October is National Disability Employment Month. Your company may look to employ individuals with disabilities, who can prove to be valuable workers given the right training and support.

Here are some tips for when you consider hiring these individuals, courtesy of the NRA:

1. Tap national organizations for tips and talent, says Sandy Harris, vice president, global diversity and inclusion, Sodexo. The company works with the National Organization on Disability to find potential new hires. NOD’s Disability Employment Tracker helps companies of all types assess current practices, provides benchmark data, and assists in recruiting. Sodexo, which employs 420,000 people in 80 countries, is ranked among DisabilityInc’s Top Ten Employers for People with Disabilities.

Pots and Pans Productions, which owns and manages Thr3e Wise Men and Scotty’s Brewhouse restaurants, uses tools from the Society for Human Resources Management, which partners with the U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and its Job Accommodation Network. Both offer free guidance on workplace accommodations, including webcasts and training modules. 

2. Don’t overlook local organizations. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Barfly Ventures works with local mental health agencies to recruit people with development disabilities. The employees work with a job coach as they learn dishwashing, cleaning and other duties.

3. Invest in sensitivity training. Many people are afraid they’ll say or do the wrong thing around someone with a disability, says Jill Vaught, Arc Foundation executive director. She recommends training staff to use language that focuses on the person, rather than the disability.