Award Categories

Outstanding Commitment to Inclusive Hiring

Exemplified by an inclusive employer who:

  • Demonstrates creativity and solutions-based strategies to accommodate persons with disabilities throughout the interview, hiring, training, and on-boarding process
  • Provides ongoing support and commitment to helping employees be successful in their roles and cared for as a person
  • Compensates employees with disabilities fairly and equally
  • Demonstrates commitment to hiring inclusively repeatedly over time

Creative Workplace Accommodations

Exemplified by an inclusive employer who:

  • Provides options for a tailored or customized work environment
  • Invests time or capital to adapt to the needs of their employee(s)
  • Demonstrates flexibility and creativity through a willingness to adjust hours, work locations, job descriptions, processes, job sharing-options, or other components of an employee’s work arrangement

Community Champion for Inclusive Employment

Exemplified by an inclusive employer/advocate who personally:

  • Demonstrates exceptional commitment to hiring and supporting employees with disabilities
  • Leads and advocates for inclusive hiring practices within their own organization or business
  • Promotes the values of an inclusive workplace amongst the local community through sharing their knowledge of best practice, providing peer mentorship to others in the business community, and championing the rights of people with disabilities

Emergent Inclusive Employer

Exemplified by an inclusive employer who within the last year:

  • Worked with local agencies to develop an inclusive hiring and support strategy
  • Hired inclusively and maintained support for employee(s)
  • Promoted an inclusive workplace culture within own organization or business
  • Showed a desire to continue seeking information and support in implementing inclusive hiring practices

Inclusive Employer of the Year

The recipient of this award will be chosen by the IEEA committee from all nominees across the categories.

Exemplified by an inclusive employer who:

  • Fosters a workplace culture that promotes diversity, educates staff about equity-deserving groups, and creates a supportive and welcoming environment for all people
  • Demonstrates creativity and solutions-based strategies to accommodate persons with disabilities throughout the interview, hiring, training, and on-boarding process
  • Provides ongoing support and commitment to helping employees be successful in their roles and cared for as a person
  • Compensates employees with disabilities fairly and equally
  • Pursues opportunities to train, mentor, and promote within the organization
  • Demonstrates a commitment to hiring inclusively repeatedly over time
  • Promotes inclusive hiring and best practice amongst the local business community