Your Massachusetts business insurance typically provides financial protection for property damage, bodily injury and liability. Should you decide to employ a disabled person, you may need to make additions to your building to accommodate a person with disabilities. When you have to have construction done, make sure you have the right financial protection for the new additions to your building.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses with 15 or more workers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. There is an exception to the rule should providing the accommodations cause undue hardship to the business. A reasonable accommodation would be any change in the work environment that would help a disabled person to enjoy the same employment opportunities as other workers who are not disabled.
Employing people with disabilities may qualify you for several federal tax credits. The ADA website contains information on employing disabled individuals, making adjustments in the workplace to accommodate them, and tax incentives available for employers who hire people with disabilities. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs website provides information on hiring veterans with service-related disabilities who have completed the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Service Program following their military service and subsequent injury.
Once you determine any construction you need to do to accommodate a disabled employee, or any special equipment you need to buy, your agent may help you decide what additional Massachusetts business insurance you may need to provide coverage for your new accommodations and/or equipment. Giving a disabled person an opportunity to work may prove to be a rewarding experience for you as a business owner as well as an encouragement to the disabled worker.*
