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ABILITIES

Promoting the employment of Vermont citizens of all abilities
October 2013 - Volume 7, Issue 4

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Dear Friends ~

  Appreciating Differences  
and Recognizing Similarities
      
Chris Bernier, GCEPD Chair
 

In today's fast paced world, information comes relentlessly from all directions.  October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, so I want to encourage folks to take a step back and think about disability employment and inclusion.  We can use October as an opportunity to appreciate differences and recognize similarities.   

 

We had the great fortune to interview both Vermont's Governor Shumlin and Pat Elmer from Vermont Associates for Training and Development.  They both bring a unique perspective to our work and the discussion.  

 

Did you know that your iPad and iPhone comes standard with a number of accessibility features?  Read on to learn more about these features and how we can all benefit from universal design and technology. 

 

According to Salon.com, Americans with disabilities may be the best workers no one's hiring, so let's work to buck this trend. 

 

Thank you for continuing to support the employment of people with disabilities in Vermont.  

 

So read on, and as always, we encourage you to share.

 

 

Sincerely,  

Chris Bernier, Chair  
Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities  



 

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In This Issue
An Interview with Governor Peter Shumlin
An Interview with Pat Elmer on Addressing Workforce Shortages with Nontraditional Workers
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month
Americans with Disabilities may be the Best Workers No One's Hiring
Accessibility Features on your IPad and Computer
More On - An inteview with Pat Elmer
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An Interview with Governor Peter Shumlin    

 

 
As part of our observance of Disability Employment Awareness Month, we asked Vermont's Governor Shumlin to share some of his thoughts about the employmentof people with disabilities. 
           

 

GCEPD:  "As you know, October is National
Governor Peter Shumlin
Governor Peter Shumlin
Disability Employment Awareness Month. The theme for 2013 is 'Because we are EQUAL to the Task'.   What does that expression mean to you?"

 

Governor Shumlin:   

"All of use should recognize that everyone with a disability can work and contribute fully to our communities, with the right support. Common misperceptions and expectations have changed, and will continue to change, thanks to people with disabilities saying, yes we can work, we just need an equal opportunity to try. Our business and communities face complex challenges, and people with disabilities, who know a thing or two about overcoming obstacles, are important partners in accomplishing these tasks."

 

 

GCEPD:  "What do you think we can do in Vermont to achieve greater equality in the hiring of people with disabilities?"

 

Governor Shumlin: 

"We've already come a long way here in Vermont. In the early 1980's very few people with developmental disabilities served by Vermont programs were employed. Today well over 40% of working age adults in our developmental disabilities programs have a job in their community. But we can do better.  

 

Schools need to set the expectation early that students with disabilities can and should work. We know that early work experience while in school is the best predictor of long term employment. We also need to keep employers engaged in this issue. Some employers have misperceptions about hiring a person with a disability, including concerns about training time and the cost of accommodations. However, once employers have hired a person with a disability, we see these fears evaporate. These same employers then become the best advocates with other employers.  

 

The Agency of Human Services initiative, Creative Work Force Solutions, has greatly expanded program outreach to Vermont employers. As a result we are talking with many more employers about the opportunities and benefits of hiring people with disabilities. Lastly, if a person with a disability is receiving services, we need to make sure that employment is always part of the plan. Sometimes we focus so much on helping people with their basic needs, we forget to help folks  

plan for a better future. For many people having a job is central to that process."

 

 

GCEPD:  "Do you have any personal experience with disability in the workforce? If so, could you tell us about that?"

 

Governor Shumlin: 

"As you may know, I am someone who learns differently. As a person with dyslexia, learning to read was a struggle for me in a way that most of my peers and co-workers can't understand. Thankfully, a great teacher helped me tremendously. Everyone deserves this opportunity."

 

 

GCEPD:  "What are some ways in which you feel that the employment of people with disabilities enriches Vermont?"

 

Governor Shumlin: 

"We all benefit, when every member of our community has an opportunity to participate in the workforce. On a very practical level, Vermont will face a labor shortage in the next twenty years. This means we will need all Vermonters, including those with disabilities, to have the training and resources they need to go to work. Our state is strengthened when all Vermonters have the opportunity to be employed in a more diverse and inclusive workplace."

 

 

GCEPD:  "As Governor, what words of inspiration could you provide to Vermont students with disabilities in terms of employment in Vermont?"

 

Governor Shumlin: 

"I know it's hard, but remember that the disability that others see as a limitation is the very thing that will make you an excellent employee. People with disabilities know what it means to work hard, and to persevere in the face of challenges. Keep at it, and remember to be proud of all the things you have accomplished already. Vermont needs you."

          

 

 

 
MakecallsTop

 

Addressing Workforce Shortages:

Nontraditional workers and Universal Design principles

 

An Interview with Pat Elmer,

Founder &President / CEO

Vermont Associates for Training and Development



 
 

Vermont Associates for Training & Development is a 501c3 nonprofit providing job training and employment services to mature workers throughout Vermont and Connecticut.  Its mission is to assist mature workers to become the best-qualified candidate for jobs consistent with their interests and abilities.  As a complement to that mission, Vermont Associates works with employers and community organizations to develop and increase the range of employment opportunities available to mature workers. The largest program it runs is the Senior Community Service Employment Program funded by the federal Older Americans Act.www.vermontassociates.org

 

Pat Elmer
Pat Elmer

 

     


It is generally well known that Vermont employers are facing shortages in skilled labor. 

What may not be so widely understood is that the only projected growth in Vermont's workforce in the next 20 years will be in the age 55 and older category. 

While the total population in Vermont is expected to grow by 5.9%, the 55+ population is expected to grow by 26.7%. 

 

So what does this mean?

 

According to Pat Elmer, Founder and CEO of Vermont Associates for Training and Development (VATD), it means that employers should be looking to mature workers as an important source of workers to fill that gap.  Like workers with disabilities, this underutilized demographic is crucial to Vermont's continued economic growth in the future.

 

 

 

 

In addition to her role leading VATD, Pat is also a member of the Governor's Commission on Successful Aging, established by Executive Order of Governor Peter Shumlin.  This Commission's charge has been to produce recommendations to improve the lives of older Vermonters, including ways "to optimize the potential of Vermont's older workers" and " engage older Vermonters in the labor force."  As part of its work, the Commission consulted with Dr. Paul Harrington, a national expert in employment demographics related to older persons about the particular figures and dynamics of Vermont's state economy and demographics.  It is Dr. Harrington who provided these eye opening statistics about the future make up of Vermont's labor force.

  

Pat sees the silver lining in this labor shortage. . . . .

 

 

 

Click here to read more!   

 

 

 
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month
 

 

Disability Employment Awareness Month 2013 Poster In 1988 when Congress designated October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month it was building on a congressional history dating back to 1945.  The emphasis on promoting the employment of people with disabilities is not new.  Progress has been made but much remains to be done.

 

Did you know that since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1970, the percentage of Americans with disabilities who are outside the workforce - 70% - remains unchanged?

 

According to the 2012 American Community Survey statistics released by the U.S. Census Bureau there are 46,400 Vermonters of working age who have a disability.  They represent 11% of Vermont's working age population.  Only 15,900 - or 34% - of those Vermonters with disabilities are employed.  Contrast that with the employment rate of 79% for Vermonters of working age who do not have a disability.

 

The theme this year for Disability Employment Awareness Month is "Because we are EQUAL to the Task".    There are many, many skilled and talented Vermonters with disabilities well prepared to contribute to the success of Vermont's businesses - truly equal to the task.  It is our hope that Vermont's businesses will also show that they are equal to the task.

 

The majority of Vermonters with a disability want to work.  Hiring people with disabilities can make Vermont businesses stronger, better and more profitable.  Employees with disabilities, working in alignment with their talents and interests, are more productive, loyal and have fewer work place accidents than employees without disabilities.  

 

Hiring Vermonters with disabilities can also save the taxpayer money.  America is spending $450 billion a year on benefits to people who, in most cases, want a hand up, NOT a hand out.  To be competitive on a global scale, American companies need to understand that a secret weapon is harnessing the talents of everyone.  The work and commitments to success of Vermonters with disabilities can be a key element in competing in today's tough global economy.

 

 Vermonters with disabilities are EQUAL to the task.  Are you? 

    


Americans with Disabilities
may be the Best Workers No One's Hiring!

 

 According to the August 7, 2013 issue of Salon - www.salon.com - the award-winning online news site, in a re-post of an August 6th article by the board of the Christian Science Monitor:

 

 

Walgreens actually prefers disabled employees because they're more efficient workers, explains a new report.

To read this outstanding  
article in its entirety, please click here.

 


Accessibility Features on your IPad and Computer

 

You may not know but your IPad comes with a number of accessibility features built  in that can benefit ALL users - even those who may not think of themselves as having a disability.

 

To access these features, first click on the "Settings" icon on your home screen.  Next, select "General" in the left hand column.  Then scroll down towards the bottom of the right hand column and you will see the word "Accessibility".  Select "Accessibility" to access these features.

  

For a wonderful description of how to use these various features, we recommend you go to this article on the "Disabled World" website AND this article on the TechnoDuet website. 

 

Speaking of accessibility, did you know that there is a free download of a "camera mouse"  that allows users to control the computer mouse - and thereby use and type on a computer screen - with a facial feature activated by a webcam.  We were pleased to showcase this technology during our recent appearance at the conference of the Vermont Chapter of the Society of Human Resource Manager.  For more information on this webcam mouse, go to:  camera mouse.org

 

Here it is in action!

Camera mouse in action
Camera Mouse in action

   

 MakeCallsMore
More On - An Interview with Pat Elmer 
 

 

 

Pat sees the silver lining in this labor shortage. One of the best outcomes of this realization that there will be insufficient growth in the younger cohort of workers is that employers are becoming much more creative, open-minded, proactive, and open to flexibility. They are being challenged in economic ways to do more with less and that's got them into more out of the box thinking. The result is a changing paradigm of how we look at the aging population. Some employers call it the "Silver Tsunami". However, rather than seeing a tsunami in negative terms, many see them as a real solution. They are finding the silver lining in adversity to their benefit. And we hope to the benefit of all workers - especially the mature worker and the worker with a disability.

 

Helping employers to understand and address the work support needs and interests of the mature worker - in a way that benefits all workers - is part of the service provided by Pat and her VATD staff. What are mature workers often asking for? According to Pat it is flexibility in terms of scheduling, a flexible workplace, and accommodations regarding work tools.

 

a) Flexibility in scheduling - Employers by and large really do respect and appreciate the skills  of the mature workforce and are concerned about the brain drain so some very creative scheduling options are being created. Some examples are phased retirement or part-year positions. In this situation the mature worker can be an excellent part of the seasonal workforce. Furthermore, as employers start to create flexibility for the mature worker, they begin to see that it is feasible to make similar adjustments for other employees as well.

 

b) Flexibility re work location - Both mature workers and younger parents are often interested in being able to work at home. Pat has seen employers who were interested in doing this in order to retain experienced older workers. For a mature worker trying to live on less, this allows them to save on transportation costs. In one instance, this meant that employees worked at home on Tuesdays through Thursdays, but everyone was in the office on Monday and Friday. In this way they do independent work at home and group work at office. All it took was the employer recognizing that it can be done but just not every day.  

 

c) Work tools - Mature workers often need work tools that can lessen the amount of physical effort they need to expend. Some of the best examples of this are in health care - where they are totally revamping what Licensed Nursing Assistants and Physical Care Attendants doing by providing lifts and teaching proper ways of moving patients. Some jobs that used to be heavy lifting jobs now have fairly sophisticated equipment that help to lighten the physical demands. Furthermore, other employers are taking the initiative to revamp manufacturing floor set ups so workers are covering less ground on cement floors. In all instances, the measures benefit the mature and the younger worker.

 

In essence, what mature workers are asking for are measures that fall within the concept of Universal Design. .

 

What is Universal Design? According to the Center for Universal Design and its founder, Ron Mace, "Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design." This extends not just to products but to built environments and communication practices as well. The intent is to find ways to simplify life for everyone at little or no extra cost.

 

So, rather than looking at the Americans with Disabilities Act and worrying about required accommodations, an employer can look beyond the ADA and its legal requirements and focus on best practices for improving the workplace environment for all its employees, regardless of disability. The result? Improved job satisfaction and productivity for all employees."

 

There are seven principles of universal design which, when applied to the workplace, identify the important aspects of the work environment for an employer to consider. You can read more about these here (http://www.empowermotraining.org/ada2008/adamodule12_07_lcw/ada1module12_07_lcw16/ADA1Module12_07_LCW13.html )   They are:

 

  • Principle #1:  Equitable Use
  • Principle #2:  Flexibility In Use 
  • Principle #3:  Simple & Intuitive Use
  • Principle #4: Perceptible Information
  • Principle #5:  Tolerance For Error 
  • Principle #6: Low Physical Effort 
  • Principle #7: Size And Space For Approach And Use

 

When employers apply Principle #2, Flexibility in Use, they determine the available degree of flexibility in their employee policies and work environments. They recognize and expect that employees have differing work styles and preferences, and so they provide employees with the option to customize their personal work routines and methods to the widest extent possible. In addition they allow employees to complete their work in a way that matches their learning and work preferences and strengthens their talents and abilities. In doing so, productivity improves.

 

It is this principle which we see in action in the flexibility of schedule and flexibility of work location types of adjustments sought by VATD's mature workers.

 

As for c) above, "work tools", these adjustments are an example of Principle #6: Low Physical Effort. When employers apply this principle, they look to reduce physical effort by implementing ergonomic design, minimizing unnecessary repetitive motions, and placing workplace materials in the most convenient location. Maximizing efficiency and comfort are key considerations in designing the workplace environment. Employees are allowed to customize their work spaces to be personally convenient. Work tasks are evaluated for the physical effort required and modified however possible to minimize the required effort for the benefit of all employees.

 

Thus Universal Design manifests a philosophy about the naturalness of human diversity. It respects that 'one size doesn't fit all.'  Good workplace design that keeps this human diversity in mind helps the bottom line, for it can help ALL employees be more productive, not just the mature worker or the employee with a disability.

 

So we've seen that there are many ways that employers can meet the challenges of a shortage of skilled workers by tapping into the mature workforce - including workers with age-related disabilities. We've also seen that through the application of universal design principles, workplace policies and environments can be designed to meet the needs and maximize the potential of ALL workers, young and old, disabled and not.

 

The remaining question is this.

 

Why should Vermont employers hire a mature worker?

 

According to Pat, there are employers who still say "why do I want to hire someone at 60 when I can hire a kid out of college who knows the newest technology?" However, it's important to recognize that new graduates don't have the experience to know how to adapt that new technology to the realities of the job. Other employers say "why do I want to hire someone in 50s or 60s when I'm only going to have them for a couple of years?" Yet Pat will tell you that they are now seeing that mature workers are more likely to stay in a job than are younger workers. Much like workers with a disability, once they have a good fit they are going to be loyal, good workers.

 

Furthermore, mature workers in Vermont quite often have a much better educational background than one might expect. In Vermont our 55+ workforce is better educated compared to the rest of the country, and there is a direct correlation between education and desire to stay in the workforce.

 

Finally, people who remain active and working are so much healthier, which prevents a drain on our healthcare system. The physical, cognitive and social stimulation of the workplace is seen to have beneficial effects for retaining capacities as we age. In short, work is good for everyone, older, younger, disabled and not.

 

So is universal design. Good human resource policies benefit everyone and maximize the potential of all employees. And good employees of all ages mean the continued success and economic growth of Vermont and its businesses.

 

 

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Thanks for reading this issue of "Abilities".  We welcome your comments, feedback, and suggestions for future issues.  Copies of past issues may be found on our website - www.hireus.org, or in the Constant Contact archives.

Melita DeBellis,
Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities