It benefits a business to hire persons with disabilities. As David Hendricks, columnist with the San Antonio Express News points out, persons with disabilities are loyal workers. Mr. Hendricks recounts the time when Marriott Global Reservations hired a person with blindness. The hiring manager was nervous simply about interviewing a person who was blind. But, once hired, the new reservation taker did very well. He would use the tab key to move through the on-screen reservation form. He could not see to use the mouse, as other workers did. Using the tab was faster. Soon, all the reservation takers were using the tab key.

H-E-B has hired persons with disabilities for years. They have found disabled workers to be much more loyal than more traditional workers. They have found persons with disabilities to work well in certain jobs. A new regulation, Mr. Hendricks adds, requires federal contractors and sub-contractors to employ at least 7% persons with disabilities. The contractors can establish plans to work toward those goals. Texas Workforce Solutions, a state agency, will help Texas employers reach those goals.

Typically, it costs the company nothing or very little to accommodate most persons with disabilities. The rest of the time, it costs less than $500. It just makes sense to hire persons with disabilities. Whatever his/her impairment, the disabled worker still must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. See column by Mr. Hendricks.