This document provides information to employers on hiring individuals with disabilities. It discusses the benefits of hiring these individuals, such as lower turnover rates and tax incentives. It also aims to debunk common myths that employers have, such as concerns over high costs or liability. The document presents data showing individuals with disabilities have strong job performance and attendance records. It encourages employers to utilize resources that can help match qualified candidates with disabilities to open positions and support their successful employment.

1. Employer / Community Presentation
January 2014

2. “Finding Good Employees”

3. Looking for a Good Employee?
• If I could introduce you to an employee who had
an 8% turnover rate (the national average is
almost 45%);
• If you could receive tax incentives to hire this
employee; AND
• If you could receive state and federal financial
incentives to train this employee,
Would you be interested?

4. Looking for a Good Employee?
The employee I’m speaking about?
It’s a person who has a disability –
a person who is often overlooked as an
employment resource.

5. Vermont Employment Realities
The challenges of the changing demographics:
• Between 2010 and 2020, Vermont’s total population is
expected to grow by 5.9%
• YET the 55+ population is expected to grow by 26.7%
(VT Governor’s Commission on Successful Aging,
Recommendations, Dec. 2013)
• Older
Americans now comprise a large portion of the
U.S. population; those age 65 and over equal 13%
(New York Times,12/2/11)

6. Vermont Employment Realities (Cont’d)
• 22% more of our youth are leaving the State’s workforce
than in 2000. (US Census, 2010)
• (Younger) Gen X and Y employees remain in jobs for a
shorter period than their older counterparts, 4.1 years on
average. (www.Achievers.com)

7. What Can Employers Do Now?
There are real challenges for Vermont
businesses to attract and retain employees
to help them grow.
Employers must look outside of
the traditional sourcing pools to
find employees to meet their
specific needs.

8. Where Do Employers Look?
People with disabilities are a valuable talent pool to
consider when looking to hire for your business.
“Once an overlooked talent
pool, people with disabilities
are contributing to the
American economy in ways
never imagined…”
Thomas J. Donohue, President &
CEO US Chamber of Commerce

9. Overlooked Employment Opportunity
Despite the skills that Vermonters with disabilities
can bring to the workplace, here’s the reality:
• 11.6% of working age Vermonters (over 46,000
individuals) have a disability.
However:
• Only 15,900 of them are employed, an
employment rate of just over 34%.
• The employment rate of non-disabled
Vermonters is almost 80%.
Source: US Census Bureau – 2012 American Community Survey

10. Employment Rate in % of Disabled
vs. Nondisabled Vermonters
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Disabled
Vermonters
Nondisabled
Vermonters
2012 American
Community Survey; U.S.
Census Bureau

11. Missed Opportunities Costs Money
•
% of Americans with disabilities outside workplace pre-ADA: 70%
•
% of Americans with disabilities outside workplace now:
70%
•
March 2012:
~ Poverty rate of working-age people with disabilities =
29%
~ Poverty rate of working age people without disabilities =
13%
•
Most people with disabilities want to work, but government programs
discourage labor force participation.
•
“Benefit cliff” regulations punish people for working and saving money
- costing taxpayers approximately $450 billion a year in benefits paid.
(Source: www.respectabilityusa.org; http://www.scribd.com/doc/158991630/NGA-PPT)

12. People with Disabilities Have Skills
•
More than 600,000 scientists and engineers currently employed in
the US have disabilities. (National Science Foundation, 2008)
•
The CEOs of Ford Motors, Apple, Xerox, and Turner Television
have disabilities. (“15 CEOs with Learning Disabilities”, Business Insider, May
2011)
•
In September 2012, nearly
220,000 permanent civilian
federal government employees
had disabilities – representing
nearly 12% of the workforce.
(U.S. Office of Personnel Management
December 2013 Report on the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities in
the Federal Executive Branch)

13. People with Disabilities Want To Work
A Kessler Foundation survey of HR
managers and senior executives found
that…
- 62% of Employers said it costs about the same
to hire employees with and without a disability.
- A clear majority thought employees with and
without disabilities were equal in terms of
dedication, flexibility, ability to acquire new
skills, lack of turnover and absenteeism.
- One-third felt that employees with disabilities
show MORE dedication to the job.
Source: Kessler Foundation/NOD Employer Survey, 2010

14. Debunking
Myths

15. Myths: Why Employers May Not Hire
People With Disabilities
Fears some employers may have about hiring
people with disabilities:
• High cost / ADA mandates;
• Inability to fire;
• Low performance expectations;
• Excessive absenteeism;
• Lack of ongoing support channels.

16. Debunking the Myth:
It Costs Way Too Much
• In fact, there are Federal and state tax credits
and incentives for hire folks with disabilities.
• Please contact the VT Department of Labor at
www.labor.vermont.gov for more details.
• Vermont’s Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
Coordinator: 802-828-5250;
judy.bourbeau@state.vt.us

17. Debunking the Myth:
It Costs Way Too Much, cont’d.
• The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
-Federal tax credit for employers who hire veterans and vocational
•
•
•
•
rehabilitation clients with significant barriers to employment.
Each year, employers claim over $1 billion in tax credits under the
WOTC program.
WOTC reduces an employer’s cost of doing business, requires little
paperwork, and applying for WOTC is simple.
WOTC can reduce an employer’s federal income tax liability by
as much as $9,600 per employee hired.
There is no limit on the number of individuals an employer can hire
to qualify to claim the tax credit.
(http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/opptax/)

18. Debunking the Myth: The ADA Will
Bankrupt Me (Cont’d)
• Companies can be more profitable when they hire
people with disabilities. As quoted from RespectAbility
USA: (MELITA SUGGESTS WE DELETE THIS
SLIDE)
“Hiring people with disabilities can make companies more
profitable. Nationally, Walgreens has found this to be true as
employees with disabilities, when aligned with their talents
and interests, are more productive, loyal and have fewer work
place accidents than employees without disabilities.”
• Not only do people with a disability want to work, but
companies can be more profitable when they hire people
with disabilities.
•
Source: RespectAbility USA Media Campaign, 2012

19. Debunking the Myth:
The ADA Will Bankrupt Me
• In a July 2013 Job Accommodation
Network (JAN) study, employers
reported that 58% of accommodations
cost $0; the rest typically cost $500 or
less.
• 74% of people with disabilities say
they need no special equipment to
perform their jobs.
Source: Job Accommodation Network Study, July 2013

20. Debunking the Myth:
I Can’t Fire Someone With A Disability
• An employee with a disability who can’t perform
the essential functions of the job . . .
- with or without reasonable accommodations should be treated like any other employee.
• Procedural assistance is available for
employers:
~ http://www.ehow.com/info_8262621_can-cannot-physically-do-job.html
~ http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/accommodation.html

21. Debunking the Myth:
“They” Can’t Be Expected to Perform
Their Jobs Like Other People
• Turnover rates for
employees with disabilities are
substantially lower
than for the general
workforce – 8% annually for
people with
disabilities vs.
45%
nationwide.
(Washington Mutual Insurance Study, 2003)
• After Walgreens made a distribution center universally
accessible and staffed it with more than 50% of
employees with a disability, it experienced a 120%
increase in productivity.
(Greg Wasson, Walgreens CEO.
Opening Plenary speech. National Governor’s
Association Winter Meeting, February 2013.)

22. Debunking the Myth: A Person With
A Disability Will Be Out More Than
My Other Employees
•
Industry reports consistently rate workers with
disabilities as average or above average in
performance, attendance, and safety.
(Darlene Unger, “Employers’ Attitudes Towards People with Disabilities in the
Workforce: Myths or Realities,” Employers’ Views of Workplace Supports: Virginia
Commonwealth University Charter Business Roundtable’s National Study of
Employers’ Experiences with Workers with Disabilities. Edited by Darlene Unger et al.,
September 2002, pg. 6 ) – two reports listed here???
•
DuPont found that 85% of employees with disabilities
had an average/above average attendance rate
compared to people without disabilities.
(Auburn pub.com, 11/28/06)

23. Debunking the Myth: Once I Hire A
Person With A Disability, I’m On My Own
There are many organizations that offer support to companies
that hire people with disabilities. Some examples include:
•
Vermont Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation
• Vermont Association of Business,
Industry & Rehabilitation
•
Creative Workforce Solutions
•
VT Division for the Blind and
Visually Impaired
• Disability & Business Technical
Assistance Center (DBTAC) – New
England ADA Center
• Job Accommodation Network
•
Vermont Developmental
Disabilities Council

24. Solving
The Job
Matching
Puzzle

25. Job Matching Involves Many Puzzle
Pieces
Job matching is…
Job Candidate
Employer
CWS Staff
Additional
Member
Resources
•A partnership between
the Employer and Job
Candidate.
•All parties bring both
assets and needs to the
table to create the best
possible outcome for all.

26. Job Matching – Employer Role
Employer
How Does It Work?
Strengths:
• Jobs/work
• Experience in hiring good people
• Natural supports???
Employers
•Training (although sometimes
limited)
Opportunities:
•Hire employees who are reliable and
motivated
•Access to resources that possess skills
and willing to learn new ones
•Gain better understanding of people
with disabilities

27. Job Matching – Job Candidate Role
How Does It Work?
Job Candidate
Strengths:
•Motivated by more than just money
•Experience with overcoming difficulties
•Multiple levels of support to assist with
employment
• Training and other opportunities available
Opportunities:
• Opportunity to prove themselves
Job Candidate
•Utilize their skills and learn new ones
•Become part of a growing organization and
productive member of the team
•Receive appropriate training and support
like any other employee

28. Job Matching – Creative Workforce
Solutions (CWS) Staff Member Role
How Does It Work ?
CWS Staff Member
Strengths:
•Know the Job Seekers
•Experience in dealing with people with
disabilities
• Access to many resources
• Focused on Win-Win situation
Opportunity:
CWS Staff
Member
•Interest in learning about businesses to
match right candidate to the right job
•Gain understanding of employer’s
operations and staffing needs
•Open dialogue and ongoing
communication to support success

29. Job Matching – Available Resources
Available Resources
How Does It Work?
•Job matching consultation, assistance and
support:
http://www.cwsvt.com/about-us/contactus.html
Available
Resources
•Job training assistance and resources Progressive Employment:
http://www.cwsvt.com/hiringsolutions/our-programs.html
•Tax credits:
http://www.doleta.gov/business/incentives/
opptax/
•Assistive Technology:
http://atp.vermont.gov/
•And much more…..!

30. Job Matching – Available Resources
• Today unlike any time in our history low or
no cost assistive technologies are leveling
the playing field at work.
• Contact the Vermont Assistive Technology
Project to see how they can support the
needs of your employees.
www.atp.vermont.gov

31. What Can
YOU
Do?

32. Observation
People with disabilities have
extensive experience in
surmounting obstacles.
They only need the chance to
apply their skills to the work you
need done.

33. How Can I Easily Find Qualified,
Pre-Screened Applicants?
• Utilize disability-specific recruitment services like
Creative Workforce Solutions.
• These organizations can provide candidates whose
skills match your job descriptions.
• They also provide continued post-placement
support.
• Contact your local CWS Business Account
Manager. Check out the CWS website for contact
information: http://www.cwsvt.com/about-us/contactus.html

34. What are Helpful Strategies for Hiring
and Retaining People with Disabilities?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Show visible top management commitment
Model best practices
Treat employee with disability like any other employee
Provide mentoring and training as with any new hire
Utilize CWS employment staff member ongoing, as needed
Leverage other resources to support success
– employer tax credits/incentives
– disability awareness training
– assistive technology
• Explore reasonable accommodations as needed
• Allow for flexible scheduling

35. What Else Can You Do to Support the
Employment of People with Disabilities?
• Explore the menu of progressive employment
options offered by the Creative Workforce
Solutions group in your area;
• Learn about best practices from other
employers that have a diverse workforce - such
as winners of the GCEPD Governor’s Awards.
• Showcase your disability and diversity hiring
practices in your annual report.

36. What Else You Can Do (Cont’d)
• Take advantage of the resources of the national
Job Accommodation Network (www.askjan.org).
• Explore the resources of the Campaign for
Disability Employment:
www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org/
• Host a GCEPD-led panel of experts discussing
workplace accommodations.
• Create an explicit disability policy (in addition to a
diversity policy)

37. What Else You Can Do (Cont’d)
• Consider targeted recruiting; reach out to high
schools and colleges for referrals.
• Partner with Vocational Rehabilitation for
placements.
• Develop a pipeline through internships,
mentoring, and job shadowing days.
• Include disability awareness and etiquette in
employee orientation and supervisory training.
• Broaden your workplace culture to make it
“disability friendly”.

38. What Else You Can Do (Cont’d)
• Tap into the discretionary spending power
of people with disabilities and their
families. Do this by:
– Ensuring ease of access
– Marketing to the public through disability
friendly websites and publications
– Including people with disabilities in product
and service development

39. What Else You Can Do (Cont’d)
• Check out the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce’s list of “Leading Practices on
Disability Inclusion, found at:
http://www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/reports/020
709_DisabilityInclusion_final.pdf

40. So, What will YOU
Commit To?

41. Contact Information
Please feel free to reach out to us for further
information on ways you can hire people with
disabilities for your organization:
Melita DeBellis
Executive Coordinator, Governor's Committee on
Employment of People with Disabilities
www.hireus.org
802/434-6600
melita@gcepd.org

42. Thank you!

43. Appendix: Case Studies
we can add a few as takeaways…just a thought CJL

44. Walgreens Study Validates Business
Case for Disability Inclusion
•
In June 2012, Walgreens Supply Chain & Logistics Division
published an extensive peer-reviewed study of productivity,
documented safety incidents and workers compensation
claims for employees with disclosed disabilities compared to
employees with no disabilities.
• The findings validated the business case for disability
inclusion. Specifically, they learned that:
• People with disabilities perform equal to those without disabilities
in productivity rate, accuracy and safety incident reports
• People with disabilities deliver superior results, in terms of safety
incident costs and rate of employee retention.
– Today, people with disabilities comprise approximately 10%
of its overall distribution center workforce.

45. Walgreens Study Validates Business
Case for Disability Inclusion (Cont’d)
• Walgreens is widely recognized and benchmarked for
mainstreaming one of the nation’s largest private sector
disability inclusion efforts.
• Being a disability inclusion trendsetter has given Walgreens
first-mover access to capable, underutilized talent.
• What’s more, the study reinforces the wisdom of Walgreen’s
approach, because their distribution centers have achieved
greater efficiency, higher productivity and improved
employee retention by proactively employing people with
and without disabilities, on equal footing, side by side.
Source: Walgreens 2013 Diversity and Inclusion Report