This document summarizes the findings of a SHRM poll on employer perceptions of recruiting and hiring veterans with disabilities. Key findings include: over 60% of employers were unaware of resources to find qualified veteran applicants with disabilities; nearly 75% of employers agreed that veterans with disabilities perform as well as other employees; and 68% of employers hired a veteran in the past year. The poll provides additional details on employer programs, perceptions, and recommendations to improve veteran hiring.

1. SHRM Poll: Recruiting Veterans With Disabilities: Perceptions in the WorkplaceIn collaboration with and commissioned by ILR – Employment and Disability Institute, Cornell UniversityJanuary 12, 2011

2. Key FindingsAre employers aware of resources available to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities? More than 60% of organizations reported that they are unaware of the Tip of the Arrow Foundation, the VetSuccess Program and the Wounded Warrior Program, which are resources available to employers to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities. SHRM recommends that all HR professionals seek information and use these resources to tap into the great talent pool of U.S. veterans.How do organizations perceive on-the-job performance of veterans with disabilities? Nearly three-quarters of organizations agreed (responded “strongly agree” or “agree”) that, in general, veterans with disabilities perform on the job as well as any other employee. These results validate the high potential of the veteran pool of candidates.Are veterans being hired and appreciated? 68% of organizations reported that they hired a veteran in the past 12 months; 67% of HR professions reported that their organizations included veterans in their diversity plans/policies. Do companies have employee assistance programs (EAP) with expertise in veterans’ issues? 38% of HR professionals reported that their organizations had EAPs with expertise in veterans’ issues.2

3. Are you aware of the following resources for employers to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities?3Note: n = 1072-1083. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

4. Are you aware of the following resources for employers to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities?Wounded Warrior Program: Publicly owned for-profits (59%) , privately owned for-profits (63%) and nonprofits (63%) were more likely than government entities (37%) to report that they have never heard of the Wounded Warrior Program as a resource for employers to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities.Tip of the Arrow Foundation: Privately owned for-profits (89%) and nonprofits (92%) were more likely than government entities (76%) to report that they have never heard of the Tip of the Arrow Foundation as a resource for employers to find qualified job applicants who are veterans with disabilities.4Comparison by Organization’s SectorNote: Blank cell indicates that there were no significant differences in this category.

5. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements. 5Note: n = 906-921. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding. Table sorted by “strongly agree” column.

6. Please indicate whether your organization has done any of the following activities in the past 12 months:6Note: n = 550-701. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

7. Please indicate whether your organization has done any of the following activities in the past 12 months:Comparison by Organization Staff SizeUsed recruitment sources targeting applicants who are veterans (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 500 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (100 to 499 employees) to report that they have used recruitment sources targeting applicants who are veterans in the past 12 months. Included veterans in the organization’s diversity plan/policy (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 25,000 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (those with 2,499 or less employees) to report that they included veterans in their diversity plans/policies in the past 12 months.7

8. Please indicate whether your organizations has done any of the following activities in the past 12 months:Comparison by Organization Staff SizeIncluded people with disabilities in the organization’s diversity plan/policy (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 25,000 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (24,999 or less employees ) to report that they included people with disabilities in their diversity plans/policies in the past 12 months.Hired a veteran (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 500 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 99 employees) to report that they have hired a veteran in the past 12 months. 8

9. Please indicate whether your organization has done any of the following activities in the past 12 months:9Comparison by Selected Organizational DemographicsNote: “*” indicate significant differences. Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.

10. Please indicate whether your organization plans to do any of the following activities in the next 12 months:10Multinational operations (39%) were more likely than U.S.-based only organizations (23%) to report that they plan to use recruitment sources targeting applicants who are veterans in the next 12 months.Note: n = 179-338. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

11. Please indicate whether your organization currently offers or plans to offer the following programs:11Note: n = 846-862. Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.

12. Please indicate whether your organization currently offers the following programs:Comparison by Organization Staff SizeEmployee assistance program (EAP) (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 2,500 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (1 to 499 employees) to report that they currently have an EAP.Employee assistance program with expertise in veterans’ issues (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 25,000 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (those with 24,999 or fewer employees) to report that they currently have an EAP with expertise in veterans’ issues.Internal diversity or EEO (equal employment opportunity) office/department (by staff size): Larger organizations (those with 2,500 or more employees) were more likely than smaller organizations (those with 2,499 or fewer employees) to report that they currently have an internal diversity or EEO office/department.12

13. Please indicate whether your organization offers the following programs:13Comparison by Selected Organizational DemographicsNote: Blank cells indicate that there were no significant differences in this category.

14. If you could make one recommendation to improve the hiring of veterans with disabilities, what would it be?Educate employers on the benefits of hiring veterans with disabilities.Advertise success stories in national and local media (all types).Make employers/veterans aware of existing resources. Create a centralized resource where employers and veterans can post jobs, resumes, learn about disabilities and accommodations, etc. Build a relationship between HR and Veterans Affairs. Provide general education across communities on disabilities, veterans, etc. (for veterans, employees, senior management, HR professionals, public at large).Encourage veterans to stay current by updating their skills, not rely on their disabilities to find work, be able to translate military experience into civilian skills.Offer tax benefits and incentives.Train veterans to use general career job sites.14

15. Demographics: Organization Industry15Note: n = 845. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

16. Demographics: Organization Industry (continued)16Note: n = 845. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

17. Demographics: Organization Sector17Note: n = 843. Percentages do not total 100% due to rounding.

18. Demographics: Organization Staff Size18Note: n = 453

19. Demographics: Other 19Is organization a single-unit company or a multi-unit company?Does the organization have U.S.-based operations (business units) only or does it operate multinationally?Note: n = 831Note: n = 862Are HR policies and practices determined by the multi-unit corporate headquarters, by each work location or both? 17% of organizations indicated that employees at their work location were unionized.Note: n = 839Note: n = 553

20. SHRM Poll: Recruiting Veterans With Disabilities: Perceptions in the WorkplaceResponse rate = 14%.Sample comprised of 1,083 HR professionals randomly selected from SHRM’s membership.Margin of error is +/- 3%.Survey fielded November 3–November 30, 2010.This poll was commissioned by the ILR – Employment and Disability Institute, Cornell University. 20MethodologyFor more poll findings, visit: www.shrm.org/surveysFollow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SHRM_Research