Transcript No Slide Title

PARTNERING WITH
PROVIDER AGENCIES
Diane Loud
Institute for Community Inclusion
[email protected]
The business case for hiring
workers with disabilities
 Positive effect on bottom line, through increased retention,
greater productivity, and access to workers with the skills you
need
 Gives you a competitive edge, access to qualified workers in a
shrinking workforce and insight into a multi-billion dollar
market segment
 Employee benefit costs are reduced when disabling
conditions are accommodated on the job
*from EARNworks data
Another benefit to business
In A national survey of consumer attitudes towards
companies that hire people with disabilities,
Siperstein, Romano, Mohler, and Parker (2006)
found that 92% of consumers felt more favorable
toward employers that hire individuals with
disabilities, and 87% would prefer to give their
business to them.
Why aren’t more businesses
hiring workers with
disabilities?
 Data show that many employers express willingness
to hire workers with disabilities, but say that they do
not have a good understanding of where to find
resources for hiring, accommodations, and
retention*
 Partnering with provider agencies can help!
*Butterworth, J., & Pitt-Catsouphes, M.(1997); Dixon, K., Kruse, D., & Van Horn, C. (2003); US DOL
Why partner with providers?
 Opportunity to get assistance with & resources for
hiring and retaining a diverse workforce, including
recruitment, accommodations, & training
 Provide you with a reliable source of job applicants
 Provide disability awareness trainings for your staff
to improve work culture and diversity acceptance
 Give your company some exposure
PUBLICLY FUNDED AGENCIES AND SYSTEMS:
Who are they?
 Publicly and privately operated
 Examples:
 Public vocational rehabilitation
 Community rehabilitation providers
 One-Stop Career Centers
 Target population varies
 Types of services available vary
 Pre-placement
 Post-placement - short-term & long-term
 Level of interaction with employer varies
HOW CAN OUTSIDE AGENCIES HELP?
 Referral of job candidates
 Help employer understand how individual with disability can meet
business need for qualified, productive personnel
 Provision of pre and post-placement supports
 Knowledge & assistance with:
 Accommodations and assistive technology
 Training and job support
 Performance issues
 Work Opportunity Tax Credits
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM AN OUTSIDE AGENCY
 Support, assistance, expertise as needed ---customized
to you
 Learning about & responding to business needs
 Use of business language & jargon
 Respect for your workplace & work culture
 Simplicity: not a lot of extra work & hassles
 Good, responsive customer service
WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
FROM AN OUTSIDE AGENCY
 Taking care of the hiring process for employer
 Disclosure of information about person’s disability, beyond what
individual has permitted
 Handling of tasks that the employer typically does for employees
 e.g., orientation, training
 Resolving issues for you that are typically handled in an
employer-employee relationship
 But assistance & support should be available
when requested & needed
Connecting Businesses with Workers
PROJECTS WITH INDUSTRY
What are Projects with Industry?
 Funded by the US Department of Education
 The purpose is to create and expand competitive job
and career opportunities for workers with disabilities
 Businesses represent a significant stakeholder in
these projects, through participation in Business
Advisory Councils and closely working with providers
to identify opportunities, the skills and knowledge
needed, and advise on best practices
PWI Provider Characteristics
 Providers who receive PWI funding have
demonstrated the capacity to provide job readiness
services, skills training, and follow-up consultation to
job seekers
 Employers identify post-placement follow-up by
providers as the most beneficial feature of working
with PWI*
 Employers who have worked with PWI have
recommended increased marketing and expanding
business relationships*
*RSA/US DOE report 2003
BUSINESS ADVISORY COUNCIL
PARTICIPATION
 Regularly-scheduled meetings where businesses can
share resources on employing workers with
disabilities
 Planning practical, applied trainings (e.g., working
with interpreters, funding accommodations)
 Providing information to agencies on
labor market trends, job opportunities, and
skills needed for positions
 Mutual benefit to employer and provider
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED WITH AGENCIES
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Serve on Business Leadership Network
Host Disability Mentoring Day activities
Attend employer education events
Offer to review resumes, hold mock interviews,
mentor job seekers
 Attend disability-specific job fairs, send job listings
to agencies
 Connect with Disability Program Navigator or other
staff at One-Stop Career Centers
 Make a commitment to do something new!!
Where can I get more information?
 Louisiana Business Leadership Network -- www.lbln.org
 Society for Human Resource Management -
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www.shrm.org or www.gbrshrm.org
United States Business Leadership Network -- www.usbln.org
Louisiana Department of Vocational Rehabilitation -http://www.dss.state.la.us/departments/lrs/Vocational_Reha
bilitation.html
www.foremployers.com
Louisiana Department of Labor: www.ldol.state.la.us