Lansing Job Fair Lansing Job Fair Employers BreakfastEmployers Breakfast

October 18, 2011October 18, 2011

WELCOMEWELCOME

THANKS EMPLOYERSTHANKS EMPLOYERS

Advent House Ministries Advent House Ministries at Capital Area Michigan at Capital Area Michigan Works! Works!

Comfort Keepers of Comfort Keepers of LansingLansing

Dart Container Dart Container CorporationCorporation

Eaton County Medical Eaton County Medical Care FacilityCare Facility

L&S Associates, IncL&S Associates, Inc LowesLowes MeijerMeijer

NuWave Technology NuWave Technology PartnersPartners

OutshinersOutshiners Radon AirRadon Air State of Michigan – Civil State of Michigan – Civil

Service CommissionService Commission USDA Rural USDA Rural

Development Development Verizon WirelessVerizon Wireless Volunteers of AmericaVolunteers of America

AgendaAgenda

Guest Speaker – Success StoryGuest Speaker – Success Story Project Search DVDProject Search DVD Understanding Barriers to Employment for Understanding Barriers to Employment for

People with DisabilitiesPeople with Disabilities

Key Systemic Barriers Key Systemic Barriers 11. . Employment has not been a priority: Employment has not been a priority:

As a whole, our programs have not operated with the belief that As a whole, our programs have not operated with the belief that employment is essential for people with disabilities, and that all people employment is essential for people with disabilities, and that all people can workcan work

4

Key Systemic barriersKey Systemic barriers2.2. People with disabilities are disconnected People with disabilities are disconnected

from businesses and jobs available:from businesses and jobs available:

• Many business owners don’t know about the Many business owners don’t know about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities benefits of hiring people with disabilities

• Providers and job seekers don’t have Providers and job seekers don’t have effective ways to respond to businesses in effective ways to respond to businesses in “business-time”“business-time”

5

3. People with disabilities are afraid to go 3. People with disabilities are afraid to go back to work, lose benefits, and not be back to work, lose benefits, and not be able to support themselves: able to support themselves:

• Providers and job seekers don’t know about Providers and job seekers don’t know about work incentives, e.g., Medicaid Buy-Inwork incentives, e.g., Medicaid Buy-In

• Providers and job seekers don’t know how to Providers and job seekers don’t know how to access economic supports, e.g., Earned access economic supports, e.g., Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Income Tax Credit (EITC)

6

Key Systemic barriersKey Systemic barriers

Key Systemic BarriersKey Systemic Barriers4. Services are fragmented and not well 4. Services are fragmented and not well

coordinated:coordinated:• Application requirements Application requirements are at times repetitiveare at times repetitive• It takes It takes too long to access some servicestoo long to access some services• Services Services do not integrate care do not integrate care to address co-to address co-

occurring MH, addictions, DD, voc, and “wraparound” occurring MH, addictions, DD, voc, and “wraparound” support needssupport needs

• Referral systems Referral systems across agencies/providers are at across agencies/providers are at times ineffective, individuals are sometimes “dropped” times ineffective, individuals are sometimes “dropped” by the system by the system

7

Key Systemic BarriersKey Systemic Barriers

5. Resources available are not used 5. Resources available are not used efficiently: efficiently:

• Some federal funding sources are Some federal funding sources are underutilized: e.g., Ticket-to-Workunderutilized: e.g., Ticket-to-Work

• Providers have to meet too many paperwork Providers have to meet too many paperwork requirements requirements

8

99

Basic StatisticsBasic Statistics

There are 54M people in this country (1 in 5 There are 54M people in this country (1 in 5 Americans) with disabilities;Americans) with disabilities;

35% are working age (18-65 years old)35% are working age (18-65 years old) Estimates are that 22%-33% are employedEstimates are that 22%-33% are employed 28% have some college education28% have some college education 12.8 % have a Bachelor’s degree, and of 12.8 % have a Bachelor’s degree, and of

those with a Bachelor’s, 55% are those with a Bachelor’s, 55% are unemployedunemployed

Demonstrated benefits of hiring Demonstrated benefits of hiring people with disabilities include:people with disabilities include:

Increased productivityIncreased productivity Reduced absenteeism & turnoverReduced absenteeism & turnover Cost savings on recruitment and trainingCost savings on recruitment and training Enhanced workplace creativity Enhanced workplace creativity Also, “accommodations” may well benefit the Also, “accommodations” may well benefit the

existing (already aging) workforce and existing (already aging) workforce and Accommodations tie in with the concept of Accommodations tie in with the concept of

“universal design”, which is part of the marketing “universal design”, which is part of the marketing strategy already being promoted by many strategy already being promoted by many companies.companies.

Look at the bottom lineLook at the bottom line

People with disabilities, as a whole, have a People with disabilities, as a whole, have a disposable income greater than teenagers disposable income greater than teenagers and they represent a large market and they represent a large market segment. segment.

People with disabilities exert a powerful People with disabilities exert a powerful influence on market share. influence on market share.

The market potential for the disabled The market potential for the disabled population and their influence on the population and their influence on the periphery of people around them, or what periphery of people around them, or what is referred to as the disability community, is referred to as the disability community, estimated to be $1T.estimated to be $1T.

Attitudinal FindingsAttitudinal Findings

Nearly all the employers (97%) who had hired Nearly all the employers (97%) who had hired someone with a disability in the past indicated someone with a disability in the past indicated they would hire an individual with a disability they would hire an individual with a disability again in the future. again in the future.

92% of the participants were “more favorable” or 92% of the participants were “more favorable” or “much more favorable” toward companies that “much more favorable” toward companies that hire people with disabilities. hire people with disabilities.

An extremely important finding was the absence An extremely important finding was the absence of any regional differences in the participants’ of any regional differences in the participants’ favorability ratings of companies that hire people favorability ratings of companies that hire people with disabilities. with disabilities.

No ComplaintsNo Complaints

Almost all of those surveyed agreed that they Almost all of those surveyed agreed that they would prefer to give their business to companies would prefer to give their business to companies that hire people with disabilities. that hire people with disabilities.

As a coworker, respondents rated the job As a coworker, respondents rated the job performance of people with disabilities as high. performance of people with disabilities as high.

As a customer, they are very satisfied by the As a customer, they are very satisfied by the services they have received from people with services they have received from people with disabilities. disabilities.

myths about disability employmentmyths about disability employment Nick Gutwein, President of Nick Gutwein, President of The Braun Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer of , the world's largest manufacturer of

wheelchair accessible vans, ramps, and wheelchair lifts, shared three myths that many wheelchair accessible vans, ramps, and wheelchair lifts, shared three myths that many employers believe.employers believe.

"Myth 1: Costs for accommodating an employee with a physical disability "Myth 1: Costs for accommodating an employee with a physical disability outweigh the benefits.outweigh the benefits.In truth, according to the President's Committee's Job Accommodation Network, most In truth, according to the President's Committee's Job Accommodation Network, most workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and for those that do, 15% workers with disabilities require no special accommodations and for those that do, 15% cost nothing. Slightly more than half of needed modifications cost $500 or less.cost nothing. Slightly more than half of needed modifications cost $500 or less.

"Myth 2: People with disabilities will mean higher worker-compensation rates for "Myth 2: People with disabilities will mean higher worker-compensation rates for my company, as well as a higher use of sick time.my company, as well as a higher use of sick time.In truth, a In truth, a study by DuPont found that absentee rates are nearly the same between found that absentee rates are nearly the same between employees with and without disabilities. Disabilities are not included in formulas for employees with and without disabilities. Disabilities are not included in formulas for worker's compensation.worker's compensation.

"Myth 3: People with disabilities won't be able to handle tough challenges or "Myth 3: People with disabilities won't be able to handle tough challenges or issues that arise in the workplace.issues that arise in the workplace.In actuality, people with disabilities are experienced in dealing with significant In actuality, people with disabilities are experienced in dealing with significant challenges. Consequently, they've developed more acute problem-solving skills and are challenges. Consequently, they've developed more acute problem-solving skills and are creative at finding ways to perform tasks that other employees take for granted."creative at finding ways to perform tasks that other employees take for granted."

Review of the Literature Summary While many research articles show that employers are sympathetic

to people with disabilities, most people with disabilities are unemployed.

Employers are more likely to be positive about the generalities about the Americans with Disability Act, but not about the specifics of hiring people with disabilities.

Employers who had previous positive experience with people with disabilities were more likely to hire people with disabilities.

A survey of employers found that designing accommodations and assisting with ADA compliance were areas with which they were not satisfied.

Employers wanted Vocational Rehabilitation to keep more in touch with them.

Employers were concerned about ADA employment provisions and issues related to civil rights. Survey and Focus Groups of Employers: Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Christine Rinck, Ph.D., Staci Stickney, Survey and Focus Groups of Employers: Medicaid Infrastructure Grant, Christine Rinck, Ph.D., Staci Stickney, M.P.A., UMKC Institute for Human Development, December 2003 M.P.A., UMKC Institute for Human Development, December 2003