Alaska Works Initiative: Addressing Barriers, Increasing Employment, Creating Change, employment, training, and technical assistance

It's ABILITY

Young adult in wheelchair working at a desk~not disability~

that counts

Employers, do you know?

What is the fastest growing segment and most widely overlooked employable minority of our population?

Persons with Disabilities (PWD) are chief among labor sources.

Many business leaders are aware that looming on the not-so-distant horizon is a shortage of qualified workers. Thinking outside of the box, an increasing number of employers are turning to non-traditional sources of labor. Chief among those labor sources is persons with disabilities (PWD), the fastest growing segment and most widely overlooked employable minority of our population. Companies such as McDonald's, Walgreens, PepsiCo., Northern Trust Corporation, Aon, UPS, Banana Republic, Rush University Medical Center and Deloitte recognize that employing PWD is good for their bottom line.

"...overwhelmingly positive attitudes among 92% of American consumers toward socially responsible companies, and in particular toward those that hire individuals with disabilities...improve the company's brand image." University of Massachusetts Boston's Center for Social Development & Education (2006)

Diversity: Skills and Spending Power

People who experience a disability

  • have proved to be dependable, dedicated, hardworking and productive
  • are efficient, target-based and may often enjoy routine-based tasks
  • can be technology innovators because they have had to learn to be creative in performing tasks and overcoming challenges
  • often will impart a "Culture of Humor" into the workforce
  • will assist in increasing community awareness that your company is a disability-friendly business

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picture of paper moneyClick here for

Employer Tax and Financial Incentives

Ticket to Work Employment Networks and Work Incentive Act,

Work Opportunity Tax Credits, and Others

young man in suit and green tie showing doing a thumbs up

Top 5 Reasons to Hire People with Disabilities

  1. People with disabilities have equal or higher job performance ratings, higher retention rates, and lower absenteeism.
  2. Employees with disabilities can relate better to customers with disabilities, who represent $1 trillion in annual aggregate consumer spending.
  3. Diverse work groups can create better solutions to business challenges.
  4. Companies that hire and accommodate people with disabilities in their workplaces can receive tax benefits.
  5. Employing people with disabilities is good for the individual, the business, and society. This is a "win–win–win" strategy.

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Ticket to Work Logo CMS Issues Letter stating MEDICAID PROVIDERS who participate in the Ticket to Work program are NOT Double Dipping!!!

For STATE MEDICAID DIRECTORS AND AGENCIES considering becoming an Employment Network:

On Thursday, January 28, 2010, CMS issued a letter to State Medicaid Directors clarifying that Ticket Outcome and Milestone payments to Employment Networks (ENs) do not conflict with regulatory requirements and do not constitute an overpayment of Federal dollars for services provided because EN payments are payment for an outcome, rather than for a Medicaid service rendered.  Of particular note, the letter indicates that State agencies and/or providers interested in participating in the Ticket to Work program as ENs are encouraged to do so.

See complete letter and full report here: CMS Letter to State Medicaid Directors that there is no conflict with services vs. EN payments

 

Accommodations and ADA: Man in suit looking through large binoculars

We have put together some resources to assist you in accomodating your employee's. The following are a couple of presentations that may help shed light on the process for you.

Let's Be Reasonable

ADA Jeopardy - a poor imitation of the real thing!

Need information about how to accomodate an employee with a disability. The following website is one of the best resources availabe. The Job Accomodation Network or JAN is a free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities by:

  1. providing individualized worksite accommodations solutions
  2. providing technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation
  3. educating callers about self-employment options.

Here are some goodies that other folks shared with us and that we think you may find useful.

Seven Steps for Reasonable Accomodation

Tools and Information

In our work with employers we have developed a few tools that we have found useful both to them and to those advocating with them. We have found the following information helpful in both the hiring and job development process.

Links

Disability Resource Guide

Disability Information

Department of Labor Facts and publications