How Can Service Providers Become Partners to Employers

In today’s competitive world, persons with disabilities represent an untapped source of skilled employees. Employers benefit from hiring individuals based on their talents, skills, abilities and reliability, regardless of a disability. Individuals with disabilities can become an important asset to their employer and team when giving the opportunity. In addition, research shows that both consumers and job candidates consider an organization’s commitment to social responsibility when making decisions about where to spend money and put their talents to work.

Employers’ perspectives on the scope of the community of Persons with Disabilities vary from one business to another. Many national and multi-national brands are finding that employment and retention of individuals with disabilities adds great value to their workforce. The experiences and perspectives of employees and executives with disabilities have never been as important. Employing a diverse workforce inclusive of persons with disabilities creates benefits in multitude of ways including the following: enhanced reputation, reduction in risk, and innovation opportunities and productivity gains.

Can Service Providers become true partners for employers? The answer is Yes!

From my experience, I have discovered that employers can find extensive benefits from service provider partnerships. Benefits include finding, recruiting, and retaining talented candidates with disabilities and employees acquiring disabilities.

Employers often ask me how to find a service provider that can support their efforts to find, train and retain talented employees with disabilities. In my recent search for a service provider that could help answer this question and shine more light on this topic; I came across CareerSource Palm Beach County and had the pleasure of interviewing them.

Debra Ruh: What role can a service provider play when partnering with employers looking to hire qualified candidates with disabilities?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: When partnering with employers looking to hire qualified candidates, a service provider can assist in a multitude of ways including pre-screening candidates, conduct face-to-face interviews, and assist with retention once hired. We connect business with talent.

Debra Ruh: What benefits can a service provider bring to an employer?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: The benefits are endless. CareerSource Palm Beach County educates the job seeker on how to tailor their resume to the employment opportunity; how to interview and conduct appropriate follow ups. For many of the available positions a qualified recruiter can ensure the job seeker has the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job.

We also assist in job retention by acting as a liaison between the employer and the employee and monitoring the employee for 90 days post-employment. In addition, our career consultants identify significant barriers to employment so that reasonable accommodations can be provided at a nominal cost ensuring a successful partnership.

Debra Ruh: Some employers think that the community expects them to create jobs or carve up jobs specifically for persons with disabilities. Do you agree with this direction?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: No, we do not agree with that direction. Any referral to open job orders or potential job orders will receive candidates who have the core competencies and transferrable skills to become successful at the job site.

Debra Ruh: When a service provider like CareerSource Palm Beach County helps an employer find qualified candidates with disabilities, is that a one-time event? Can service providers support the employer and employee beyond the hire?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: No, it’s not a one-time event. We support employers/employees up to one year post-employment. However, at times where services cannot be provided “in-house” because the candidate requires services beyond the scope of CareerSource Palm Beach County’s resources, they are referred to our community partners.

Debra Ruh: When we think of the topic of employing persons with disabilities, should we also consider retention?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: Definitely. Job placement is only the beginning. The goal for servicing persons with disabilities is improving their quality of life by not only helping them obtain employment but by helping them stay employed as well. This cannot be feasible if they are job hopping.

Debra Ruh: Many employers have employees all over the country and multi-nationals have employees in other countries. How can a service provider help with hires outside your county or state?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: We can ensure the employees know what community resources are available within their local jurisdiction, regardless of their geographic zone.

Debra Ruh: Can service providers help employers with accommodating employees with disabilities if needed?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: Yes, oftentimes accommodations cost less than $500. On a case-by-case basis, CareerSource Palm Beach County has offset the cost of some accommodations to aid in retention. When rescannable accommodations cannot be financially provided, CareerSource can educate employers on how to obtain that reasonable accommodation at a nominal cost and connect them with resources that can assist.

Debra Ruh: Are there services and other resources that a service provider can help employers with?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: The services needed depend on the case. We currently have resources in place to assist with interview attire, transportation, vision, hearing, and prescription medication discounts. All of these can help mitigate some of the out of pocket expenses for an employer’s fringe benefits. At CareerSource Palm Beach County we continue to build new partnerships with community resources and services to assist job seekers, employees and employers.

Debra Ruh: When an employer hires and retains employees with disabilities. What kind of additional benefits can be expected?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: Some of the additional benefits are: having someone who is dependable, has a strong work ethic, and willing to go above and beyond what is expected based on their job description. Hiring qualified individuals with disabilities creates diversity, increases morale in the workplace and improves customer service. Guidance and awareness training can be provided to the employer and team as to how to maintain an inclusive workforce. Another benefit for the employer is the Federal Tax Incentives. Let’s expand just a little on this benefit.

The Federal Government offers various tax credits to employers that see the value that qualified individuals with disabilities can offer the workplace. These incentives are intended 1) to encourage the hiring of individuals with disabilities and 2) to support modifications and accommodations designed to enhance the accessibility of the workplace and productivity of workers with disabilities. Although there are several tax credits an employer can benefit from the most common is the WOTC (Work Opportunity Tax Credit).

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (ETA) Employment and Training Administration oversees the WOTC incentive, it provides support to employers by reimbursing a percentage of an employee’s wages for up to two years. Maximum reimbursement amounts vary based on the background of each individual hired.

For individuals hired under this program, employers are eligible for a 25% reimbursement of the first-year wages once the employee has worked 120 hours. Individuals that work 400 hours result in a 40% reimbursement. The maximum reimbursement possible per qualified employee varies depending on the individual hired and the length of employment.

Debra Ruh: How can employers learn more about with a service provider working like CareerSource Palm Beach County?

CareerSource Palm Beach County: They can visit us at www.careersourcepbc.com, contact our general number 561.340.1060 (press #3) or via the Ticket To Work email ttwteam@careersourcepbc.com.

In summary, Employees with disabilities are like every other employee. There is no mystery to successfully employing persons with disabilities. Employers all over the world are successfully hiring, training and retaining employees with disabilities. Remember, disabilities may be a part of the life journey for many of your employees. When you create solid policies, standards and processes to successfully employ and retain persons with disabilities, everyone wins.

Employers that focus on each of their employee’s abilities instead of their disabilities will win each time. Additionally, as the global marketplace continues to demand that persons with disabilities be included in all aspects of society, your firm will reap the benefits from a diverse workforce.

Want to know more about this topic?

Join us for this exciting diversity and inclusion business to business conference!

Learn from award-winning keynote speakers Haben Girma and Debra Ruh about fostering diversity in the workplace through hiring, training and retaining persons with disabilities at our “Reinforcing Employment Access & Career Hiring” (R.E.A.C.H.) event!

Link to R.E.A.C.H Event