Hiring Employees with DisAbilities Is Good Business!

1. OCEAN
Orange County Employment Advocacy Network
Hiring Employees with
DisAbilities Is Good Business!
Presented by:

2. Orange County Employment Advocacy Network
OCEAN
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OCEAN organizations are the premier job development
programs in Orange County
OCEAN organizations collectively have placed over 24,000
people with disabilities in jobs
OCEAN organizations have attained local, state, national, and
international recognition
Employment First Initiative – Regional Center of Orange County

3. OCEAN Members
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A.B.E.D.I., Inc
Easter Seals
Goodwill Industries
Integrated Resources
Institute
Orange County Adult
Achievement Center
Project Independence
Westview Vocational
Services
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Rehabilitation Institute
of Orange
Huntington Beach
Unified School District
Regional Center of
Orange County
Department of
Rehabilitation
Area Board XI

4. What is Integrated
Employment?
Jobs held by people with disabilities
in typical workplace settings where
the majority of persons employed
are not persons with disabilities,
they earn at least minimum wage
and they are paid directly by the
employer.

5. Philanthropic Approach
“Years ago, in another era and with another
company, when I was first approached about
„employing the handicapped‟ I thought about
Easter Seals posters, Catholic guilt, doing good
for mankind, and other related right brain
notions.”
Lou Kaucic, Senior VP Daka International

6. Good Business Sense
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Lower turnover
Increased morale
Lower labor costs
Improved productivity

7. THINK DIFFERENT
“What begins as a failure of imagination ends as
a market inefficiency: when you rule out an
entire class of people from doing a job simply by
their appearance, you are less likely to find the
best person for the job.” Michael Lewis - Moneyball

8. Employer Benefits
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Reduced turnover rate
Receive $2,400 Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Recruitment and pre-screening of qualified and motivated
applicants with disabilities
Reported excellent attendance records
Reduced Workers Compensation
Ongoing job coach support at NO COST
Americans with Disabilities Act consultation
Reports of increased staff morale
Increased customer loyalty
Positive corporate image

9. Prospective Positions
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Office
Retail
Hospitality
Grocery
Warehouse
Medical
School
Entertainment
Government
Janitorial
Security
Food Service
And there are no limits to the list

10. Businesses See Bottom Line Result$!
Per 10 Employees
OCEAN Applicant Pool
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10% Turnover Rate
9 employee retention
$ 3,500 turnover cost (est)
$21,600 = 9 WOTC
21,600 WOTC
+17,500 Turnover
Savings
$39,100 Bottom Line
Savings
General Employee Pool
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60% Turnover
4 employee retention
$21,000 turnover cost (est)
$3,500 per New Hire

11. Giving Back To Our Economy!
One Employee 16.0 Hrs/Week
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10 OCEAN Employees
$557.28 Gross Pay
 $3,816 x 9
-$ 37.00 Fed Income Tax
 $34,344 Total Contributions
-$ 37.00 Social Security
-$ 9.00 Medicare
-$235.00 Reduced SSI
$318.00 per month Total
$3,816 Annual Per Employee

12. Hiring 10 Employees!
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$39,100 - Bottom Line
$33,344 – US Economy
$72,444 = Good Business

13. Employment Partnership - OCEAN
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OCEAN
Meet with each Manager
and HR
Work with HR for
prospective positions
Pre-screen applicants
WOTC documentation
Ongoing support and
communication
Monthly contacts
Annual Report of Cost
Benefits
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Employer
HR Recruiter send out e-mail
supporting initiative
introducing OCEAN agency
for Orange County Districts
Identify co-worker as a
Mentor
Immediate contact with
OCEAN agency as needed

14. Orange County Employment Advocacy Network
OCEAN
Contact an OCEAN Employment Coordinator
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Linda Seppala, M.S. – OCEAN Chair
(714) 269-5258
lseppala@abedinc.org