Why Employing People with Disabilities Makes Sense and How to Support Them

www.capabilitiesinc.biz
Why should employers hire people with disabilities? After
we hire, how can we support people with disabilities?

Justin Blumhorst
• Business and Technology
Professional
• On Management Team for
Capabilities
• Helps People with Disabilities
Find Quality Employment in the
Community

Who is Eligible for Services
• Apply for services through Opportunities for Ohioans with
Disabilities (OOD)
– Application can be submitted by telephone, email, fax, or by visiting
the nearest OOD office (Dayton office is off of Edwin C Moses Exit on
Cincinnati Street)
• After the applications is completed, an interview with an OOD
representative will be set up to determine eligibility

Who Knows Someone With a Disability?
• Definition of a Person with a Disability
– Someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially
limits that person in some major life activity, has a record of such
impairment, or is regarded as having such impairment.

Famous People with Disabilities
Albert Einstein
David Beckham
Stevie Wonder
Tom Cruise
Hugo Weaving
Dyslexia
Blindness
Tourettes Syndrome
Epilepsy
Autism

Why Do Employers Hire People with Disabilities?
• Anyone Can Have a Disability!
– Biggest Minority Group
– 20% of US population has a disability
– Diverse Workforce

Why Do Employers Hire People with Disabilities?
• Financial Incentive
– WOTC Tax Credit (Up to $2,400 per individual hired)
– Welfare to Work Tax Credit (Up to $8,500 per individual hired)
– On the job training
– Workers with disabilities have been shown to help with the following:
• Reducing hiring and training costs
• Increased retention rates

Vocational Rehabilitation? What is that?
• Definition
– A federal-state program that helps people who have physical or
mental disabilities get or keep a job. VR is committed to helping
people with disabilities find meaningful careers.
• Capabilities is a vendor for Opportunities for Ohioans with
Disabilities (OOD)
• State contracts us to help people with disabilities find
employment

• General process to find someone a job
– Career Exploration/Vocational Testing
• Help them find a career that will give them satisfaction
– Job Development
• Finding a specific job
• Takes person out in person
• Some people need more assistance

– Job Coaching
• Helping person learn the job
• We don’t do the job for them
• Coach is there to assist individual find support

– Job Retention
• 90 day process after JC or hire date
• Weekly calls to manager and individual
• Ensure satisfaction
– Ongoing Job Support
• Long term job retention
• Only if needed

How Can I Support Individuals
• Treat Like Everybody else
– Shake hands (even if they have limited use of hand)
– Good Manners
• Speak to the person directly
– Job Coach or Interpreter will listen into conversation and help when
needed
• Don’t assume someone needs help (ask first)

• If person is hard of hearing or
deaf
– Speak in normal voice and tone
• May read lips- exaggerated movements
harder to decipher
• Talking louder only helps if person
doesn’t have hearing aid
– Talk directly to them; don’t block
face (may be reading lips)

• If person is hard of hearing or
deaf
– Get their attention before talking to
them
– Use gestures and visual cues
– Write it down or use text messaging
– Learn some sign language

• If person is in a wheelchair
– Sit down when possible to talk with them
– Don’t lean on wheelchairs
– Don’t assume what they can or can’t do
– Don’t worry about expressions like “running along” or “go for a walk”
– Don’t move chair without permission

• If person is blind or low vision
– Don’t pet service dogs without permission
– Identify yourself when entering or leaving room
– Ask before giving assistance to navigate
• Proper way to do this is to offer your arm for them
– Don’t be worried about saying things like “see you later”

• People First Language
– Emphasizes the individuality, equality and dignity
– Rather than defining people by their disability, focuses on the person
– Examples:
• Person with a disability
• Person who is deaf
• Person who is blind

• If Job Developer Brings in Person with a disability
– Talk to the person directly
– Job developer may be helping them complete the application
– Job developer may be sitting in an interview
– Treat them just like you would anybody else

• If Job Coach is working with a coworker
– Talk to the person directly
– Try not to talk to the job coach very much
– Make individual feel welcome
– Make small talk as you would any other employee
– Don’t assume person can’t do things
– Give criticism as normal

• If Job Coach is working with a coworker
– Don’t treat person like you would a child
– If you think they might need help, ask if they do (don’t just do it)
– Train the individual like you would normal employee
• Job Coach will jump in when assistance is needed

So, Overall, How Can I Help?
• Treat person just like you would anybody else
• Talk directly to them
• People are in services to get themselves to a better spot
• Invite people into your peer groups

Questions
• Contact me for more information
– Phone: 419.778.7400
– Email: justinb@capabilitiesinc.biz
– Skype: jblumo
– Facebook: www.facebook.com/jblumho
– Twitter: www.twitter.com/jblumho
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinblumhorst

For more information,
please visit

Why Employing People with Disabilities Makes Sense and How to Support Them

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