The employment situation for Americans with disabilities remained static, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, even as the nation’s economy saw further growth last year.
By the end of the end of 2015, however, new government data showed that hiring was on the rise and Americans with disabilities appeared to be sharing in the gains.
The unemployment rate for people with disabilities across the country dropped sharply in December 2015 to 10.3 percent, the U.S. Department of Labor reported recently.
That’s down considerably from the 12.1 percent reported the month prior.
The Labor Department statistics, released as part of the agency’s monthly jobs report, indicate that the nation’s economy added 292,000 positions in December and the overall unemployment rate remained steady at 5 percent.
Federal officials began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There isn’t enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.
Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.
Kaylee Condos will make a good impression. She is looking for an entry level position doing what she likes best – customer service. Kaylee has her own vehicle and a great driving record. She is very motivated to work and shines at setting goals and accomplishing them. She is friendly and personable and eager to learn new skills. If you have an entry level position that requires great customer service skills, Kaylee might be the employee you are looking for! Contact her Job Developer, Tamathy, at 541-501- 2639 or email tamathy.howald@pearlbuckcenter.com to set up an interview.
Jeremiah Johnson shares an interest in the great outdoors with the Robert Redford character of the same name, only this Jeremiah is seeking to be around people.
In his free time you can expect to find Jeremiah camping, fishing or hunting with friends.
‘JP’ as he likes to be called, completed the IITR Truck Driving School and earned his Class A CDL. He is interested in doing any type of driving job regardless of the classification.
Jeremiah is very friendly and respectful. He has a great driving record and a varied customer service work experience, which includes; cash handling, paper work, and data entry. He is seeking full time employment and that may or may not involve driving.
If you have a need for a friendly, punctual and trustworthy employee, please contact his job developer; Lorie Polk at lorie.polk@pearlbuckcenter.com. Thank you
Small business and disability are two pieces of the employment solution puzzle that actually fit together rather nicely. And like with most anything in life there is still work to be done if we are to see a more disability inclusive work force.
Despite being the nation’s major drivers of job growth, small businesses, including those owned and operated by minorities, employ people with disabilities at a much lower rate than large businesses.
There are some compelling reasons to be a disability-friendly employer. In 2014 the regulations that implement Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act were updated allowing for stronger requirements for federal contractors (and subcontractors) to take affirmative action to employ people with disabilities. So being disability inclusive may provide a competitive edge for small businesses that work with the government or those small businesses that want to do business with government in the future.
“But there is a larger, more wide-reaching reason we need small businesses on board when it comes to inclusion. In addition to being sources of employment, small businesses are often an integral part of the social fabric of their communities. Even if they don’t always realize it, they have a strong influence on societal attitudes and norms, sometimes even more so than large businesses. By fostering a workplace inclusive of the skills and talents of people with disabilities, small businesses can make a big difference”1
In the world of business, having a diverse team can often mean more points of view on how to deal with challenges and garner success. Often when we hear the term “diversity” we typically think of differences in race or ethnicity, but it actually encompasses a wider range of experiences including disability.
Say you have made the decision to promote an inclusive workplace adding the skills and talents of people with disabilities-where do you start? The following link outlines effective ways of recruiting and retaining qualified people with disabilities as well as ways that business associations can help members understand the value of a more diverse workplace and community.
And remember Pearl Buck Center’s Community Employment Services is only a phone call away. We can assist small businesses navigate the path to a successful disability diverse workplace. 541.484.4666
Rick Jones has worked at Dari Mart for 20 years and he wouldn’t have had this opportunity had it not been for Pat Straube and her dedication to the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in the work place, specifically – Dari Mart.
Because of Pat’s willingness to work with Pearl Buck Center and the people we serve over 12 people have had the opportunity to experience what everyone else who has ever held a job gets to experience – a sense of accomplishment, belonging, the chance to learn and acquire new skills, earn a pay check and be responsible to pay bills.
Rick worked with many different managers of Dari Mart, numerous job coaches from Pearl Buck Center and at several locations. The only thing constant in Rick’s 20 years of service was his ever present kidding around, his job duties and the impact that his job made on the work load of his co-workers.
Rick’s present manager-Britney as well as some of his previous managers and Pat Staube, herself put together a retirement party to honor & celebrate Rick’s accomplishment.
Sean Quddus loves to be of service and he has experience. Sean is interested in customer service type work in retail, hospitality or office arenas, where he can help people with their purchases and provide direction.
Sean has 3 years work experience as a Stocker at Office Max and has been selling collectibles on eBay and at Piccadilly Market since 2005. Sean says that he has received consistent high reviews for the customer service he has provided his customers. Recently, he has been doing temp work at Pearl Buck Center as a Production Assistant over the holiday (rush) season.
In 2003, Sean went through the Star Training Institute AutoCAD program and earned himself an AutoCAD Certification.
Sean is very reliable and has a positive attitude that he hopes will “wear off onto others.” He feels that working with electronics, computers, gaming systems and other visual media fields for over fifteen years has given him a better understanding of how things work electronically. He says that he loves “playing both new and retro video games on consoles or hand-held devices.”
If you have a place for Sean in your business or know of a job opening that would be suitable for Sean and his skills, please contact his Job Developer; Lorie Polk at lorie.polk@pearlbuckcenter.com, thank you.
Are any of the tasks listed below familiar to the daily operations associated with your business? Would hiring someone with a developmental disability to perform tasks like these alleviate some of the pressure on your other employees? If you had someone come in for just a few hours a day to take care of some of these tasks do you think that it would effect positive change in the productivity of your business?
General Office:
Data Entry
File alpha and numeric
Social Media & CRM updates
Collate and bind
Photocopy/Scan
Mass mailings
Inventory/order office supplies
Sort and deliver mail/faxes
Shred confidential documents
Reception duties
Answer phones
Water plants
Telemarketing
Conference room prep and clean
Service office machines: stock paper, replace toner cartridges
Animal care:
Walk dogs or handle other pets
Supply animals with fresh food and water
Clean animal cages/waste
Groom
Stock
Manufacturing & Distribution Warehouse:
Parts assembly
Product labeling
Pack/unpack inventory
Finishing: deburr, sand, etc.
Shrink wrap
Stock product
Forklift, pallet jack operation
Shipping orders
Warehouse maintenance & organization
Childcare/Education:
Read with students
Playground monitor
Teacher aide
Lead child activities
Prepare snacks
Clean classroom
Cross walk safety person
Organize supplies
Custodial:
Sweep, mop, vacuum
Clean bathrooms
Trash/Recycling
Wash dishes
Dust, wipe down
Laundry service
Wash windows
Retail/Grocery
Face products
Stock, sort, label
Fold, clean, straighten displays
Greet/Customer Service
Cashier/Bag
Return go-backs
Prep merchandise for sales floor
Sampling
Distribute promotional material
Retrieve carts
Trash/Recycling
Restaurant:
Bus tables
Food prep
Dishwashing
Restock condiment bar
Wipe down tables, chairs, etc.
Polish glasses and cutlery
Rolling napkin sets
Refill ice wells
Trash/Recycling
Sweep floors
Distribute coupons
There are so many more possible job options that we can help a business find and fill. Give us a call or refer us to someone you know who would like to impact their place of employment.
I came across this article by Kathy Martinez who is the assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. I want to share it with you because it takes a look at Workplace Flexibility from a different perspective that I feel warrants some thought when talking about hiring people with disabilities.
FLEXIBLE PENCILS CONCEPT
At one point in my life, I was an employee, college student and mother to a very young son. What made it all work was flexibility, especially on the part of my employer. (As I recall, my son was le…
Often times employers are flexible around when and where work happens, which can benefit many of the people we serve. There is yet another area that can impact the hire-ability of an individual and foster a more inclusive workplace and that is how work is performed.
Customized employment is something that employers may do without even realizing it, but it doesn’t always come naturally. Pearl Buck Center’s Community Employment Services often assists businesses with this very important aspect of employment because sometimes it can be difficult to think in terms of tasks that may be important to the work that needs to be accomplished, yet seemingly trivial and time-consuming. We can help businesses figure out ways to customize a workplace situation to suit the needs of the employer and fit the skills of the individual seeking a job.
Here’s a link to a video about creating customized employment opportunities and solutions and a link to a very comprehensive resource page. Both are from the United States Department of Labor;
We would love to sit down and talk to business owners, managers, or HR personnel to help brainstorm how to become more flexible and customize jobs at your place of employment. Give us a call. 541.484.4666 . Or email us at pbc.community.employment@gmail.com
Below are tips that can help any business incorporate people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) into their workforce
Adopt diversity and inclusion (D&I) as an organizational strategy and articulate D&I strategies within talent acquisition and talent development initiatives. This recognizes D&I as a critical component of how the organization will accomplish its objectives and aligns D&I goals with pre- and post-hire talent practices.
Engage and involve leaders, managers and workers who will advocate for individuals with IDD by creating a cross-functional task force that brings together HR, customer service, legal and other key functions. Invite employees who are personally passionate about providing employment opportunities to individuals with IDD and ensure top-down participation in creating IDD-friendly policies and practices.
Become better informed. Research the resources that are available and connect with local providers or regional chapters of national providers to learn about services available. Develop a menu of resources that can help jumpstart this employment initiative and set expectations for the firm and its employees.
Open the door to job customization and other creative solutions that can have an impact on productivity and the bottom line by identifying relevant job opportunities. Invite a professional job developer to observe work processes and interview employees to learn about jobs, tasks and the work environment.
Leverage learning to fully integrate employees with IDD and address challenges. Provide supervisors with training on how to integrate workers with IDD into the fold, with orientation, work instructions, performance and behavior guidelines, and recognition and rewards, just like all employees.
Promote a culture of inclusion that attracts diverse talent and creates a positive image in the community. Encourage inclusive behavior throughout the firm, truly integrating workers with IDD into the workforce. Treat workers with IDD as employees first, not as disabled employees.
Celebrate successes. Share IDD employment success stories widely, within the firm, the industry and the community.
The following link is to a short article that takes you through the hiring process from interview to hire and is worth the read;
If you would like to have a job developer from Pearl Buck Center come to your business and help you figure out how best to implement any of these tips, contact us and let’s set up an appointment.
The 2026 Benefit Breakfast, Opening Doors, Creating Opportunities, will be held on Wednesday, July 15 at the Ford Alumni Center on the University of Oregon campus, bringing together community and business leaders for an inspiring morning in support of Pearl Buck Center. This annual event celebrates the individuals and families we serve while raising critical funds for our Adult Community Services and Preschool/Family Services. Through powerful stories and meaningful connections, the breakfast highlights how, together, we can open doors, create opportunities, and build a more inclusive community for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Registration is free and open. Check the Events tab for more information, Sponsorship opportunities and Registration.
