HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PA MIG Mini-Grant Webinar for Industry Partnership Employers

1. HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIESPA MIG Mini-Grant Webinar for Industry Partnership Employers December 16, 2010 Sponsored By:

2. Disclaimer & Acknowledgement • Today’s Webinar is sponsored/produced with funds from the Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) through a grant to the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (CFDA #93.768).

3. OUTLINE • Welcome and Introductions • Defining Disability • Defining Diverse Workforce, and methods to maintain one • Determining key points about Compliance and Providing Reasonable Accommodations • Explaining the OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation) and the resources it provides • Benefits of hiring a person with disabilities • Frequently Asked Questions • Discussion • Directory of Resources for Employers

4. Welcome and Introductions Presenters: Dorothy Staub, VTDC & Tom Wellington, OVR

5. Defining Disability • The term disability means: (1) a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) a person with a record of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, and (3) a person who is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

6. Statistically Speaking • 1 in 7 adults have or will be diagnosed with a disability in their lifetime. • According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 49.7 million Americans have a disability, which includes individuals of all ages. About two-thirds of these individuals have a severe disability.

7. What is a Diverse Workforce? • In its recent report, Futurework: Trends and Challenges for Work in the 21st Century, the U.S. Department of Labor reinforces the Hudson Institute's predictions for a changing workforce. This report states: "By 2050, the U.S. population is expected to increase by 50 percent and minority groups will make up nearly half of the population. Immigration will account for almost two-thirds of the nation's population growth. The population of older Americans is expected to more than double. One-quarter of all Americans will be of Hispanic origin. Almost one in ten Americans will be of Asian or Pacific Islander descent. And more women and people with disabilities will be on the job."

8. Building a Diverse, High-Quality Workforce Recruitment Hiring VIDEO:

9. Recruitment • Ensure that recruiters and selection officials work closely with human resources and EEO/civil rights/special emphasis staff during the recruiting process. • Know the competition and their recruiting needs. Issuing one vacancy announcement is no longer an effective method of finding candidates. • Ensure that senior managers are directly involved in planning and conducting recruitment activities. • Design a training program for recruiters that includes information about internal hiring procedures, personnel flexibilities, effective interview techniques, affirmative employment goals, and appropriate questions and behavior.

10. Hiring • Review internal human resources policies, processes, and operations. Often, if agencies are unable to make quick job offers, good candidates are lost to competitors who are able to move quickly. • Take full advantage of customizing the competitive process by using the many staffing flexibilities and hiring authorities available. Take full advantage of technology by accepting online applications. • Consider using a variety of available hiring authorities. The best method to fill jobs will differ depending on the situation. • Hire for part-time, intermittent, and seasonal work, or use temporary and term appointments where appropriate. This may attract a group of candidates who are not currently interested in full-time or permanent jobs. • Consider using the authority to pay recruitment and relocation bonuses to increase the agency's ability to compete with other employers.

11. Maintaining a Diverse, High-Quality Workforce A Supportive Work Environment Learning and Development Rewards and Recognition

12. A Supportive Work Environment • Ensure that supervisors and managers are provided leadership and diversity training. • Emphasize existing quality of work life initiatives as effective policies that advance the interests of a diverse workforce. • Develop a process to provide reasonable accommodations to job applicants and employees with disabilities. • Ensure that agency facilities offer a safe and productive work environment. • Foster a community spirit and a sense of belonging by offering employees a vehicle for becoming involved outside of the formal workplace in a variety of recreational and volunteer activities.

13. Task/Job Analysis • Target jobs which are frequently applied for.  Many times, various organizations can assist in providing free assessments for your business.  The types of questions to be answered and analyzed include: • Identify relationships • On-site support • Work Area • Job Specifications • Worksite Culture • Accessibility • Required/Preferred Skills • Identify Tasks/Steps Involved/How Often Done

14. Learning and Development • Establish clear paths for acquiring the skills, knowledge, and experience that employees need for their continual learning and career development. • Use tuition reimbursement programs. Agencies have the authority to pay all or part of the necessary expenses for training and formal education. • Widely publicize developmental opportunities for employees, such as detail assignments and leadership training, to give everyone interested a chance to participate in assignments that prepare them for higher-level positions.

15. Learning and Development Use a variety of ways to provide training and development experiences for employees such as: Developing formal and informal mentoring programs Using web-based and other interactive training technology Using internal and external training courses Establishing individual learning accounts

16. Learning and Development • Encourage employees to become mentors. In particular, senior managers should be strongly encouraged to mentor individuals from different cultural, racial, or academic backgrounds.

17. Rewards and Recognition • Use awards to recognize significant contributions. These can be lump sum awards or accelerated pay provided through quality step increases. • Consider paying retention allowances when challenged to keep particular skills available.

18. Compliance • The Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) enforces Executive Order 11246, as amended; Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended and the affirmative action provisions (Section 4212) of the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act, as amended. • Taken together, these laws ban discrimination and require Federal contractors and subcontractors to take affirmative action to ensure that all individuals have an equal opportunity for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or status as a Vietnam era or special disabled veteran.

19. Reasonable Accommodation • Reasonable accommodation is any change or adjustment to a job or work environment that permits a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to participate in the job application process, to perform the essential functions of a job, or to enjoy benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by employees without disabilities.

20. Examples of Reasonable Accommodation: • Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices. • Job restructuring • Part-time or modified work schedules • Reassignment to a vacant position • Adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials or policies • Providing readers and interpreters • Making the workplace readily accessible to and usable by people with disabilities

21. What is NOT Considered a Reasonable Accommodation? • Reasonable accommodation does not include removing essential job functions, creating new jobs, and providing personal need items such as eye glasses and mobility aids. • Undue Hardship

22. Understanding Undue Hardship • Undue hardship means significant difficulty or expense, and focuses on the resources and circumstances of the particular employer in relationship to the cost or difficulty of providing a specific accommodation. • Factors considered: • The nature and cost of the accommodation needed • The impact of the accommodation on other employees and the organization’s ability to conduct business • The size, type and overall financial resources of the employer

23. OVR (Office of Vocational Rehabilitation) • OVR is the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, a State Agency that helps persons with disabilities help themselves to prepare for, start, and maintain a career. • OVR offers services for employers and their specific needs. • OVR has office locations in every area of Pennsylvania.

24. Employer Services Offered by OVR • Wage Subsidy • Staffing • Accessibility Analysis • Financial Incentives • Disability Awareness • Networking Resources

25. OVR Employees are EVERYWHERE! • Previous Placements include: Manufacturing, finance, construction, retail, health services, call centers, energy, transportation, shipping, agricultural/farming, food production, public administration and more! • Pennsylvania Points of Contact: You can contact our job placement staff at regionally located offices regarding new job openings, or staffing needs.Please visit our website for office locations and contact information.

26. Benefits of Hiring Persons with Disabilities Tax Incentives Return on Investment Innovation Marketing

27. Tax Incentives for Employers • The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) program provides a federal tax credit for up to one year for all private employers in trades or businesses who hire employees through OVR. Companies can claim 25 percent of the first $6,000 of pay after 120 hours of work ($750 after 3 weeks of work). At 400 hours the credit jumps to 40%. Employers must submit Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 8850, and Individual Characteristics Form 9061. Employers must submit these forms, postmarked on or before the 28th day after the new hire begins. This can amount to $2,400.00 for your full-time hire. • To obtain official IRS publications, call (800) TAX-FORM (829-3676) or visit the website. • For answers to specific questions regarding tax credits, call (800) 829-1040, or visit a local IRS office.

28. Tax Incentives for Employers • ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIER REMOVAL TAX DEDUCTION (Title 26, IRS, section 190) • Any private business may claim up to $15,000 per tax year for making its premises or public transportation vehicles more accessible to persons with disabilities or the elderly. Eligible expenditures may include installing ramps, widening doorways, modifying restrooms, or equipping a shuttle van with a lift.

29. Tax Incentives for Employers • DISABLED TAX CREDIT (Title 26, IRS, section 44) • The Disabled Tax Credit is specifically geared toward eligible small businesses for meeting increased expenses incurred in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To qualify, a business must have fewer than 30 employees or a gross yearly income of less than $1 million. The allowable amount of tax credit is equal to 50 percent of the expenditures in excess of $250, but not more than $10,250. In other words, the maximum that can be claimed in any tax year under this provision is $5,125.

30. Return on Investment • Businesses that employ people with disabilities turn social issues into business opportunities. These opportunities translate into lower costs, higher revenues, and increased profits. • Increase Revenues: • Access new markets • Improve productivity through innovative and effective ways of doing business • Reduce Costs: • Reduce hiring and training costs • Increase retention • Reduce costs associated with conflict and litigation • Enhance Shareholder Value: • Capitalize on opportunities to meet business goals VIDEO:

31. Innovation • Workplace Innovation • Create more efficient and effective business processes • Develop and implement management strategies to attract and retain qualified talent • Use technology in new ways to increase productivity • Product and Service Innovation • Stimulate new product and service development through disability-inclusive diverse teams • Customize products and services to increase profitability • Defining the Future • Foster the development of next-generation products and services

32. Marketing • Customers with disabilities and their families, friends and associates represent a trillion dollar market segment. They, like other market segments, purchase products and services from companies that best meet their needs. • According to the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Center for Social Development & Education (2006) study, 92 percent of consumers surveyed felt more favorable toward companies that hire individuals with disabilities, and 87 percent said they would prefer to give their business to such companies. VIDEO:

33. Frequently Asked Questions • Is It Expensive to Make Workplace Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities? • Do Employees with Disabilities Perform as Well as Employees without Disabilities? • Will Employees with Disabilities Be Absent More than Employees without Disabilities? • Do Employees with Disabilities Have Good Safety Records? • Will Hiring People with Disabilities Cause my Workers' Compensation Rates to Rise?

34. Is It Expensive to Make Workplace Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities? • Generally, no. In fact, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) reports that research shows the average cost of workplace accommodations is $600 or less. A March 2003 Work Trends report found 73 percent of employers reported that workers with disabilities did not require accommodations. From a corporate value viewpoint, employers have reported to JAN that for every dollar spent on accommodations, the company received $28 in benefits. • Employers have traditionally made adjustments in the work place to accommodate the needs of employees. This same flexibility can and should be extended to employees with disabilities. In addition, the Internal Revenue code may provide significant tax deductions to businesses that make their facilities and equipment accessible to persons with disabilities.

35. Do Employees with Disabilities Perform as Well as Employees without Disabilities? • According to many employers who hired people with disabilities, these individuals generally are motivated, capable, and dependable. Successive studies at DuPont Corp. consistently found that 90 percent of employees with disabilities were rated average or better in job performance by their managers. As with all employees, it is important to match abilities, interests, and experience with job requirements.

36. Will Employees with Disabilities Be Absent More than Employees without Disabilities? • No. Studies by firms such as DuPont show that employees with disabilities are not absent any more than employees without disabilities.

37. Do Employees with Disabilities Have Good Safety Records? • Yes. The DuPont survey found that the safety record of employees both with and without disabilities is identical.

38. Will Hiring People with Disabilities Cause my Workers' Compensation Rates to Rise? • Workers' compensation rates are based upon the relative hazards of the operation and the company's accident experience, not upon the composition of the workforce. Given the excellent safety record of people with disabilities, there is no reason to expect rates to increase.

39. Discussion

40. Directory of Services Available: • AHEDD is a private non-profit organization with a mission to serve the community as a catalyst to the employment and development of persons with a disability. • 1-866-902-4333 • www.ahedd.org • The Employer Assistance & Resource Network (EARN) provides employers with confidential, no-cost consultation, customized technical assistance and resources to support their diversity and inclusion efforts by integrating employees and veterans with disabilities into the workplace. • 1-866-327-6669 (EARN-NOW) • http://www.earnworks.com/

41. Directory of Services Available: • JAN (Job Accommodation Network) provides free consulting services for all employers, regardless of the size of an employer’s workforce. Private businesses can access JAN services in a variety of ways: • 1-800-526-7234 • www.askjan.org • OVR is the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, a State Agency that helps persons with disabilities help themselves to prepare for, start, and maintain a career. OVR has fifteen offices located around the State with over 400 professional vocational rehabilitation counselors. • OVR Central Office: 1-800-442-6351 • www.dli.state.pa.us

42. Directory of Services Available: • The United States Department of Labor: Live assistance is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time by calling: • 1-866-4-USA-DOL (1-866-487-2365) • http://www.dol.gov/ • The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of the person's race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. • 1-800-669-4000 • info@eeoc.gov

43. Directory of Services Available: • Venango Training & Development Program (VTDC), which currently contracts to provide a multitude of rehabilitative, day programs (the largest being vocational and employment focused) with the Mental Health / Mental Retardation Administrations in Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Forest, Jefferson, Venango, and Warren Counties, as well as, the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, DuBois and Erie Districts. • 1-814-676-5755 • www.vtdc.org

44. Sources • http://www.earnworks.com/ • http://www.opm.gov/Diversity/guide.htm • http://www.dli.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/vocational_rehabilitation/10356 • www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom • http://www.dli.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/l_i_home/5278 • http://www.dol.gov/ • http://www.ahedd.org/employers.html • Top 10: Employer Perspectives on Hiring People with Disabilities (Understanding the Business Case) By: Katherine McCary, Vice President, Human Resources, SunTrust Bank: Chair, The Virginia Business Leadership Network (VA BLN) and Chair, The US Business Leadership Network