American Airlines, United Airlines, UPS, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines all received a top score of 100 on the 2020 "Disability Equality Index," which evaluates Fortune 1000 companies for how well they have "invested in accessibility and inclusion across their enterprise." Companies scoring at least 80 can claim the designation of "best places to work" for people with disabilities.

United Airlines and American Airlines have received a 100% score on the Disability Equality Index, landing the airlines on the DEI's list of best places to work. "American Airlines is proud of our 100 percent score on this year's Disability Equality Index survey ... we reviewed processes highlighted by our survey results and made some key changes to ensure we better serve our employees and customers," said Mike Waldron, managing director of diversity and talent management. United's Ray Campbell highlighted the carrier's focus on improvement in several key areas. "We worked to improve accessibility in several core functions of our website, including booking flights, accessing itineraries and frequent flyer accounts, and the online check-in process," said Campbell.

A coalition of 20 U.S. companies led by Starbucks and its CEO, Howard Schultz, will launch a three-year campaign Aug. 13 to reduce the number of unemployed youth in the country by 100,000. About 5.6 million people in the U.S. ages 16 to 24 are unemployed and not in school. Companies “have to do everything we can to ensure the playing field is level,” Schultz said of the 100 Opportunities Initiative.

Walgreen, Hershey and AMC Entertainment are among the employers that say they actively recruit disabled workers. "You end up being a healthier company from a lot of different perspectives: innovation, engagement, morale, productivity," says Keith Wiedenkeller, chief people officer at AMC.

An official volunteer guide for the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics refers to people with disabilities as non-social, stubborn and controlling, angering at least one athlete who has decided not to participate in the Beijing games. "Volunteers should offer assistance on a basis of equality and mutual respect," the guide reads. "Disabled people can be defensive and have a strong sense of inferiority."