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Transitional
Employment Programs (TEP):
For over ten years, State Compensation Insurance Fund has partnered with San Francisco
Vocational Services to provide opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Participants acquire and polish state-of-the-art business skills while working in paid
positions in various departments of this large workers' compensation insurance company. At
the same time, State Fund has a ready supply of workers available to accomplish critical
tasks, special projects or serve as a contingent workforce for absent employees. More than
300 participants have successfully completed this work/training program and more than 70
have gone on to productive employment with State Fund or other Bay Area employers.
The initial success of TEP can be attributed to the strong support of the
company's CEO. Since the services delivered are well-conceived and well-executed, TEP
enjoys an exceptional reputation at State Fund and continues to receive strong support
from senior management.
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Temporary Employment
Opportunities:
State Compensation Insurance Fund partially resolved its ongoing critical need for
clerical employees in its San Jose District Office by working with Project HIRED, which specializes in the recruitment
and hiring of people with disabilities. On a regular basis, eight staffers from this
organization are on site performing essential tasks. Not only have these individuals
helped accomplish the work that needs doing, but their presence has increased disability
awareness throughout the office. Receptive management, disability awareness training for
supervisors directly involved, and ongoing support from both Project HIRED staff and State
Fund's Equal Employment Unit are the elements that have made this a "best
practice" at State Fund.
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President's Account Fund
To ensure that job accommodation costs are not a barrier to hiring any applicant with a
disability, Lockheed Martin has established a "President's Account" for job
accommodation costs that exceed $3000/individual/year. The first $3000 were deemed
reasonable to be born by the department into which the individual is hired. Any excess is
billed directly to the President's Account - and is not a cost to that department. All job
accommodation expenses are also reviewed by a Job Accommodation Review Committee to ensure
reasonableness of cost.
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Disability Advisory
Committee
Years ago, State Compensation Insurance Fund established a Disability Advisory Committee
(DAC). It is composed of Fund employees from all levels and meets quarterly to serve in an
advisory capacity on issues that concern employees with disabilities. The DAC also
facilitates communication of equal employment goals and accomplishments related to
employment of persons with disabilities at the Fund, assists in recruitment and upward
mobility activities and acts to heighten sensitivity and awareness about disability issues
among co-workers, supervisors and management at State Fund.
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Corporate Disability
Resources
Established in 1998 as a component of our Corporate Equal Opportunity
Department, this group provides comprehensive, corporate-wide strategies
designed to anticipate and respond to the needs of our associates with
disabilities. The overall objective of the function is to provide the company
guidance on the ADA and other applicable disability laws as well as influence
and shape the company’s many programs, products and services designed to
enhance the experience of our associates with disabilities. Corporate Disability
Resources’ strategy is to develop and foster programs, practices and processes
that address systemic barriers to employing people with disabilities.
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Corporate
Disability Accommodation Fund
The DAF is a centralized resource allocated to provide financial
assistance to the lines of business in meeting the needs of eligible associates
and applicants who may need an accommodation. The objective of the DAF is to
eliminate any barriers to employment by providing the financial resources
necessary to ensure reasonable accommodations are available to people with
disabilities.
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Return to Work Program
The Return to Work program is a key component of the bank’s disability program
that provides integrated services to help managers and associates deal with
work-related and non-work related injuries and disabilities. The group is
comprised of trained specialists who provide comprehensive disability case
management, consulting services, and accommodation evaluations and
implementation.
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ADA Task Force
An intricate component of our corporate infrastructure established to ensure a
forum for ADA related concerns and issues to be identified and addressed. This
cross-functional team of individuals provides a coordinated and consistent
approach to the organization’s evolving needs and opportunities in the
employment of people with disabilities.
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Abilities
Scholarship Program
In an effort to further develop a more diverse workforce, Bank of America
promotes greater educational access for people with disabilities through the
Abilities Scholarship Program. Up to $200,000 has been earmarked to assist
students with disabilities living or attending school within the 22 states the
company does business. These programs are designed to provide students with
educational opportunities that will prepare them with the skills necessary to
become a successful part of the workforce. As a result of this program we have
been able to establish internships with some of the students which later result
in full time employment with the Bank.
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Outreach and
Recruitment Activities
Bank of America’s staffing department works closely with various state and
local agencies to provide people with disabilities equal access to the
company’s many employment opportunities. Open positions and job postings are
sent out on a monthly basis to dozens of agencies within the community to ensure
people with disabilities are included in our applicant pools. Staffing has
developed "targeted" relationships with certain organizations that
provide vocational services to individuals with disabilities such as Bridges,
Toolworks, Easter Seals, etc., to foster and develop ongoing relationships that
assist in the hiring of individual with disabilities. Additionally, University
Relations and Corporate Disability Resources work together to ensure students
with disabilities are considered for our internship opportunities. Many of the
interns are former recipients of our Abilities Scholarship.
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Recruiter Training
Cisco Systems, in 2000, undertook a significant initiative to educate its
Recruiters on disability issues. The objectives were: 1. To promote greater
awareness about people with disabilities 2. To explore issues relating to
disabled applicants and employees in the workplace. 3. to develop strategies on
accommodating individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
Cisco defined its desired
outcomes as: 1. Building a "comfort level" for all staffing members when
interviewing and hiring people with disabilities. 2. Breaking down barriers and
stereotypes that provide them from advancing in the hiring process. 3. Building
excitement around assistive technology.
To achieve this, they
implemented a three-part Process:
1) "Mandatory" recruiter
training. Given the option of two separate dates, 150 Recruiters,
Coordinators and Staffing Managers attended a 2-hour training. These sessions,
led by trainer Lance Dawson (see Speakers)
, focused largely on disability etiquette. One session was recorded and is
available "on demand" on Cisco's intranet.
2) Keynote event and Vendor
Fair. This special event featured Geri Jewel's (see
Speakers) "Same Walk, Different Streets"
presentation and a vendor fair from 12 different community organizations that
serve people with disabilities or provide assistive technology. The event was
open to all employees in the company.
3) Follow-Up. A
"Persons with Disabilities Resource Guide" was published on Cisco's Intranet
with information on disability etiquette, specific disabilities, reasonable
accommodations, etc.
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Online
Training and Resource Guide
Oracle has developed an
interactive Online training course for its managers on the requirements of the
ADA. Available on its Intranet, the course contains the fundamental tenants of
the ADA, Oracle's commitment to effectively employing people with disabilities,
and internal disability-related resources.
Oracle has also developed an
extensive "Disability Resource Guide" on its Intranet. This guide is an
effective tool for employees seeking information on how to work effectively with
people with disabilities throughout the processes of recruiting,
interviewing, employing, accommodating, etc.
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Online Etiquette
Guide
For the 2001 National
Disability Employment Awareness Month, State Compensation Insurance Fund
launched a special site on their corporate Intranet that covers all the basic
information that employees need to know to interact effectively with coworkers
and/or customers with disabilities.
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Disability Awareness
"Kit"
The Bank of America had
developed a "Kit" that is available to B of A employees throughout the country.
It is an extensive collection of information on disability-related issues and
resources.
Among other useful and
informative materials, it includes copies of the B of A's Disability Awareness
Guide, ADA Basics, Interviewing and Hiring Guidelines, Reasonable
Accommodations, and Managing Guidelines. It additionally includes brochures from
and publications from organizations like the
Office of Disability and
Employment Policy, a copy of the video
Ten
Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities, and a copy of a
"lifestyle magazine" for people with disabilities.
This Kit is a very thorough
resource for any in the bank who wants to hold an informational seminar on
disability issues.
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Educational
Seminar
In Northern California,
Nordstrom developed a one-day training seminar on disability awareness for all
of its HR staff.
Major components of the
seminar included: A presentation on disability etiquette by Lance Dawson (see
Speakers), a presentation from a fashion
model with a disability, ( a young woman who uses a wheelchair), a presentation
from a gentleman who personally uses crutches and has worked for years on issues
of disability and employment, and a video presentation of
Ten
Commandments of Communicating with People with Disabilities.
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AWARDS
IT Works Ability Awards
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), the
nation's leading IT industry association, in cooperation with the University of
Iowa Law, Health Policy & Disability Center's 'IT Works' project, has
established the IT Works Ability Awards, a national awards program recognizing
IT firms that have developed effective strategies to promote the employment and
advancement of people with disabilities. 'Our research shows demand for skilled
and trained information technology (IT) workers,' said ITAA President Harris N.
Miller. 'Research also shows the percentage of working individuals with
disabilities in high tech careers is substantially lower than the percentage of
working people without a disability. By placing a spotlight on innovative hiring
and advancement programs in this area, we hope to increase the number of
individuals with disabilities in IT-related positions.'
Details Here
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