How To Benefit From Hiring Employees With Disabilities
1
A re you having difficulty find- ing skilled, hard-working and responsible employees for your business? We may have a solution. The Arc Baltimore provides Sup- ported Employment services to over 500 employees with intellectual and de- velopmental disabilities at many busi- nesses in the Greater Baltimore area – people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or other such disabili- ties can be productive employees in your company. Many companies take advantage of our services and reap the benefits, including law firms, car deal- erships, hospitals, restaurants, schools, manufacturers and retailers. Here are the benefits: • Job Development. A job developer meets with your company to determine your personnel needs and tailors our services accordingly. Then, they iden- tify whose skills and preferences are a match to your vacant positions. The job developer works alongside the poten- tial employee throughout the entire hir- ing process to ensure a smooth transi- tion into employment. • Job Coaching. A job coach who is well acquainted with the employee works directly with them and famil- iarizes themselves with the job. They accompany the employee through ori- entation and provide one-on-one, on- the-job training and support until the person performs all the job tasks to the expectations of the employer. As the person increases their skills and reliably performs in their position, the job coach begins a fading process with occasional, as-needed drop-in visits. The job coach also builds rela- tionships with direct-line supervisors and co-workers to ensure open lines of communication. If at any time there is a change in the job tasks or concerns, the job coach discretely re-enters the work setting and begins the process again in the least disruptive way. • Diversity. By hiring employees with disabilities, your company is making a commitment to diversity. You provide an employee that is often overlooked with a potential life-long career that is both meaningful and rewarding. Your customers will acknowledge your com- mitment and feel better about patroniz- ing your business. • Morale. As your current staff be- comes familiar with the supported employee and values the work ethic and productivity they bring, a sense of pride and sharing develops among managers and workers alike. • Federal and State Tax Credits. Businesses who hire individuals with disabilities may be eligible for size- able federal and state tax credits. One in particular is the Work Opportunity Credit that provides eligible employ- ers with a tax credit on the first $6,000 of first-year wages of a new employee with a disability. • Turnover Prevention. Businesses that have a high turnover rate for lower level positions can prevent the hassle of constant rehiring by taking advan- tage of The Arc’s services and hir- ing employees who are eager for the chance. Many supported employment situations last for decades in positions that otherwise experience consider- able turnover. • Career Opportunity for Employee. “We define ourselves in large part by what we do in our work,” said Doug McQuade, assistant executive direc- tor of employment services at The Arc Baltimore. “For some people with a dis- ability, we defined them not by what they can do, but by what they cannot do. This is unfortunate, for these peo- ple are then deprived of an opportunity to enhance their self-image and feel as a valued member of our community.” It does not have to be this way. Your business can play a part in revers- ing this pattern by providing a career opportunity. You will see the change as the supported employee redefines themselves as someone who is a work- er, as someone who earns a paycheck, and as someone who is respected and liked by their co-workers. When your company needs to hire for a position, please keep in mind these benefits to hiring an employ- ee with a disability. You will be very pleased with your decision and the employee will be grateful for the career opportunity. HOW TO Benefit from Hiring an Employee with a Disability Achieve with us. For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities T he Arc Baltimore’s employment services has more than 500 workers with disabilities doing diverse jobs throughout Baltimore. They are skilled, responsible and hard-working, and they are ready to succeed! Full-time, part-time, anytime! Our job coaches provide FREE training, supervision and on-going support for: Individual jobs in food service, office, custodial, retail, customer service and many other areas Supplemental labor for sorting and assembling, scanning, shredding, preparing bulk mail and housekeeping Janitorial contracts for state-of-the-art commercial cleaning Landscape contracts for pristine grounds maintenance, design and installations Let’s get down to business. Our job developers will tailor our services to fit your personnel needs. Call us at (410) 296-WORK or send an email to [email protected] 7Eleven American Red Cross Applebee’s Baltimore County Public Schools Beltway Fine Wine & Spirits Blades & Rosenfeld, PA Charlestown Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Crowne Plaza Baltimore CVS Embassy Suites Giant Food, Inc. Gulf Coast Enterprises at Baltimore VA Rehabilitation Center Harbor Hospital The Home Depot Koons Chevrolet Little Caesars McDonald’s Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland Mercy Ridge Morrison Services at Union Memorial Hospital Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital National Aquarium in Baltimore North Oak Retirement Home Northwest Hospital Richard Opfer Auctioneering, Inc. Rose of Sharon Equestrian School Safeway Sherwood Gardens Shoprite Silver Spring Mining Company Sinai Hospital Steel & Wire Products Company Stella Maris Towson Elks Trader Joe’s Under Armour University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. University of Maryland Medical Center University of Maryland, The Founding Campus Wegmans Weis Markets WJZ WMAR YMCA Western Branch You’ll be in good company with these satisfied employers: Expert advice from Doug McQuade Assistant Executive Director of Employment Services Quick Tips • Identify your high turnover positions • Let a job developer assist with the hiring process • Allow a job coach to provide the training • See the work ethic of your new employee GUIDE 2012 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
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This is an article that appeared in the Baltimore Business Journal about the benefits of hiring an employee with disabilities. It was written by The Arc Baltimore's Assistant Executive Director of Day and Employment Services Doug McQuade
Transcript of How To Benefit From Hiring Employees With Disabilities
Are you having difficulty find-ing skilled, hard-working and responsible employees for your business? We may
have a solution.The Arc Baltimore provides Sup-
ported Employment services to over 500 employees with intellectual and de-velopmental disabilities at many busi-nesses in the Greater Baltimore area – people with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or other such disabili-ties can be productive employees in your company. Many companies take advantage of our services and reap the benefits, including law firms, car deal-erships, hospitals, restaurants, schools, manufacturers and retailers. Here are the benefits:
• Job Development. A job developer meets with your company to determine your personnel needs and tailors our services accordingly. Then, they iden-tify whose skills and preferences are a match to your vacant positions. The job developer works alongside the poten-tial employee throughout the entire hir-ing process to ensure a smooth transi-tion into employment.
• Job Coaching. A job coach who is well acquainted with the employee works directly with them and famil-iarizes themselves with the job. They accompany the employee through ori-entation and provide one-on-one, on-the-job training and support until the person performs all the job tasks to the expectations of the employer. As
the person increases their skills and reliably performs in their position, the job coach begins a fading process with occasional, as-needed drop-in visits. The job coach also builds rela-tionships with direct-line supervisors and co-workers to ensure open lines of communication. If at any time there is a change in the job tasks or concerns, the job coach discretely re-enters the work setting and begins the process
again in the least disruptive way. • Diversity. By hiring employees with
disabilities, your company is making a commitment to diversity. You provide an employee that is often overlooked with a potential life-long career that is both meaningful and rewarding. Your customers will acknowledge your com-mitment and feel better about patroniz-ing your business.
• Morale. As your current staff be-comes familiar with the supported employee and values the work ethic and productivity they bring, a sense of pride and sharing develops among managers and workers alike.
• Federal and State Tax Credits. Businesses who hire individuals with disabilities may be eligible for size-able federal and state tax credits. One in particular is the Work Opportunity Credit that provides eligible employ-ers with a tax credit on the first $6,000 of first-year wages of a new employee with a disability.
• Turnover Prevention. Businesses that have a high turnover rate for lower level positions can prevent the hassle of constant rehiring by taking advan-tage of The Arc’s services and hir-ing employees who are eager for the chance. Many supported employment situations last for decades in positions that otherwise experience consider-able turnover.
• Career Opportunity for Employee. “We define ourselves in large part by what we do in our work,” said Doug
McQuade, assistant executive direc-tor of employment services at The Arc Baltimore. “For some people with a dis-ability, we defined them not by what they can do, but by what they cannot do. This is unfortunate, for these peo-ple are then deprived of an opportunity to enhance their self-image and feel as a valued member of our community.” It does not have to be this way. Your business can play a part in revers-ing this pattern by providing a career opportunity. You will see the change as the supported employee redefines themselves as someone who is a work-er, as someone who earns a paycheck, and as someone who is respected and liked by their co-workers.
When your company needs to hire for a position, please keep in mind these benefits to hiring an employ-ee with a disability. You will be very pleased with your decision and the employee will be grateful for the career opportunity.
HOW TO Benefit from Hiring an Employee with a Disability
Achieve with us.
For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
The Arc Baltimore’s employment services has more than500 workers with disabilities doing diverse jobsthroughout Baltimore. They are skilled, responsible
and hard-working, and they are ready to succeed!
Full-time, part-time, anytime! Our job coaches provide FREE training, supervision and on-going support for:
Individual jobs in food service, office, custodial, retail, customer service and many other areas
Supplemental labor for sorting and assembling, scanning,shredding, preparing bulk mail and housekeeping
Janitorial contracts for state-of-the-art commercial cleaning
Landscape contracts for pristine grounds maintenance, design and installations
Let’s get down to business. Our job developers will tailor our servicesto fit your personnel needs. Call us at (410) 296-WORK or send an email to [email protected]
7ElevenAmerican Red CrossApplebee’sBaltimore County Public SchoolsBeltway Fine Wine & SpiritsBlades & Rosenfeld, PACharlestownCristo Rey Jesuit High SchoolCrowne Plaza BaltimoreCVSEmbassy SuitesGiant Food, Inc.Gulf Coast Enterprises at
Baltimore VA Rehabilitation CenterHarbor HospitalThe Home DepotKoons ChevroletLittle CaesarsMcDonald’s Meals on Wheels of Central MarylandMercy RidgeMorrison Services at Union Memorial HospitalMt. Washington Pediatric HospitalNational Aquarium in BaltimoreNorth Oak Retirement HomeNorthwest HospitalRichard Opfer Auctioneering, Inc.Rose of Sharon Equestrian SchoolSafewaySherwood GardensShopriteSilver Spring Mining CompanySinai HospitalSteel & Wire Products CompanyStella MarisTowson ElksTrader Joe’sUnder ArmourUniversity of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc.University of Maryland Medical CenterUniversity of Maryland, The Founding CampusWegmansWeis MarketsWJZWMARYMCA Western Branch
You’ll be in good company withthese satisfied employers:
ACHIEVE_9.5wx6.375h_COLOR_achieve_ 9/13/12 2:33 PM Page 1
Expert advice from Doug McQuadeAssistant Executive Director of Employment Services
Quick Tips• Identify your high turnover
positions• Let a job developer assist with
the hiring process• Allow a job coach to provide the
training• See the work ethic of your new
employee
GUIDE
2012
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT
