TURNING COMPLIANCE INTO BUSINESS ADVANTAGE

ILG National ConferenceAugust 29, 2012

Judy YoungEmployer Assistance and Resource Network

Louis OrsleneJob Accommodation Network

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PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

• Compliance vs. business advantage• People with disabilities, veterans, mature workers• Strategies for increasing self-identification• What’s in it for us: the business case• Accommodations as productivity tools• Best practices and food for thought• Recruitment and other employer resources

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Compliance vs. Business AdvantageThe focus of compliance is on:conforming with regulatory requirementsidentifying and assessing potential risks developing policies to prevent liabilityestablishing corrective actions

Business advantage is derived from: leveraging diversity engaging employees increasing opportunities creating inclusive workplaces and cultures

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Who Are People with Disabilities?

They are presidents:

• Abraham Lincoln• Franklin D. Roosevelt• John F. Kennedy• Woodrow Wilson• Lyndon Johnson

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Who Are People with Disabilities? They are entertainers:

• Stevie Wonder• Whoopi Goldberg• Mary Tyler Moore• Tom Cruise• Jane Pauley

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Who Are People with Disabilities? They are business leaders:

• Charles Schwab• Ted Turner• David Neeleman (Jet Blue)• John Chambers (Cisco)• Bernie Newcomb (E*Trade)

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They Are “Just Plain Folks”

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• 1 in 5 Americans• Became disabled after birth (85%)• Both genders, all ages, races, and

ethnic groups• Represent all educational and socio-

economic levels• Work in all occupations

Types of Disabilities by Numbers

• 2.7 M people use wheelchairs• 9.1 M use ambulatory aids• 10 M have vision impairments• 1.8 M are blind• 28.6 – 31.5 M have hearing loss• 1 M are deaf• 23 M live with depression

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Veterans with Disabilities: Who Are They?

• 1.64 M have been deployed since 2001 • 48,083 were wounded as of 5/7/2012 (DoD)• Signature disabilities: PTSD, TBI, and depression• About 20% of recently returned veterans screened positive for depression or PTSD (2008 RAND study)• 19% received a probable TBI diagnosis, • with more subtle blast-related injuries most common (2008

RAND study)

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Veterans with Disabilities: Who are They?

• Almost 60% feared to disclose disability• Almost half (46%) believed that their disability would pose

barriers to obtaining many jobs• Substantially fewer (35%) thought their disability

would impede their job performance• Less than half (44%) were comfortable communicating

accommodation needs• Discrimination is feared more by those with signature

disabilities than those with other types

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Mature Workers: Who Are They?• 76 million baby boomers• 30.8 million in the workforce • 85% plan to continue working after retirement• 70% prefer to work full time• 7 in 10 plan on working at 65• According to NOD (2001) those 55-64 have a 21.9%

chance developing a disability• 42% of 65 + reported functional limitations (2005)

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Mature Workers: Who Are They?• Average age of US CEOs is 56• Average age of US Senators is 60• Average age of Supreme Court Justices is 68• 47% of physicians are 50+• Fastest growing cohort – 80 and olderAmerica's Outstanding Oldest Worker 2011Dr. Hedda Bolgar Bekker, psychotherapist is 102Mazerine Wingate, custodian USPO is 101

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“Very important” factors, when deciding to disclose a disability to an employer

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  Persons with a disability (N=598)

Need for accommodation 68.2

Supportive supervisor relationship 63.5

Disability friendly workplace 56.8

Active disability recruiting 50.5

Knowing of other successes 49.9

Disability in diversity statement 48.9

Belief in new opportunities 40.7

Emerging Employment Issues for People with Disabilities: Disability Disclosure, Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation, Use of Job Applicant Screeners by Sarah von Schrader, Valerie Malzer, William Erickson, Susanne Bruyère. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1288

“Very important” factors when deciding to NOT disclose a disability to an employer

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  Persons with a disability (N=598)

Risk of being fired/not hired 73.0Employer may focus on disability 62.0Risk of losing health care 61.5Fear of limited opportunities 61.1Supervisor may not be supportive 60.1Risk being treated differently 57.8Risk being viewed differently 53.8No impact on job ability 44.0Desire for privacy 27.9

Emerging Employment Issues for People with Disabilities: Disability Disclosure, Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation, Use of Job Applicant Screeners by Sarah von Schrader, Valerie Malzer, William Erickson, Susanne Bruyère. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1288

Creating an Environment that Encourages Disclosure

Demonstrate disability inclusiveness through: • Actively recruiting people with disabilities• Conducting disability awareness training for staff• Enacting flexible workplace policies• Having fair systems to address complaints• Creating accessible workplaces• Fostering supportive supervisor-staff relationships• Including disability in the diversity statement

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Emerging Employment Issues for People with Disabilities: Disability Disclosure, Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation, Use of Job Applicant Screeners by Sarah von Schrader, Valerie Malzer, William Erickson, Susanne Bruyère. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1288

Creating an Environment that Encourages Disclosure

Avoid: • Focusing on disability• Treating employees with disabilities differently in

relation to: • Interpersonal interactions• Opportunities for advancement• Performance reviews• Hiring/termination

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Emerging Employment Issues for People with Disabilities: Disability Disclosure, Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation, Use of Job Applicant Screeners by Sarah von Schrader, Valerie Malzer, William Erickson, Susanne Bruyère. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/edicollect/1288

What’s in It for Us: The Business Case

• 30.6 million of working age (21-64)• 72% have high school diplomas or +• 11% have college degrees• 65% are unemployed• experts in creative problem solving• have excellent attendance and productivity• have $ 220 B discretionary spending

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Persons with Disabilities

More Business Reasons

• majority (56%) require no accommodation with and average cost of $500

• have been consistently rated as average or above in:attendanceperformancequality and quantity of work

• many have their own insurance due to changes in Medicare and Medicaid

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What’s in It for Us: The Business Case

Veterans with Disabilities

• Have proven leadership skills• Perform well under pressure• Proficient in latest technology• Have respect for standards and procedures• Are used to high level teamwork

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What’s in It for Us: The Business Case

• Low turnover and absentee rates• Few on-the-job accidents• High motivation and engagement• Strong work ethnic and experience• Loyalty and reliability• Available for various schedules• 52% of the market share• Bring diversity of thought and experiences

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Mature Workers

Beyond Compliance: More Advantages for Employing these Target Groups

• Increased workforce diversity by representing all races, ethnicity, ages, and gender

• Greater opportunities for opening new markets and accessing broader customer base

• Reduction in the average cost of hiring and training• Enhanced productivity and performance through

innovative and effective ways of doing business• Increased competitiveness in attracting diverse candidates

who value socially responsible employers

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Best PracticesLead the Way: • Communicate commitment internally and externally• Gain support from the top and buy-in from managers• Establish age, disability and veteran-focused ERGs• Use inclusive language/symbols• Show mature adults, people with disabilities, and veterans in

product/service advertisements, commercials, annual reports

Hire the Best: • Make your career site and online application accessible• Visit potential recruitment sources for all targeted groups• Seek opportunities for involvement

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Best PracticesBuild the Pipeline:• Review current practices to identify barriers for recruiting

candidates with disabilities, mature workers, and veterans• Utilize special internship programs (WRP)• Contact campus offices serving students with disabilities and

veterans• Participate in specialized career fairs• Identify sources of recruitment for all levels of employment• Train recruiters to recognize the applicability of military skills

and positions for civilian jobs• Post vacancies on specialized job boards

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Best PracticesAccommodations as Productivity Enhancements:

• Create a culture where accommodations are perceived as productivity tools• Develop proactive ADAAA policies and practices including an interactive process• Provide disability etiquette and accommodation procedure training to all staff but particularly hiring managers and supervisors• Realize the full breadth of accommodations e.g. equipment, job modifications, policy modifications, etc.

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Best PracticesRetain your talent:• Develop a mentoring program for veterans• Utilize reverse mentoring for mature workers• Ensure equal access to training and advancement• Include all employees in informal networks and gatherings to

build active blending• Offer flexible work place and work hours• Debunk myths by providing age and disability-related

awareness/etiquette training to foster understanding, respect and valuing differences

• Provide more frequent feedback

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Recruitment Resources for Veterans with Disabilities

• http://www.dol.gov/vets• www.servicelocator.org

– Disabled Veteran Outreach Program – (DVOP)

• http://www.americasheroesatwork.org• www.wtow/woundedwarriorproject.org

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Veterans Hiring Toolkit

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Recruitment Resources for Youth with Disabilities

Internships for College Students with Disabilities:– Workforce Recruitment Program: www.wrp.gov– Emerging Leaders: http://www.emerging-leaders.com/– Entry Point: http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint/– AAPD Internship Program:

http://www.aapd.com/what-we-do/employment/internship-program/Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities: http://www.cosdonline.org/Youth Councils at One-Stop Career Centers:

– http://www.servicelocator.org/– More Info: http://www.ncwd-youth.info/information-brief-13

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Recruitment Resources for Mature WorkersManpower Mature Worker Effort http://manpower.ca/ca/en/job-seekers/career-stages/mature/default.jsp

Kelly Services Encore Programhttp://customer.kellyservices.us/eprise/main/web/us/customers/encore/ Senior Job Bank - http://seniorjobbank.org/ Experience Works - http://www.experienceworks.org/site/PageServer Senior Community Service Employment Program http://www.doleta.gov/seniors/ AARP Employer Resource Center http://www.aarp.org/work/employee-benefits/employer_resource_center/ The Senior Source - http://www.theseniorsource.org/pages/employ.html State Offices of the Aging - http://www.statelocalgov.net/50states-aging.cfm

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Other Employment Support Resources

Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)• toll-free phone line: 855-Ask-EARN• website: www.AskEARN.org• Free one-on-one consultation

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)• toll-free phone line: 800-526-7234 (V) (877)781-9403 (TTY)• website: www.AskJAN.org• Free, expert, one-on-one confidential consultation on workplace accommodations,

ADAAA and other disability related legislation.

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"We know that equality of individual ability has never existed and never will,

but we do insist that equality of opportunity still must be sought.“

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

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Contact Information

Louis OrsleneProgram Co-DirectorJob Accommodations

Network (JAN)orslene@jan.wvu.edu800-526-7234 Ext. 135

Judy YoungAssistant Director, Training and

DevelopmentEmployment and Disability

Institutejy335@cornell.edu917-597-9124

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