We are still hearing today, almost constantly, about the number of employers who are finding it more difficult to find skilled employees in an increasingly competitive, but also more potentially profitable, business environment. How would you, as an employer, react to having access to a totally free, skilled-employee bank which will also give you access to both general business tax credits and tax deductions while also providing employees for your operation who have documented, positive employee skills?
Let me suggest that you consider hiring people with disabilities to fill your required employee needs. Why would I make this suggestion⢠Because ... it makes great business sense and can probably fill your skilled and qualified employee needs now. Here is why:
To begin with, there is a large number of already job-skilled people with disabilities who are looking for work and who already have the qualifications that you need. Moreover, their job record is extremely impressive and positive, even more so than their non-disabled counterparts.
How can I say this⢠Because the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, begun in 1947 by President Truman to urge America's businesses to hire returning World War II combat-disabled veterans, has kept annual, detailed records on the job performance of people with disabilities. Their work record, updated almost constantly, shows that employees with disabilities are safer on the job; more dependable to the employer; more reliable in the completion of their work; more on-time to their jobs each day; and more loyal to their employers than their non-disabled counterparts.
You can have access to their skills, for free, by calling the local or regional office of your state's Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) or Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) offices. A DORS or DVR counselor will work with you to find out your needs; send only qualified prospective employees (who also just happen to have a disability) to meet your interview requirements; work with you in developing access to federal and state general business tax credits during an appropriate training period (if required); and also assist you with developing those job accommodations needed to help your new employee become even more valuable to you. Provision of any job accommodation or accessibility needs is also tax deductible.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) of the President's Committee (now the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)) can also help you to develop any appropriate job accommodations and even help you to meet your disabled client or customer needs, as well. This service is also free. By the way, hiring an individual employee who also happens to have a disability does not impact the cost of your workers' compensation insurance, either.
Statistically, people with disabilities currently make up almost 20 percent of our population. They also spend money, too, as customers and as clients. With this great of a potential employee and customer base, doesn't it make sense to open up your minds and your access to this potentially lucrative human resource⢠We think that it does.
As a matter of fact, to make it even easier for you to access this very substantial and significant pool of both employees and customers, just give me a call or e-mail me with your questions and/or needs and I'll be happy to respond and get you pointed in the right direction. It's really pretty easy and can make your job a lot easier as both an employer and businessperson.
So ... keep an open mind and give this a try. We think that you will be glad that you did.
Rendine is chairman of the Lower Shore Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. He can be reached at 410-860-1137 or at his e-mail address at prendine@ezy.net with any questions or comments.
