Purpose This paper seeks to analyze government survey data on what concerns leisure and hospitality employers most when considering hiring people with disabilities, as well as what hiring practices best alleviate these concerns. Special attention is to be given to the theory of planned behavior in these aims. Design/methodology/approach US government survey data of leisure and hospitality employers' perspectives were disaggregated and examined using F‐, T‐, and Z‐tests. Findings Employee abilities and workplace accommodations raised substantial concerns, while financial incentives and practices addressing workplace attitudes were seen as especially helpful solutions. Employer concerns toward hiring varied significantly by employer size, with employers with more workers being more likely to hire those with disabilities than those with fewer workers. Research limitations/implications Future research should work to overcome limitations inherent in the source data used by further disaggregating business types within the leisure and hospitality industry, and to examine how socio‐demographic factors impact employer perceptions. Originality/value This is the first study to statistically test and apply the theory of planned behavior to the most recent nationally representative and randomized survey data of leisure and hospitality employer perceptions on hiring people with disabilities.
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