of-view. This is through the description of the purpose of the qualitative research in the interest of the participants because they are the legitimate entities in passing judgment on the credibility of the results or findings.

Dependability

Dependability relates to the ability and the need for the research process to the account of the essence of ever-changing context in which the experiment is executed. The mixed research focused on the description of the changes that occur in the context and relevant influence of the changes in the approach to the study.

Transferability

Transferability relates to the degree to which the findings of the mixed research could be generalized in relation to other settings or context. This is the responsibility of the person executing the generalized concept. In order to enhance transferability in relation to this research, the focus was on the description of the research context and assumptions central to the qualitative research. This indicated that the researcher will make a vital judgment on the sensibility of the research for generalization purposes.

Conformability

According to one of the assumptions of mixed research, each researcher has the ability to generate a unique point-of-view in the research process. Conformability focused on the determination of the degree to which the findings could be confirmed by others. This was through documentation of the producers with the aim of checking and rechecking the data across the study. There was also the need to execute examination and description of the negative instances contracting the prior observations as well as the implementation of the data audit approach to enhance conformability.

Conclusion

The purpose of this study examined Economic Motivators for Employers on Employment Rates for People with Disabilities in Atlanta. This chapter provided a description of the research methodology that was conducted for this study. The mixed methodology design utilized administration of questionnaires and interviews for the achievement of a quality collection of data. The population, sample, research instruments, data collection and data analysis were described to identify how this research methodology was vital in the development of the next chapter of the dissertation.

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS

Introduction

According to the Census Bureau in the United States, there are about 54 million Americans that have some sort of disability. Out of these persons, 26 million persons have a severe disability. While employment rates are concerned, it should be seen that 82% of the people in America without a disability have a job or some sort of business. Keeping this in mind, it should be seen that the employment rate of individuals with disabilities has not improved since the 1990s when the ADA was passed. Even though the economy has gotten better since that time, employment still hasn't improved. Now with the economy in a decline and inflation going up, there is an urgent need for disabled people to be employed so that they can better take care of themselves. In this chapter, the researcher discussed the results that were obtained with respect to the research questions that were laid down in the study design section of the paper. The responses of respondents to each question and, therefore, the findings obtained as a part of the research through these questions shall be brought into limelight one after another (Bryman, 2012). This study made use of both a survey and questionnaire.

Restatement of Study Purpose

The purpose of this Mixed study was to examine Economic Motivators for Employers on Employment Rates for People with Disabilities in Atlanta. Moreover, the study sought to find out how many firms really appreciate employer incentives and who in the firms make policies about implementing them. A minor focus of the research was to evaluate employers' outlooks and sentiments concerning the effect of the ADA on the hiring of persons with disabilities, decide on the amount of effort firms spend on hiring persons with disabilities and benefit from understanding the top managements' special involvements with disabilities. The research tools used in the study consisted of interviews, questionnaires and evaluation of the existing literature that is present about the topic. The mixed research design was used so that answers to the research questions could be obtained in a more comprehensive manner. The data was obtained by making use of interview questions in a questionnaire. There were a couple of open-ended questions that the respondents had to answer. The aim of this questionnaire was to record the candid thought of 50 respondents that were made a part of this study. The employer's size ranged from 15-200 for small to midsize employers in metro Atlanta.

Demographic Information of Study Sample

The study sample was chosen by the designation and job description of the participants. There was no preference over a certain age or gender while considering the study sample. In every district, the sample consisted of HR specialists in major companies, disability advocates, normal employees and persons with disabilities. The numbers of employees who had a disability and did not have a disability were equal in the study. Considering how everyone was of the working age, the demographic profile of the sample appears to be more than 25 and less than 60. There is an almost equal number of men and women in this study sample. All the participants belonged to Atlanta city but to different districts within the city.

Section 2: The Primary, Secondary and Third Themes for Each Research Question

The researcher was able to find many relevant concerns and theories addressed through the responses and implicit in the answers that the responders expounded. The employers were generally aware of the attitudinal behavior of the managers in their organization, as well as the implications of ADA. The main background that led to unemployment of the disabled persons arose from more reasons that were initially envisaged by the researcher. In the quest to address the concerns of the employers and to analyze the reasons thereto, the main areas of further study required an understanding of four themes- Theories of Discrimination (three independent theories), Labor Market theory (labor Supply and Labor Demand), Legal Implications (awareness (of lack of complete knowledge) of legal history) and Implications of Statutory (ADA) requirements (economic incentives by way of tax benefits). Each of the themes recognized above has considerable implications for the awareness about the employment of Disabled persons in general amongst the employees of organizations as also the employer. The main themes recognized, apart from the anticipated ones involving ADA, were those related to Classical Discrimination theory professed by Gary Becker and other recognized market theories that are followed by employers in actual practice. The recognition of these additional theories gives an additional insight into the phenomenon of negative employment amongst the disabled persons. The basic hypothesis taken into consideration for this study is Maslow's Theory of Needs and motivation (attended to in Chapter 2). The researcher has been able to identify the additional themes that request the attention to the problem through Maslow's theory. A further treatment of the same can be found under the heading titled "The Themes Pertaining to Employment Concerns of the Disabled." This study, by identifying the various themes was able to offer an objective insight, and consequently a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon of Employer's awareness about employment of the Disabled. As such, the researcher offers the suggestions for further actions needed to make ADA more adaptable and of practical use to enable the employers to accept and employ the provisions therein.

Section 3: Triangulation and Convergence, Corroboration, Correspondence of Qualitative and Quantitative Data

The charts below assist the researcher in determining the awareness of different laws, scenarios and situations as based upon the 73 respondent's answers to the mailed surveys and they look at a number of variables that affect how the managers make decisions based upon whether to hire a disabled employee or not. The charts present answers to individual questions and a comparison in both an overall status as well as on an individual basis is based upon the responses to the questions in a quantitative manner.

Qualitative Findings

Survey and Verbatim Responses to Interview Questions for the 4 Qualitative Research Questions

What level of knowledge do senior managers have pertaining to employer motivators for employing persons with disabilities?

Out of 50 respondents, seven were of the view that the senior managers do have sufficient knowledge of economic motivators for employing people who have physical disabilities. Some responses that the researchers got were, " There is no direct benefit (economic) that my company would get by employing disabled people. We would get tax incentives which work out only in the long run. ." 35 respondents were of the view that the senior managers did not possess sufficient knowledge about the economic motivators with respect to people with abilities. " the factual expenses are limited to architectural changes which are way above what costs the organization would incur, there is an absence of reimbursement for the investments my organization makes." Another common response was that "Most of those with disabilities do not know what forms are to be filled that would help us show the authorities that we are complying with the norms." 8 respondents were seen to be uncertain about this situation as to whether incentives or economic motivators for hiring people with disabilities had a role to play and were of the view that they believed that if they had more knowledge about this matter, it would be helpful for them. " what, if any, is the use of investing in infrastructure, if the employee does not come up to the standards required of him/her, in spite of providing the resources."

What do senior managers believe are the most effective recommendations for improving the employment of persons with disabilities?

The majority of responses with inclinations towards complying with ADA reflected, "an intermediary agency is the need of the hour, we should know that we do not lose by way of investments for the disabled people." Second important point is expressed in this reply, " Most of those approaching the jobs come with outdated skills, how about intervention?" Twenty out of the 50 respondents were of the view that their organization was lacking on many fronts. They felt that they did not have the information that they required with respect to the employment of the people with physical disabilities. Ten respondents believed that they desired information based on reasonable accommodations as well as unreasonable accommodations, rights and responsibilities as an employer and 20 did not respond to this particular question. Managers (usually the owners), stated clearly, "what exactly is reasonable accommodation? Even if we employ two people with different disabilities, it would mean conflicting or at least additional resources' deployment, does the incentive allow for it?"

How does the American Disabilities Act (ADA) support the employment of individuals with disabilities?

However, there is reason enough to believe that there is a fair amount of awareness regarding that ADA is a better move than earlier ones towards the concerns of the persons with disability, which is reflected in one response, " The tax incentives are something we need to appreciate, there are far too many people who can be brought into the mainstream from the local workforce ... rather than outsourcing." Thirty-five out of the 50 respondents were of the view that the American Disabilities Act was an incredible organization that supported the employment of people with physical disabilities. "The legislation is a sure way forward; it could do with some changes, like interventions, fear of legal sanctions and skill up-gradation." Five out of these respondents maintained a neutral stance, an example of which is found in the following response, "we are already doing it, wherever possible, where is the need to require of us in statutory terms?" whereas 8 were not sure whether or not they support ADA and 2 of the respondents did not have any knowledge about this organization.

The aforementioned were the qualitative questions that were asked of the respondents in the form of interviews. As it has been stated above, the responses to these questions revealed the candid thoughts of the employers. The quantitative questions were asked through the research survey, and the responses were then quantified in terms of x, which was the main result of the particular question and the standard deviation that was calculated for that value.

Quantitative Findings

Descriptive Statistics

Display Data

The purpose of this study was to explore the situation of employment of people with disabilities in the light of the legislation of the federal and state governments with respect to rights and economic incentives that need to be given to the individuals that are physically challenged. The stated purpose of this study was achieved through conducting interviews and by circulating the survey questionnaires. In the interviews, 50 employers from metro Atlanta were asked to answer the open-ended questions of the interview. Their results were then recorded. The second part of the research was based on the survey questionnaires, which helped to answer the quantitative questions of the research. There were 29 questions that were mailed to 300 employers in metro Atlanta, out of which only 73 returned the survey questionnaires. The results of the survey questionnaires and interviews were in accordance with the statistics or facts that have been stated in the literature review section of the paper. Here, we shall particularly be discussing the results with respect to the economic incentives being given to the people with disabilities according to the state agencies and what is actually being implemented (Ashworth et. al, 2001).

In Figure 4.1, answering the three quantitative research questions requires that respondents ascertain how the to the survey perceived the culture in which they are employed as well as their perceptions of the physical facilities and capabilities of the workplace environment in which they are gainfully employed. What was discovered is that there is generally a negative perception on the part of the managers regarding the hiring and employment of disabled individuals in Atlanta. There is also an overall negative trend, as evidenced above, on the knowledge of certain important Acts and Laws that are important to the employment of the disabled.

In this case, more people than not are aware of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, but it is certainly not an overwhelming majority. A more positive perception of current law such as the American for Disabilities Act 1990 provides a somewhat better picture than the earlier law, which only makes sense based on its more recent enactment.

Figure 4.2 shows that Although the managers have a knowledge and understanding of the ADA, it is much more likely that they do not have as much knowledge about local laws and regulations. Based upon the two charts below, one could safely surmise that the awareness of state and local laws lacks in an alarming manner. The termination laws have not fared better concerning awareness with fifty-five percent of the respondents at least aware of the termination laws, as compared to the 60% that of the employers who were aware of the state and local laws about employment of people with physical disabilities. Awareness of laws regarding employment of the disabled would (or should) at least be a major component in addressing the hiring of these individuals, and it could be said that one of the major reasons behind the less than adequate hiring of the disabled (at least in Atlanta) could be due to the fact that the awareness level is not where it should be.

Figure 4.4 shows that this is not just true in measuring the awareness of state and local laws, but it is also true in measuring specific requirements such as the laws and standards regarding the termination of employees with disabilities. What the less than adequate awareness influences is the relationship between the organizational culture and the job performance of disabled employees. If the managers are not even aware of the requirements necessary for hiring and firing disabled employees, then the question can be asked if such employees will actually be hired in the first place. The hypothesis that managers are unduly influenced by the organizational culture is likely to be proven to be true since there does seem to be a significant relationship between organizational culture and the job performance of disabled employees in the workplace in Atlanta.

Figure 4.4 shows that such a statement as the one made above concerning the hypothesis of the organizational culture can be further justified by looking at the next three charts as they are presented below. The three charts; 1) job descriptions, 2) job analysis, and 3) job descriptions with demands, provides a more in-depth observation into the Atlanta workplace culture in order to ascertain if the managers know and understand the exact jobs they are responsible for filling. It could be asked that if the managers don't have complete job descriptions or job descriptions with the demands of the job, and they do not analyze the positions regarding the best individual to be hired for the position, then how do the managers know that a prospect with a disability would not be a better fit for the position than a prospect without a disability?

In Figure 4.5, the job description chart shows that nearly half the respondents did not even have access to complete job descriptions, and the job analysis chart further supports the assertion that employees are not even undergoing an analysis as to whether they fit the job's profile, or not. This does not necessarily prove or disprove the hypothesis that senior manager's personal experiences with disabilities and employment of disabled persons affect the outcome of hiring the disabled, but it does lend credence to the idea that senior managers may not be gaining enough experiences with the disabled to develop significant relationships that can influence the manager's hiring and firing practices. The job analysis chart provides substantiation to the fact that oftentimes the employees (whether they are disabled or not) are not even subject to an analysis that would document their appropriateness for the position. Almost six in ten employees do not undergo such an analysis.

The Figure 4.6 includes the job descriptions with the needed demands on the individual being hired is a very telling chart in that it adds to the belief that the workplace culture (at least in Atlanta) does not really address what is actually required of employees (or prospects) which leads one to wonder if managers do not even know what will be required of the employees, then how can the best employee be hired in the first place? This again lends credence to the supposition that managers are not really experiencing the correct situations as regarding the disabled employee. Not only do the managers not have the necessary job descriptions, but the job descriptions that they do have may not include the necessary demands that the job will place on the employee(s). Nearly forty-two percent of the job descriptions did not include the demands that the job would entail, and forty-two percent is a high number when considering the amount of jobs that need to be filled on a daily basis.

Figure 4.7 shows information regarding the willingness to accept, hire, work with and make modifications for employees with disabilities. The next few slides, and especially the "Willing to Hire" slide, ascertain the fact that the managers are not necessarily evil individuals, but that they just might be caught in a culture (not of their own making) that precludes them from having the time or knowledge to seek out and hire those individuals best for the job, even if those individuals are disabled in some manner. The next chart shows that a vast majority of managers surveyed were more than willing to hire disabled employees, with 93% of the respondents stating that they would be willing to do so.

Figure 4.8 shows another positive aspect of the manager's responses is that 77% of the respondents agreed positively that they would be willing to make modifications to the job requirements in the future to accommodate employees who might be disabled.

According Figure 4.9, the manager's responses, 58% of the managers believed that the workplace (at least the workplace in which they were employed) was already handicap accessible or could easily be made so. This points to the fact that the majority of managers are at least cognizant of the fact that workplaces did have to be accessible to some degree in order to accommodate the handicapped employee.

Figure 4.10 shows that the downside of that question, the chart below demonstrates that current workplace environments may not be as readily accessible for the handicapped employee as what it could be with nearly 68% of the respondents replying negatively to the question asking whether the current workplace was accessible or not. What this shows is that while the managers may be more than willing to make their respective workplaces accessible to the disabled, the current truth of the situation is that many workplaces are currently not as accessible as they could be.

Figure 4.11 illustrates that accessibility is especially true for the application process. Most managers (58%) agreed with the statement that the hiring application process for the visual and sensory impaired individual is not as accessible as it could, or should be.

Figure 4.11 insists that not only is the application process more arduous than it should be (especially for disabled prospects) but as the chart above displays, a vast majority (68%) of managers also believe that current workplace modifications are not comprehensive enough to accommodate the disabled employee.

The next five charts demonstrate the relationship between senior management perceptions of disabilities and the services that are available to the senior manager regarding policies and services that can be beneficial in the employment process especially concerning the disabled employee. Managers are certainly aware of services, although not nearly as much as they should be. Only 45% have a comprehensive knowledge of the services available, and worse 81% of the policies and services are not even communicated to employees. Such non-communication shows a disconnect between the managers and the employees.

In Figure 4.14, the managers seldom make use of the provided services, even if they do know about them. Only 25% of the managers had made use of the services according to the responses garnered from the surveys.

Figure 4.15 shows that managers are especially lacking in knowledge of the economic incentives available to companies that hire the disabled. Only 36% of the managers answered affirmatively to the question regarding knowledge of economic incentives, and only 15% of the managers had taken advantage of the offered economic incentives. This shows a vast disconnect between manager's knowledge of services and incentives and the use of the services that could be quite beneficial to the workforce and the company.

As the below Figure 4.16 displays, managers had only taken advantage of government incentives at a 15% rate as well. Whether the incentives are governmental in scope, or they are offered by the various groups and stakeholders, a 15% usage is extremely low and could be addressed with additional knowledge of the incentives in the first place.

In Figure 4.17, the easiest things that a company could do to address this issue of hiring disabled individuals would be to employ a specialist whose focus would be to work with disabled prospects in gaining employment with the company. Yet not one single positive response was garnered when asked if an in-house employment specialist had been hired, not one.

Mean

The responses of the employers were seen to be quite varied. Most employers responded with the attitude that can be reflected in the following answer- " Larger organizations can accommodate variety of people with specific skills, in organizations of smaller size (like ours), multitasking is the norm." 25 respondents were of the view that the desire for the government to remain focused on the small sized companies pertaining to economic incentives was mainly because they lacked more in resources as compared to the bigger ones. 10 out of the 50 respondents stated that it is dependent on the size of the business as to whether the employer can accommodate people with physical disabilities. They said that it was hard to imagine being able to offer a person with physical disabilities a job that was based on many hours if the organization was a small sized one. Typically, " The competition in the market allows us to employ only the non-disabled who can take up various skills as the need arises. There are enough of them, to be frank. "15 employers were of the view that their organization does not have sufficient information about the hiring people with physical disabilities since they do not feel the need to explore in this matter. One response is, "there are enough stipulations to comply with, we would be spread thinly if we were to keep updating with new ones" and, as if to extend the same thought, " our manager (HR) is already burdened with constantly upgrading the existing staff to perform outside their initially assigned domains ... difficult to see how the persons with disability fit in ... it would add to the complications." They further said that the organizations will not look into this situation unless they are faced with it.

Standard Deviation

When asked pertaining to the awareness of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the results showed that 56% of the respondents were aware of this Act, meanwhile 44% of them were not. The x value was calculated to be 1.438 with a standard deviation of 0.499.

The results showed that 85% of the respondents were aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, whereas there were only 15% of the employers that did not have any knowledge about it. The x value calculated for this question was 1.150 with a standard deviation of 0.360.

When asked about the awareness of the employers pertaining to the state and local laws about the employment of people with physical disabilities, 40% of the employers were not aware of these laws. On the other hand, 60% of the employers that took part in the survey claimed that they are aware of it. The x value that was calculated for this question was 1.397, with a standard deviation of 0.492.

Forty-five percent of the people claimed that they were not aware of the laws that exist pertaining to the termination of an employee with a physical disability, whereas 55% of these people were aware of these laws. According to the results, the x value calculated for this question as 1.452, with a standard deviation of 0.501.

The next question that was asked was about the job analysis of the positions that are there within the organization. In response to these questions, the x value was calculated to be 1.575 with a standard deviation of 0.497. 58% of the employers stated that they never went for any kind of job analysis; on the other hand 42% of the respondents were of the view that they had undergone job analysis in their organization. The x value was calculated to be 1.575, and the standard deviation was 0.497.

The next question that was asked in the research survey was about the employers having a complete description of every position in their organization. According to the results, the x value was calculated to be 1.5 with a standard deviation of 0.503. 49% of the employers claimed that they did have a complete description of every position; meanwhile a same percentage of the respondents answered this question in negative. 1 person chose not to respond to this question. In order to rule out any ambiguity, the respondents that chose to answer this question in positive were asked if the description of the job positions in their organization also mentioned the description pertaining to the physical demands. In response to this question 31 respondents or 42% of the respondents said yes, meanwhile 38 or 52% of them claimed that their job description did not have a mention of the physical demands and mainly only included educational and environmental demands.

Analysis

When the respondents were asked whether or not they were willing to hire people with physical disabilities, 93% of the respondents claimed that they would. On the other hand, 5% of the respondents said that they will not. 1 person did not respond to this question. The x value calculated for this question as 1.055 with a standard deviation of 0.230.

When the respondents were asked about their application process with respect to its accessibility to individuals that are suffering from visual or any other sensory impairment, only 38% of the respondents stated that they did. 58% of them claimed no. On the other hand, 2 people chose not to respond to this question. The x value calculated for this question was 1.6 with a standard deviation of 0.493.

When the employers were asked if they were equipped in such a way that they would hire a person with physical disability, 58% of the respondents claimed that they were and only 41% of these respondents were of the view that they were not. 1 employer did not respond to this question. According to the results of the question, the x value was calculated to be 1.416 and the standard deviation for this value was 0.496.

When the employers were asked whether not they were aware of the questions that they would expected to answered in the interview, 58% of them claimed that they were and 42% of them claimed that they were not. The x value calculated for this question as 1.242 with a standard deviation of 0.497.

The next question was based on the accessibility of the organization or the workplace with respect to the people with physical disabilities. Based on the responses, the x value was calculated to be 1.126 with a standard deviation of 0.355. The results implied that 85% of the employers said yes and 12% of them said no. 2 of the respondents did not answer this question. For clarification, respondents who answered yes to question thirteen were asked specifically what was accessible in their workplace this included entrance and exits 62 or 85% said yes, workstations 44 or 60% said yes, break rooms 39 or 53% said yes, and restrooms 45 or 62% said yes.

The next question was asked about the consideration of job modifications. According to the results that were obtained, the x value was calculated to be 1.222, with the standard deviation of 0.418. This implied that 77% of the employers answered yes, and 22% of them answered no. 1 of the respondents did not answer this question.

The employers were then inquired about the provisions or any special arrangements that had been made to accommodate the people with physical disabilities. According to the results obtained, the x value was calculated to be 1.718 with a standard deviation of 0.453. 70% of the respondents answered this question in negative and 30% of them answered this question in positive. 2 people chose not to respond to this question.

The next question that was made a part of the research survey was pertaining to the implementation of the steps that are required to remove the identified barriers with respect to the employment of the disabled people in the workplaces. According to the results of this survey, the x value calculated for this question was 1.608 with a standard deviation of 0.491. This implied that 58% of the people answered no whereas 37% of the people responded yes to this question. 4 people chose not to respond to this question.

Charts

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.2

Figure 4.3

Figure 4.4

Figure 4.5

Figure 4.6

Figure 4.7

Figure 4.8

Figure 4.9

Figure 4.10

Figure 4.11

Figure 4.12

Figure 4.13

Figure 4.14

Figure 4.15

Figure 4.16

Figure 4.17

Figure 4.18

Tables

Likert Scale

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Neutral

Agree

Strongly Agree

Knowledge of ADA and Employment Laws

12

18

27

9

14

Able to Obtain Relevant Information

4

23

30

32

11

Disabled Employees Effectively Accommodated

14

21

25

26

15

Company Capable of Providing Education to Employees

10

23

22

32

14

Adequate Knowledge in Hiring Process

10

30

27

19

14

Table 4.1

A Likert Scale depicting an overall sense of where the managers stood was developed from the returned surveys that illustrate the positive/negative aspect of the situation. What this scale shows is that there are almost as many negatives as there are positives in the big employment picture in Atlanta. If the scale was a teeter-totter, it would slightly tip towards the positive aspects according to the manager's responses. This verifies the three different quantitative hypothesis could be said to be both proven and disproven. There are more positive signs than negative signs according to all the charts, but that does not mean there is still not a lot to do, there is. This is especially true regarding knowledge of the various laws and incentives that could be taken advantage of in the Atlanta workplace(s).

Inferential Statistics

Hypothesis testing

According to the results of the survey, the x (which us basically the p-value) value was found to 1.602 for the first question that was about the awareness of the employers about the legislation exists pertaining to the employment of the people with physical disabilities. The standard deviation of the x value was calculated to be 0.492. The responses showed that 40 (29 respondents) percent of the respondents were aware of the legislation, meanwhile 60(44 respondents) percent were not.

Results

In response to the Quantitative question that asked whether or not any organization had an employee who became disabled at their workplace, 67 out of 73 replied in negative. Meanwhile 6 replied in positive. 92% of the respondents gave their answer as no and 8% gave their answer is yes. The p value calculated for this question as 1.917 and the standard deviation was 0.276.

The next question that was found on the survey was related to the fact that whether or not the employers had ensured that all the new procedures and policies were being reviewed so as to make sure that none of the identified or any new employment barriers do not form. The responses to this question showed that 58% of the people answered this question in negative and 40% of the people answered this question in positive. There were 2 people that did not respond to this question. The x value that was calculated for this question was 1.591 with a standard deviation of 0.495.

The employers were then asked whether or not they had any policies that had been stated in their mandate pertaining to the accommodation of people with disabilities. According to the responses of the employers, the x value was calculated to be 1.791 with a standard deviation of 0.408. The aforementioned values implied that 78% of the employers answered this question as a no, and 21% of the employers answered this question in yes. 1 person chose not to respond to this question.

The next question was based on the policies that were talked about in the previous question (18). The question was about the policies being communicated to the new as well as the current employees. The x value calculated for this question as 1.808 with a standard deviation of 0.396. 81% of the respondents answered this question in and only 19% of them answered this question in yes.

The employers were then asked whether or not they have made use of the supported employment services. The x value that was calculated for this question was 1.746 and the standard deviation was 0.438. 73% of the respondents answered this question in negative and only 25% of them answered this question in positive. There were another 2 people that chose not to respond to this question.

Next, the employers were asked if they were aware of the services that were provided by the supported employment agencies. The x value that was calculated on the basis of the results of this question was 1.541 with a standard deviation of 0.501. This meant that 45% of the people gave the answer yes, 53% of the people gave the answer no and only 1 person did not give any answer to this question.

The employers were then asked about the economic incentives in the next question. The economic incentives considered in this question were the ones mostly provided by the government agencies. According to the results of this question, the x value calculated was 1.638 with a standard deviation of 0.483. 36% of the people claimed that they knew about these incentives, and 63% of the people stated that they did not. 1 employer did not respond to this question.

Next, the employers were asked about the use of economic incentives in order to hire the people with disabilities. According to the results that were obtained, it was found out that only 15% of the employers had used it, and 84% of them had not. Only 1 person did not respond to this question. The x value calculated for this question was 1.847, and the standard deviation is 0.362.

The next question was based on the availability of an in-house specialist who was there to assist in the hiring process and employment of the people with physical disabilities. The x value that was calculated with these results was 1.847 with a standard deviation of 0.362. The x value is clearly insignificant, as none of the employers said replied in yes to this question. 99% of the respondents gave the answer to this question in negative and 1 person did not reply to this question.

When the employers were asked about their knowledge pertaining to the ADA as well as other employment laws of the disabled people, it was found on a Likert scale that 14% of the people strongly agreed, 29% of the people agreed, 27% of the people were not sure, 18% of the people disagreed and 12% of the people strongly disagreed. The x value calculated for this question was 2.863 with a standard deviation of 1.228.

11% of the employers strongly agreed with the fact that their organization has been able to obtain the relevant information with respect to people with disabilities. 32% agreed with this statement, 30% were not sure, 23% disagreed, and 4% strongly disagreed. The x value calculated for this statement was 2.780, which was greatly insignificant and the standard deviation was calculated to be 1.057.

15% of the people strongly agreed that people with disabilities could be effectively accommodated in their companies. 26% of the people agreed with the statement, 25% were not sure, 21% disagreed, and 14% strongly disagreed. The x value was calculated to be 2.917 with a standard deviation of 1.277.

14% of the employers strongly agreed when it was asked whether or not their company has the ability to provide education to other employees about working with physically disabled employees. 32% of the people agreed with the statement, 22% were unsure, 23% disagreed, and 10% strongly disagreed. The x value was calculated to be 2.835 with a standard deviation of 1.213.

When it was asked whether the organization has adequate knowledge about the hiring and employing people with physical disabilities, 14% of the people strongly agreed, 19% agreed, 27% were unsure, 30% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed with the statement. The x value was calculated to be 3.027 with the standard deviation of 1.201.

Discussion

Interpretation of results

The main purpose behind the formation of the ADA was to augment the rates of employment of the people with disabilities through the legalization of employment discrimination and rising workplace accessibility. However, American with Disabilities Act has been confronted with a great deal of criticism mainly because of the lowering rates of employments by increasing the cost of hiring and firing the employees that suffer from physical disabilities because of the possible requirements that could result from the need of accommodation and danger of lawsuits. It is evident from the section of literature review that the issue of the soaring unemployment rate of people with physical disabilities is stimulated by the unavailability or lack of knowledge and information pertaining to the accessible incentive programs with respect to employers hiring physically disabled individuals (OECD, 2009). On the other hand, the findings of the survey questionnaires and interviews also suggest that many employers are not aware of these economic incentives. Moreover, if there are some employers that are aware of these incentives they do not have adequate information about it. It has been stated in the review of literature and figured out through the research that most of the employers are not aware of the work incentives programs that are being provided by the federal government all over the country (Berthoud, 1998). Furthermore, section 102 and other provisions of the American with Disabilities Act, which do not allow the assessment of the health status of an employee, also prohibits the effectiveness of economic incentives for employers hiring individuals with disabilities (United States, House, 2003).

The researcher failed to reject the Null hypothesis and concluded that there is a significant relationship between Organizational culture and the job performance of disability employees in the workplace in Atlanta.

Other factors that have been identified by the research and that are also present in the literature review that hinder the employment of the physically challenged people apart from the ineffective work incentives include safety and legal issues, lack of strategies for recruitment, financial concerns and incompatible government programs that discourage individuals with disabilities from seeking employment because of fear of losing Social Security or SSI benefits. Community and employer attitudes, inadequate jobs in the local community and lack of employment and job placement supports are other factors that impede hiring of individuals with disabilities (Baker and Tippin, 2003).

Summary

According to the results that were obtained through the interview questions and the survey questionnaire, it was figured out that most of the employers do not have adequate information pertaining to the economic incentives for employing people with physical disabilities even if they are aware of the presence of these legislations or incentives. Apart from that, it was also figured out through this research that many small to medium sized organizations do not take into consideration the factor accessibility when it comes to employing the disabled people. These organizations do not have a discrete policy for these people, and most of the times the job description and analysis does not even include the physical demands of a specific position in their company. Some of the organizations do not even have the application forms made in such a way that they could be used by the disabled people.

In answer to research question one, there does seem to be some significance between how the managers perceive the disabled and their performance duties. Of course, these perceptions could be wrong in that significant number of the managers aren't even sure what the duties are that pertain to each of the jobs. The job descriptions and access to full job descriptions are only fully comprehended by approximately 50% of the managers. Additionally, job duties analysis is only conducted approximately 40% of the time, and job descriptions that included demands were recognized at a 42% rate. Based on these numbers the significance between perceptions may be quite strong, but the good news is that they could also be greatly improved upon by additional education especially in the area of job descriptions and job analysis with demands of the jobs being emphasized.

Answering question two concerning the personal experiences that senior managers have had it would seem that there is no significant relationship that has been measured with the data that has been gathered. Based on the number of managers that reported hiring disabled individuals, it can be surmised that the percentage of managers that have actually interacted with employees with disabilities is low, therefore the number of managers who could have a significant relationship is also low.

A significant relationship between the workplace culture and the job performance of disabled employees is proven by the fact of both the negative and positive data gathered from the managers. Managers say they are more than willing to hire disabled individuals (93% affirmative) yet the hiring of the disabled in Atlanta still lags were it should be.

The culture is such that many of the managers don't know what the job descriptions are, a large percentage do not conduct job analysis, and more than four in ten managers don't even know what the job demands are. These factors combine to reinforce the fact that hiring disabled individuals is not necessarily portrayed in the most positive of manners; which leads to a culture where the disabled are going to have a more difficult time being hired than those who are not disabled.

CHAPTER V: DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Introduction

This chapter discusses the information in chapters one through four. After giving a brief overview and discussion of the previous chapters, this chapter will discuss the findings that were presented in chapter four. It will discuss the findings in light of the objective and aims of the research conducted. The relevance of these findings will be discussed in light of the current employment condition in Atlanta. Furthermore, this chapter compares and contrast the significant and the non-significant findings. The comparison will reveal the significant and the non-significant findings in the study.

This chapter discusses the conclusions and how they interact with the research questions and the hypotheses. Furthermore, this chapter will also discuss the conclusion in the context of the chapter 2 literature review. The comparison of this studies results with those of the literature discussed in chapter two. Special emphasis will be given to the characteristics, measurement tools IV, DV, and research design and procedures. Furthermore, the chapter will also shed light on how this study has mixed with the literature review that was presented in chapter two before.

Furthermore, the discussion revolves around how this research has added anything to the literature present. It will discuss how it has improved literature and enhanced the research that is already present. This chapter looks into the limitations that were present in the study. In addition, this chapter probes future possibilities of further research on this topic. It discusses the various questions and queries that have come about because of this study carried out. Lastly, discussion of this study in regards to the professional practice and enhancement of education leadership is discussed.

Summary of Previous Chapters

In the year 1990, the Congress authorized the Americans with Disabilities Act in which senator Tom Harkin was the chief sponsor in the senate. In his speech, Harkin made use of sign language so the deaf viewing the speech could figure out what he was saying. This law is basically a widespread civil rights law that go on to prohibit discrimination based on disability (Blanck, 2000)It goes along with other discrimination laws that made it illegal for people to discriminate based on religion, sex or race. This law basically went on to delineate what is meant by disability. It also went on to exclude certain disabilities like visual impairment and substance abuse.

This law basically states that a covered entity should not discriminate a qualified individual just because he has a disability (Walk et.al, 1993) This discrimination was to be considered in all the steps that are present when a person goes on to get a job. Therefore, this can be applied to job application procedures, advancement and discharge of employees, job training, and privileges of employment and discharge of employees. The covered entity in this law includes any labor organization, employment agency or joint labor-management committee.

Despite the American with Disabilities Act being implemented, there is still a high rate of unemployment for people who are disable (DeLeier, 2000) A formal research was carried out by Wichita State University, Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation and University of Texas at San Antonio to attain recruitment acts for people who were disabled. Their main aim in this research was to see how bad the situation regarding employment of the disabled people really was. Regardless, their major emphasis was to see how well the employers are aware of the different state incentives that are given to states for hiring people who have some disability. This study, therefore, underpins on that notion and wishes to examine the economic motivators that are present for employers in Atlanta. It looks over to see how many companies really are aware of these incentives. With this in mind, the study also looked at the policy making process regarding the hiring of displaced people. Lastly, this research worked on seeing how exactly the ADA affects the hiring process of people with disabilities. Considering how companies are in a race to gain some sort of competitive advantage, this research works to review the amount of effort and time firms spend on the hiring process of people with disabilities.

Using the Maslow Hierarchy of Human needs, the research underpins on the fact that the basic human needs should be fulfilled (Maslow & Stephens, 2000) Keeping this in mind, the HR department can make use of the Maslow's hierarchy of needs to motivate their employees in many different ways. These needs help a person grow, prosper and reach their potential in their life. These needs should, therefore, be considered in all environments including the working and professional environment. A very important thing in this framework is the process of self-actualization and learning. This hierarchy is, therefore, is used in different organizational settings to enhance both employee and employer motivation (Frost, 1985)

Economic incentives for the employers on hiring persons with disabilities are quite significant because every company needs to have diversity in the workforce (Dimatso & Post, 2004) People with disabilities are also humans just like everyone else; therefore attention needs to be given to their needs as well. Employers should be aware of these incentives and should take out to time to make their working environment friendlier for people with disabilities.

Some of the incentives that are offered to employers include tax credit and second injury provision of the workmen's compensation fund. Furthermore, there are present employment specialists who offer training, placement and follow along support services with disabilities. There is special leverage given to the training of these persons as they might require more than the required time to learn specific tasks. The major incentive is an amalgamation of tax deductions and tax credits. Some of the most common tax credits include welfare to work tax credit, Barrier removal Tax deduction, and Disabled Tax credit.

All in all, it should be known that the ADA was formed to enhance the employment rates of people with disabilities. Even with the presence of this act and many incentives and programs, the employment of people with disability is not what it should be. A careful analysis of the effectiveness of economic incentives such as tax credits available to employers was done. This study made use of a mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology.

Summary of Findings

The findings of the study revealed mixed reviews about hiring disabled people and the incentives that were being offered to them by the government. 50 of the respondents went on to fill the questionnaire that inquired about the employer's outlook on this condition. As for question one, majority of the respondents did not have any knowledge about the economic motivators that were present. This means that they weren't even aware that something like that even existed. Only seven out of the fifty respondents had an idea of what economic motivators were. As for the second question, majority of the respondents answered to convey their main problem or their concern. Their major concern was that small organizations should be given more of these incentives or motivators. They believed that small business were lacking in resources, therefore, they would rarely be able to hire people with disability. There were fifteen respondents who had not idea about hiring people with disabilities. Their organization and its core values were so far off from the plain notion of hiring people with disabilities that they did not know the process or how to go about if they had to hire people with disability.

As for the query regarding recommendation, the managers felt that a lot of training and information was required. It was interesting that twenty respondents felt that they needed to update more about this condition, whereas twenty did not respond to this question. Ten of the respondents wanted information on the accommodations and rights and responsibilities of the employer. Lastly, regarding ADA, 35 of the respondents were aware of the organization and supported its cause. As for the quantitative findings, majority of the applicants were in favor of hiring persons with disability. Nonetheless, even though their attitude was receptive towards the hiring of disabled persons, they had very limited knowledge about it. Their formal and official training on this topic was minimal, and they were not aware of any of the company or government policies regarding the employment of persons with disabilities.

Discussion

The labor force at the moment is not growing at a very fast rate. The number of persons in the workforce is rapidly decreasing due to the increasing elderly population in the country (Kovar, 1982) This ultimately places a dire burden on the labor force of the country and raises concern about more efficiency persons coming in the workforce of the country. Even with such need in the labor market, studies have shown that people with disabilities are employed less. It should be known that this disability can also be physical where the mental, social and emotional capability of the person is similar to that of an average person (Murray & Lopez, 1997) The aforementioned results and findings show that there is a moderate level of awareness about the various laws and incentives that pertain to persons with disabilities. Regardless, the employers and employees are not aware of the professional and legal aspects while hiring those with disabilities.

The major point of these findings is that there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to employers. Even though there are many programs and credits available as economic motivators, the employers do not have knowledge about it. It is obvious that if the employers do not have knowledge about it, they will not act upon it.

Analysis of the Findings

The findings of the qualitative portion of the study appeared more significant to the study question at hand. They revolved around the use and awareness of the economic motivators that are currently present. They also looked into the support that the managers had for the use of such incentives in the hiring of persons with disabilities. Nonetheless, many questions present in the quantitative portion of the study are more objective towards specific acts regarding employment amongst persons with disability. The main focus of the study was to look into the awards of the economic motivators and how well they are being used practically in firms. Therefore, the findings of the quantitative portion of the research appear as a more non-significant finding.

Comparison with Literature Review

This study overlooked the attitude and mindset of the employers and those in the upper hierarchal levels. As opposed to the literature review, it gave insight about the thought process and decisions made by those who are actively involved in the hiring process. The literature review mainly looked over the statistics of the people with disability. Furthermore, it looked into the reasons why these disabled people are not hired. Also, it gave reasons why organizations and firms don't employee these persons. Even though these reasons were presented, they were not explained quite thoroughly. The qualitative aspect of this study explained why there is decreased employment of people with disabilities.

The measurement tool for this study was combined and therefore quite different to the ones that were used in the studies in the literature review. These looked into the different opinions and attitude of the people working in the firms. The population characteristics were also quite different for this study. The populations consisted of a mixed of female and male employees. Furthermore, it looked into the opinions of people throughout the hierarchy. Contrastingly, the literature review looked into the major opinions and factors affecting those with disabilities. The population sample was not heterogenous as the one used in this study.

Addition to Literature Review

This study clarifies and converges with the studies in the literature review. The review basically looked at the unfortunate statistics regarding the employment of those with a disability. The literature review, therefore, presented the questions as to why these discrepancies are present. The study, therefore, answered the questions that were present in the literature review. It gave insight about the current condition of employers and those who are involved in the hiring process. The study cleared up the current condition of the awareness of these employers regarding the economic motivators present. Lack of these motivators is reason enough why this discrepancy in the hiring of disabled persons is present. Therefore, the study backs up the literature review and resolves the questions that were raised by the researcher.

Implications for Professional Practice

The implications for professional practice concerning this study are that there is a need for increase awareness regarding this topic. The persons who were interviewed belonged to senior posts and, therefore, were openly in charge of the hiring process. Even though they were in top posts, they were not aware of the economic incentives and the motivators that are present. These motivators can help the business not only expand their products and services, but it also goes on to make different opportunities for people with disability.

It has been stated that business earnings one million or less and have 30 or fewer employees, they can have a maximum amount of tax credit for 5000 dollars. It is their job to make their services and products accessible to people with disabilities. The covered expenses include costs for sign language interpreters, job coaches, and certain architectural modifications. As a professional practice, it is also important to begin implementing the culture of hiring people with disabilities. This should happen in not only the big firms and organizations but in small business as well. The major objective over all is to reduce the disparity that is being faced by the disabled persons. Therefore, this should be carried out in small, medium and large organizations.

Professionally, this research serves to stimulate all the members of the professional arena to do what they can to make the environment friendlier. Not everyone would be in charge of the hiring and recruitment process, regardless, if the needs of these persons are filled, they will go on to achieve their potential in the long run.

Limitations

There were many limitations and shortcomings faced in the course of this research. Gathering information from the respondents is very difficult. To properly gather and make a study of the topic, the researcher required giving the respondents a decent period of time. With 300 respondents sent, there were only 73 results revealed. This shows that majority of the respondents were not interested, and they did not reply. A major limitation of this study was the lack of awareness abbot this project and the discrepancy that is faced by those who are disabled. If more people are aware of the need for change in this setup, they would be more inclined towards responding to these study tools.

Furthermore, issues came in while deciding which criteria or the questions should be included in the research tools. There was trouble in deciding whom the questionnaire should address and why it should address them. To make this study more comprehensive, employees throughout the hierarchy should have been interviewed for their answers.

Recommendations

The course of the research has shown us that there is a need for awareness among the employers based in Atlanta. Even though there are incentive and economic motivator programs present, very little employers are aware of this. The recommendations have been divided into different sections so that each group concerned in this objective can be targeted. Again, the entire aim is to ensure that employment rate amongst the disabled person increased. This is only possible if everyone works collectively to ensure that all steps of the job hiring process are carried out smoothly.

Increased Awareness

Some of the recommendations regarding the need for increased awareness include the better job of communication of tax incentive by the government. The government should target the employers or the hiring committees about these top incentives. Furthermore, it is seen that the top managers in an organization should lead by example and hire individual with disabilities on their own staff as well. This would ensure that there is no saturation of disabled people in a certain area of the firm.

Job Hiring Training

As mentioned in one of the research question findings, the respondents were not aware of the entire process of hiring a person with a disability. Employer incentive for hiring individuals with disabilities is not known by the majority of the organization and HR professionals. Increased use of motivator incentives and enhancement in the employment rate of the individuals with disabilities can occur if various incentives programs are communicated in a better way to the community. It should be known that existence of government existence programs with disabilities requires creating a disability friendly environment. This does not only mean that the companies have to spend a large amount of money for making reasonable accommodations.

In this job hiring training, the organization should also train and improve the knowledge of the employees towards other employees who have some sort of disability. The organization culture should be supportive throughout the hierarchy. In other words, everyone in the organization should be aware of the receptivity of the organizations towards hiring people with disability. This is so that even if the hiring is carried out, the environment should not discourage the person from working in the firm.

Role of the Leader

After the passage of the American with Disabilities Act, many studies were conducted to view the attitude of the employers. The studies conducted subsequent to the passage of the act showed mixed responses (Lehman and Crimando, 2008) This, therefore, shows that the education of organizational leaders is crucial when it comes to the hiring of disabled people and the consequences that fall later. The most important recommendation is that the companies should work towards creating a disability friendly environment. It is surely the leader's job to make sure that the architecture and overall environment should be such that it attracts people with disabilities (Hazer and Bedell, 2000) The CEOs should communicate with the organization and display their support of hiring those who have disabilities. Furthermore, the CEOs and managers should also hire individuals for key management positions.

Awareness amongst the Disabled

Even with so many laws and incentive programs available, there are many disabled people who are convinced that they are not able to get decent positions (Hollins & Sinason, 2000) Along with the training of the employers and fellow employees in a company, the government should also work to encourage people to apply for jobs. The companies should, therefore, enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities of persons with disabilities who require addition education and training. This is done so that these persons are aware of their opportunities, and they do not shy away from it. There should be mass campaigns not only by the government by the companies who are hiring as well. Just as job fairs are held for college students, they should be held especially for people with disability. These people should be catered to and facilitated so that they are able to grasp the opportunity and make most out of it.

Follow-up Studies

This study revolved around the awareness of the economic incentives or motivators that are present for employers who hire people with disability. It is quite clearly seen that if employers were clearly provided these incentives, there would be higher rates of people with disabilities employed.

Research into this topic has also revealed that increased work and legislation on people with disabilities can also cause many people actually to abuse this privilege. This means that many people make use of this act to defend their dismissal orders. Furthermore, just as there are incentives present, disincentives have also been uncovered. These incentives go on to demotivate the people not to work at all or apply for jobs in the first place. For instance, receipt of certain federal disability payments goes on to discourage the people from applying for jobs at all. Many of these persons do have the intelligence capacity to work, but they are not bothered to make use of it. Therefore, a possible research question should be to look into these disincentives. The research should look into the effects of these government compensations and how they are counteracting the work that is being done to promote employment amongst the disabled.

Another very important thing to note is that not many formal types of research have gone to access the effectiveness of these economic motivators on employment rates amongst the disabled people. Researches should be carried out to view how these tax credits and tax deductions are being utilized and whether they are promoting employment of the disabled persons. Both of these things are different therefore studies need to be done to view the differences between the two. Some researchers have revealed that employers are receptive to job salary funds and tax credits (Greenwood et.al, 1991, Unger,2007) However, there are studies that reveal that economic incentives are not considered relevant at all (Olsen et.al, 2001)

Along with viewing the effects of these incentives, possible causes for the lack of awareness should also be noted. This entire study brings out the need for increased awareness amongst the working class about the use of economic motivators and incentives. Even though these incentives have been present for a long time, they have not been used to their full capacity. Therefore, research should do to find out why that is the case. The possible reasons and causes should be figured out and addressed individually so that these obstacles can be overcome (Berkowitz & Hill, 1986).

Conclusion

The American Disabilities Act that was mentioned at the beginning of the chapter has now created a mixed impact on the employment of individuals who have some sort of disability. There are many causes that can explain the low rate of employment amongst people with disabilities. One of the major reasons that come forward is decreased job specific knowledge and formal education for both the employees and the employers. If the employees with disabilities are present in some jobs or only in certain areas of an organization, it can indicate that the culture and the climate of the organization do not provide many opportunities. Nonetheless, when an organization has disabled persons in managerial positions or on executive staffs, it would indicate an organization culture that is receptive to the people with disabilities.

Up till now, there have been significant shifts in the policies and laws affecting the employment t of disabled persons. The government and different organizations are working to enhance the approaches that would ultimately result in the progress of disabled persons. Oliver and Barnes (2006) stated that there is a possibility that working too close to the government agenda will alter the changes to reassemble more of what the government wants. Regardless, the main aim of the government, the people, and different firms should be to ensure that disabled people are treated fairly. A major aspect of their life is to attain a decent job and a career. As more and more disabled people get employed, their dependence would decrease on not only their loved ones but on the government as well. Focusing on the employment of those with a disability is, therefore, a positive step for all the members of the community.