Featured on GettingHired

Featured Employer: Microsoft

2010-03-16T18:07:00Z

As expressed on the Microsoft website, the corporation "believes that everyone in the world has potential and that great software can help you realize that potential.” And, “Microsoft has focused on making computers easier to use for individuals with a wide array of difficulties and impairments. From its earliest experiences with the issues of accessibility, Microsoft has listened, learned, and applied what it's learned. The result is an increasing momentum toward the goal of making computers accessible and useful to all people.” GettingHired.com salutes Microsoft, this issue’s Featured Employer, for the company's commitment to diversity and equal employment opportunity, and for its enthusiastic support of the goal of helping all people, including people with disabilities, to realize their potential.

We asked Sean Kelley, Director of Corporate Staffing, and Loren Mikola, Diversity Inclusion Manager, of Microsoft to tell us a bit more about the company’s diversity initiatives and its commitment to hiring people with disabilities.

Q:	Can you briefly describe your company?
A:	Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Q:	How many employees does Microsoft have?
A:	Worldwide: 88,214 USA: 53,274

Q:	Why is it important to have a diverse company?
A:	At Microsoft we know that in order to lead in today’s competitive marketplace, we must develop the best and most globally diverse talent. A workforce that is representative of the markets we serve offers distinct competitive advantages, such as heightened consumer insight, greater creativity, and real-time market innovation. As Microsoft firmly establishes itself as the world’s technology leader, we will need the talents of diverse populations to yield superior results.

Q:	How does hiring people with disabilities fit into your company's overall plan to have a diverse workplace?
A:	At Microsoft, our mission is to enable people and businesses throughout the world to realize their full potential. We consider our mission statement a promise to our customers. We deliver on that promise by striving to create technology that is accessible to everyone—regardless of age or ability. Microsoft leads the industry in accessibility innovation and in building products that are safer and easier to use. Our diversity and inclusion strategy is to create an environment that helps Microsoft capitalize on the diversity of its people and inclusion of ideas and solutions to meet the needs of its increasingly global and diverse customer base.

Q:	Why is hiring people with disabilities good for business?
A:	Microsoft recognizes the capabilities and contributions of people with disabilities and wholeheartedly supports the letter and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar state laws on disability in the workplace. We see that accommodating and enabling employees to perform the necessary functions of their jobs ultimately enhances our ability to develop great products and services for everyone.

Q:	Why have you chosen to actively recruit people with disabilities?
A:	Microsoft wants to be able to tap into the largest possible pool of hiring candidates with the greatest minds and talents. The company also works to retain the great people it already employs. As the capabilities of assistive technology and software advance, the possibilities are virtually limitless. Microsoft strives to be the leader in attracting diverse talent to careers in high technology and aspires to be the model for other corporations in this field to emulate.

Q:	How important is it to have a workforce which reflects the composition of the general population?
A:	Microsoft operates in a global marketplace competing worldwide for diverse talent and consumers alike. The winners will be the companies that understand and leverage the competitive advantage of a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Q:	Besides working with GettingHired what other ways are you working to bring diverse populations to your workplace?
A:	To attract the largest possible pool of top-quality employees, including those with disabilities, for its own ranks, in addition to its relationship with GettingHired.com, Microsoft participates in targeted job fairs, strategic alliances with employment networks, internship programs, and organizations aimed at career fulfillment. Microsoft actively recruits people with disabilities at job fairs and at traditional colleges for persons with disabilities including Gallaudet University and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). Microsoft is also an active member of COSD (Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities) and the Washington State Business Leadership Network (WSBLN). Through our involvement with WSBLN, we have co-sponsored Puget Sound-area awareness activities for the past several years. Microsoft has also hosted the Employment Access Conference in the Silicon Valley office, which also focuses on increasing the employment of people with disabilities and is organized by TransAccess and the Sensory Access Foundation. Aside from our efforts to band together with other corporations and governmental agencies, we also focus on direct involvement with the community. Microsoft reaches out to young people with disabilities, to educate them about careers in technology. We try to help students understand how technology can help them create new opportunities and realize their potential. Through job shadowing, career days, internships, scholarships, curriculum development, campus visits, panel discussions among employees with disabilities, and software donations we show them a future full of possibilities. Our partnerships with local and national organizations that serve K-12 students include the University of Washington’s DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology) Program and the High School High Tech Program in Oklahoma. We ensure that students with disabilities are included in Microsoft programs such at the DigiGirlz High Tech Camps and High School Internship Programs. These programs enable students with disabilities to spend time in a work place, talk to professionals doing the kind of work in which they are interested and potentially see people with their kind of disability succeeding in their target career. This also serves as an important element of Microsoft’s pipeline development of a diversity pool of potential employees.

Q:	Have you instituted any kind of diversity training program for staff or management or both?
A:	Yes. Microsoft invests heavily in diversity-related training for employees. In the past two years alone, more than 50,000 Microsoft employees have participated in these training sessions. We provide Microsoft leaders with cultural competency training and global diversity and inclusion best practice management strategies. We also offer employees ample opportunities to network and build key stakeholder relationships, thereby fostering a culture of inclusive behaviors.

Q:	What kinds of reasonable accommodations have you been able to provide to employees with disabilities?
A:	To help ensure disabilities do not become barriers to employment at Microsoft, the company provides job candidates with interpreters, assistive technology or other accommodations they may need during the interview process. Once an employment offer has been accepted, the Microsoft’s Human Resources Teams work with the new employee to identify needs and develop a customized action plan that will be put in place prior to the employee’s first day at Microsoft. Accommodation requests are evaluated on a case by case basis. If special accommodations for an employee are needed, the Microsoft Benefits team works in partnership with the employee, the employee’s business group, the employee’s HR Business Partner and the employee’s healthcare provider to determine the most reasonable accommodation. Accommodations can range from simple to complex. Structural accommodations may include such things as ergonomic furniture, laser-activated door switches and widened mail room access. For example, an HR staff member helped a Microsoft employee and Army veteran set up a comfortable office workspace to accommodate the serious injuries he received during the Iraq war. A special ergonomic chair helped to reduce the pressure on his lower back so he could work comfortably throughout the day. Other general accommodations for employees with disabilities could range from adjusting work hours, or providing a full, partial or intermittent leave of absence. Microsoft also provides various state-of-the-art adaptive technologies to help employees with disabilities in their daily work. These technologies include such things as voice recognition software, Braille readers and printers, and touch-sensitive white boards. In addition, Microsoft provides employees with access to orientation and mobility specialists as well as oral/sign language interpreters to help them and their teams work most effectively. To ensure continued work-life balance and professional development, Microsoft provides flex-work programs, job coaching and more frequent 1:1 meetings with a manager. Microsoft provides training resources to help employees work more effectively with colleagues who have disabilities. These trainings and awareness sessions include 2-3 beginning and intermediate American Sign Language classes per year on campus, just-in-time training sessions for work groups (deaf culture, blindness awareness), programs to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month, innovative training such as Silent Lunches, recruiter training, and disability topics woven into management trainings. By having these kinds of plans in place to ease the transition into the work environment for employees with disabilities, employees are able to be productive as quickly as possible and team members are able to focus on tasks of the office, not questions about the disability.

Q:	What would you like to say to other businesses that are considering hiring people with disabilities?
A:	Hiring people with disabilities benefits a company in many ways, some of which have been outlined previously. People with disabilities often have unique and innovative ways of solving challenges, both professionally and personally. This facet of diversity can only help enhance your business as well as your bottom-line. It’s not only the “right thing to do”, it’s how to win more business and increase profits and productivity. Microsoft offers advice and guidance for businesses and educators to understand accessible technologies, the business value proposition and creating an accessible technology plan at: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/business/default.aspx.

Q:	Do you agree with the following statement? “Hiring people with disabilities is both the right thing to do and the smart business thing to do.”
A:	Yes, absolutely, and we share case studies and facts for businesses to consider at: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/business/value.aspx.

Q:	Do you have a brief story or anecdote about an employee with a disability that you would like to share?
A:	Because of Microsoft’s commitment to a diverse workforce, including people with disabilities, many benefits have resulted. The following excerpts from the November 11, 2009, issue of MSW Inside Track, Microsoft’s internal weekly news report, demonstrate Microsoft’s commitment to wounded military veterans returning to work: Veteran's Walk through Life Almost Ended in Iraq John West, a Microsoft employee and Army National Guard soldier who was nearly paralyzed by a roadside bomb in 2004, has overcome substantial mental and physical hurdles to walk again and to return to the job he loves. John West doesn't have a very good memory of the day a roadside bomb ripped through the bottom of his Humvee near Baghdad, Iraq, killing a colleague and nearly paralyzing him. But the Microsoft employee and military veteran does have vivid memories of the mentally and physically grueling journey back from that day in 2004—back to Washington State, back to walking, and back to the job he loves. His journey has left many who know how hard it is to recover from an injury like the one West sustained impressed, including military colleagues and doctors who said they are amazed he was able to go back to work. "But then again, they don't realize what an awesome environment I work in, nor how much I love what I do, nor how much I enjoy working with the people I get to work with," said West, a software developer in test lead for the Page Table and Layout Services (PTLS) Test Team. As of today, Veteran's Day in the United States, more than 4,200 American soldiers have been killed, and more than 30,000 have been injured since the start of U.S. engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. West is a living, breathing tribute to the weight of those numbers. Though he deals with constant pain, West is ecstatic about being able to work. He even has a special chair in his office to help reduce the pressure on his spine. But learning to walk again and enduring the lingering physical pain of his injuries was only part of West's battle in returning to work. The calm and quiet of Microsoft's Redmond campus was bewildering for him at first. West said he is grateful to work for a company that is wholly supportive of its military reservists and veterans. Apart from keeping his job for him, Microsoft insured his family while he was away and paid him the difference between his military salary and his Microsoft salary the entire time he was at war and recovering. "It isn't always pretty when someone comes back from war, but from what I've seen, this company has a very supportive policy of veterans getting the space and time they need to recover," West said. "At a time when everyone's talking about cutbacks, that's a really powerful message. Microsoft's saying, 'You don't cut back on this.'"

Q:	Is there anything else that you would like to share?
A:	Microsoft’s recent launch of the Windows 7 operating system demonstrates the company’s commitment to accessible technology with many new and enhanced accessibility options. It is the most accessible operating system Microsoft has ever produced, including a number of accessibility options and programs that make it easier for people to see, hear, and use their computers, including: Ease of Access Center— Provides a convenient, centralized location where people can explore and adjust accessibility settings and programs, and get recommendations to make their computers easier to use. Narrator— Reads on-screen text aloud and describes some events (such as error messages) that may occur while people are using their computers. Speech Recognition— People can use voice commands to control their PC, dictate documents and e-mail, and surf the Web. Magnifier— Enlarges portions of the computer screen, making it easier to view text and images and to see the whole screen more easily. Magnifier now includes full-screen mode, lens mode, and docked mode. In full-screen mode, the entire screen is magnified and Magnifier follows the mouse pointer. In lens mode, the area around the mouse pointer as it would be with a magnifying glass. In docked mode, only a portion of the screen is magnified, leaving the rest in a normal state. Windows Touch— With a touch-screen monitor, people can just touch their computer screen and use their fingers to scroll, resize windows, play media, pan and zoom. On-Screen Keyboard—Displays a visual keyboard with all the standard keys. Instead of relying on the physical keyboard to type and enter data, people can use On-Screen Keyboard to select keys using the mouse or another pointing device. On-Screen Keyboard can now be resized and customized to make it easier to see and use. When text prediction is enabled, a list of suggested words one might be typing is displayed. Filter Keys— Ignores keystrokes that occur in rapid succession and keystrokes that are held down for several seconds unintentionally, enabling people with hand tremors or other dexterity impairments to use a computer with greater confidence. For a complete list of the accessibility tools in Windows 7 and links to accessibility tutorials, see: http://www.microsoft.com/enable/products/windows7/

Browse Microsoft's job postings

Career Advice: Using GettingHired.com's Find Jobs Search

2010-03-15T13:12:00Z

With over 40,000 job opportunities available from employers who are committed to employing talented people with disabilities, it might seem that searching through these job listings to find the right job for you is a daunting task. Well luckily, there’s a lot of powerful search capability available to you when you click on Find Jobs that make the process much easier. You probably know that you can do a keyword search or a location search, but did you know that you can also search from our menu of Company Names and Locations in the Employer Directory? And that you can view the hottest and most popular searches? All of this capability and much more is available to you when you click on Find Jobs.

We get many questions on using the Additional Search function, so let’s discuss that briefly here. Let’s use the example of someone who likes working with data and wants to work in business or financial operations somewhere near GettingHired.com’s offices here in our little town of Bedminster, New Jersey, zip code 07921. To do this, having clicked on Find Jobs from the top menu, enter “data”in the Keyword input field, then enter “07921” in the zip code box, click on Additional Search, and then finally select “Business and Financial Operations” from the Industry drop down menu. When we did this recently, we got 17 job listings returned. In comparison, when we did a Basic Search with just the keyword “data” and zip code “07921”, we got over 800 results. Clearly, that’s a lot to look through.

Here's another popular search, "work from home jobs". The best way to perform this job search is to start by only using the keyword input field and trying these keywords: virtual, "work at home", "work from home" and telecommute. Keeping the quotes where recommended is necessary when using a string of words such as "work at home". Quotes are used to tell the search that it must find the phrase you are using, such as, "work at home" and not just "work" or "home". You'll see that a search for work at home without quotes finds 35,746 loosely related jobs which is quite different than with quotes which yields results that are much closer to what you're looking for. You can then filter down further by clicking on Additional Search, choose your filtering options and set it to "Search Within Results". Remember,you don't want to use a location setting for these types of searches.

There are many ways to use the Find Jobs capability available to you as a GettingHired.com Jobseeker. We’ll review more here in The BUZZz from time to time. In the meantime, best of luck to you in your job search.

Career Advice: Follow Up on Your Job Applications!

2009-10-19T21:09:00Z

Every employer that posts a job at Gettinghired.com has registered with us and is actively seeking applicants with disabilities to fill vacant positions. However, you still need to take the initiative to ensure that your application receives full consideration, and this means that you need to follow up with the employer after submitting your application.

We recommend that you call the company's Human Resources department just to verify that your application is among those being considered for the specific job for which you have applied, i.e., that your application ended up in the right file, or on the right desk. Such a call serves several purposes: It provides reassurance for you and reinforces for the HR person on the phone that you are an interested and motivated job applicant. And, your call to the company gives you an opportunity to ask questions, like: When should I expect to hear about the job? Will I receive a response to my application even if the answer is No?

Remember to thank the person who responds to your call.

Many of the larger employer partners of Gettinghired.com require all applicants, including Gettinghired.com applicants, to complete a proprietary application process that is available exclusively via the employer's web site. In the case of these job vacancies, the job description that you find posted at Gettinghired.com will indicate that an applicant must visit the employer's web site and complete the application process outlined there. The job description will say, ""View and apply to this job direct from this employer's website," and when you click the <Apply> BUTTON at the bottom of the page, you will be taken to information about that job vacancy at the company's web site, including information about the process for applying online. Follow the process and expect to receive an automated verification message once you have submitted your application from the company's web site; the automated message will be coming, not from Gettinghired.com, but rather directly from the employer. If you don't receive a confirmation message from the employer, then be aware that your application has not been received. You may have left out a step in the application process or have forgotten to click some important button, so review what you did and start over if necessary.

Do you have questions? Don't forget, you can always get help using the Help & Advice link or in person help by using the Contact Us link, both always present at the very top of our website.

Good luck, and let us know of your successes.

Featured Service Provider: Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana

2009-10-14T20:21:00Z

Goodwill believes in the Power of Work® to transform businesses and lives. Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana is one of 183 member and affiliate organizations of Goodwill Industries International that together provided employment and training programs to over 1.5 million people in the last year. Through Goodwill of North Louisiana’s Supported Employment Program, people with significant disabilities find financial independence through training and employment.

Goodwill recognizes that people can and want to work. Goodwill of North Louisiana has been a member of GettingHired.com’s Service Provider network since January of 2009, and has utilized the resources available at GettingHired.com to expand awareness of the services offered by Goodwill of North Louisiana, to complement the activities of its Supported Employment staff and to access additional job opportunities for the people it serves. By partnering with Louisiana Rehabilitation Services (LRS), Goodwill of North Louisiana is further aiding those with barriers to employment in finding and keeping jobs. Goodwill of North Louisiana knows that it is important to match the people it serves with the right jobs. Its Supported Employment staff members work with job seekers to use GettingHired.com’s Profile Builder and Career Assessment tools, and Goodwill first pairs potential employees with the types of jobs that they can and like to do. And then to ensure the newly hired employee is successful, Goodwill of North Louisiana provides up to 8 months of onsite job coaching to help employees learn the best way to perform their new jobs. Best of all, these services are free to the employee and the employer.

Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana serves the following parishes in Northwest Louisiana: Caddo, Bossier, Claiborne, Bienville, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Desoto, Webster, Sabine and Red River parishes. In Northeast Louisiana, Goodwill supports Ouachita, Madison, East Carroll, West Carroll, Jackson, Caldwell, Franklin, Morehouse, Richland, Tensas, and Union parishes.

For more information, call 800-737-2966 or visit www.goodwillnla.org.

Featured Education Partner: Clayton State University

2009-10-14T16:21:00Z

Clayton State University is GettingHired.com’s featured Higher Education Partner in this edition of The BUZZz. Clayton State is using the GettingHired.com site and the Educational Partnerships page to communicate to students, prospective students, alumni and their families the commitment of Clayton State University to providing resources to its students and alumni with disabilities as they prepare for and engage in the search for internships and full time employment opportunities.

Clayton State University, in the “Southern Crescent” of the Atlanta metropolitan area, has an enrollment of nearly 6,600. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Clayton State has grown from a two-year institution to a university with a rapidly growing number of graduate programs. Clayton State’s Disability Resource Center works closely with the University’s Career Services Department to provide employment supports and services to students with disabilities. These employment supports and services include the career development and social networking resources available at GettingHired.com, and students with disabilities at Clayton State who are preparing for and embarking on job searches are encouraged to register as Jobseekers at GettingHired.com.

Louise Bedrossian, Director of the Center, and the Center staff seek to provide a learning environment for students that includes job-related skills such as the use of assistive technology and the development of self-advocacy in addition to academic skills. She encourages the use of these skills in internships, part and full-time employment and volunteer work while in college. Ms. Bedrossian promotes the use of the resources on GettingHired.com for employability skills and career development, as well as access to a myriad of job opportunities. “You have to be prepared to both obtain and maintain employment, and GettingHired.com provides so many tools,” she says.

Clayton State University’s Disability Resource Center is busy on multiple fronts this fall. It will be hosting a series of activities in October to highlight Disability Employment Awareness Month, and will be continuing to work closely with area offices of the Georgia Department of Rehabilitation Services to support employment of students with disabilities. The University works to actively serve returning veterans with disabilities in the Atlanta area, assisting with their transition and career preparation activities. Its seasoned disability service professionals are leaders of many organizations, including the Georgia Board of Regents Committee for Disability Service Providers, Georgia Governor’s Council for Developmental Disabilities, and the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), and have published books and numerous articles on disability issues.

Visit Clayton.edu to learn more about Clayton State University, GettingHired.com’s featured Higher Education Partner.

Featured Advocacy Organization: The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD)

2009-10-14T15:56:00Z

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially. AAPD was founded in 1995 to help unite the diverse community of people with disabilities, including their family, friends and supporters, and to be a national voice for change in implementing the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

AAPD recognizes that employment plays a critical role in economic sufficiency and independence for people with disabilities. AAPD is committed to improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities and to reversing the persistently high percentages of people with disabilities who are unemployed or underemployed but are ready, willing and able to work.

One of AAPD’s signature programs is Disability Mentoring Day (DMD), scheduled this year for October 21st. DMD is a large-scale national effort to promote career development for students and job seekers with disabilities through hands-on career exploration, on-site job shadowing, and ongoing mentoring leading to internship and employment opportunities. DMD connects nearly 20,000 job-seekers with disabilities with thousands of employers in more than 300 locations in every U.S. State and Territory and in more than 24 countries worldwide each year. Last year, Disability Mentoring Day integrated more than 20,000 students and jobseekers in communities in every state plus 20 international locations. Over 2,000 participating public and private employers hosted mentees at their places of employment, with many continuing the mentoring relationships for long-term periods.

AAPD supports GettingHired.com in its mission to create sustainable employment growth and opportunities for people with disabilities, and recommends GettingHired.com as a resource for job-seekers with disabilities, employers and service providers. AAPD is a partnering advocacy organization and an original member of GettingHired.com’s Advisory Council and in this role contributes guidance in the development and continual improvement of the resources available to people with disabilities at GettingHired.com.

For more on AAPD, visit

www.aapd.com.

Featured Employer: Duff & Phelps

2009-10-13T17:53:00Z

Duff & Phelps, headquartered in New York City, with more than 1200 professionals working in offices in North America, Europe and Asia, is a leading global independent provider of financial advisory and investment banking services. The company was founded in 1932.

We want to thank Don Clary, Senior Recruiter at Duff & Phelps, this issue's Featured Employer, for his help with the interview and his company's enthusiastic support of our mutual goal of helping people with disabilities to find good jobs in companies with a recognized commitment to diversity and equal employment opportunity.

Q:	Can you describe your company briefly? What kinds of products and services do you produce? What kinds of staffing needs do you have?
A:	Duff & Phelps is a leading independent financial advisory and investment banking firm. We are pleased to post our hiring needs on the Gettinghired.com website as part of our company's commitment to employ a diverse and skilled staff that serves clients principally in the areas of valuation, transactions, financial restructuring, dispute and taxation.

Q:	Duff & Phelps has a policy that promotes hiring people with disabilities. What is the genesis of that policy?
A:	It is the policy and practice of Duff & Phelps to employ and promote people on the basis of merit and achievement without regard to race, religion, gender, creed, color, age, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other protected characteristics. Our equal opportunity policy involves every phase of the employment process, including recruitment, hiring, training, upgrading, promotions, transfer, termination, benefits, compensation and Duff & Phelps-sponsored educational, social and recreational programs. Duff & Phelps' commitment to equal opportunity affirms our belief that equal opportunity is a basic civil right for all people. Our company's employment policies have the added benefit of helping us to keep pace with today's rapid and far-reaching social and demographic changes.

Q:	What kinds of reasonable accommodations have you been able to provide to employees with disabilities?
A:	Our current talent includes employees who have shared their disability information with us because they may have required an accommodation or because they had a need to take advantage of our benefits. We are not at liberty to share the exact nature of those disabilities or the number of applicable employees, but we are consistent in our approach to provide all employees with the reasonable accommodation they need to perform the essential functions of their jobs. Some examples of accommodations provided are special types of computer hardware or software, augmented telephonic devices and other adapted office equipment.

Q:	Have you instituted any kind of diversity training program for staff or management or both?
A:	Our hiring policy and procedures ensure that discrimination does not inhibit individual achievement. We have also instituted a mandatory Code of Business Ethics training for all employees on an annual basis that emphasizes our commitment to conducting business in an ethical manner. All of our 1,200 employees have participated in this training.

Q:	We are so pleased that Gettinghired.com has been able to help Duff & Phelps find and recruit employees with disabilities. Have you taken additional measures to increase diversity at Duff & Phelps?
A:	In a continued effort to become a more diverse firm, we will be attending the 100th year anniversary of the NAACP Career Fair in New York this July. We will continue to partner with organizations, such as Gettinghired.com and the NAACP, to develop our talent base in a fair and equitable manner.

Mr. Clary explained that Duff & Phelps understands the benefits to the company's clients of hiring diverse staff with multiple skills and abilities. "Our management is dedicated to the continued improvement and expansion of our products and services to provide for the ever-changing needs of our clients. The ability to anticipate and fill those needs is key to our future growth. We are pleased to find a resource like Gettinghired.com that helps us to meet our goals."

Mr. Cleary encourages members of our Gettinghired community to take advantage of the company's opportunities for employment. "As an emerging leader in the fields of financial advisory and investment banking services, we offer career opportunities for professionals at every level of their career. Whether you are an experienced financial expert, just beginning your career or seeking a support role within our organization, there's sure to be a position that matches your skills and supports your goals for the future."

Browse Duff & Phelps' job postings

Featured Education Partner: Rowan University

2009-06-11T12:44:00Z

Rowan University was one of the first institutions of higher education to see the value of GettingHired.com's University Partnership program. Rowan is using the GettingHired.com site to communicate to students, prospective students, alumni and their families the commitment of Rowan University to providing career development tools and identifying internships and employment opportunities for students with disabilities.

Rowan has an enrollment of about 10,000 students from the mid-Atlantic states and 30 foreign countries, and is included in the "Top Tier" of Northern Regional Universities by U.S. News and World Report. Rowan's Career and Academic Planning Center, working in partnership with its Division of Disability Services within the Academic Success Center, has assembled resources and information specifically to assist students with disabilities prepare for and find employment. These resources of course prominently include GettingHired.com. Ruben Britt, Assistant Director of the Center, seeks to utilize every avenue available to promote job opportunities for Rowan's students. According to Mr. Britt, when he sought to expand the Center's resources for students with disabilities, he concluded that GettingHired.com "covered all the bases," providing not only access to job opportunities, but also a network of support and career development tools for his students.

Visit www.rowan.edu to learn more about Rowan University, GettingHired.com's featured Higher Education Partner.

Featured Service Provider: Center for Independent Living of South Florida

2009-06-11T12:40:00Z

The Center for Independent Living of South Florida was one of the organizations that early on recognized the value of joining GettingHired.com's network of Service Providers. The Center for Independent Living of South Florida saw the opportunity to use GettingHired.com's network to increase awareness of the good work it was doing to empower persons with disabilities to reach their highest level of independence. And as a registered Service Provider, The Center for Independent Living of South Florida saw that its staff would have access to the career development tools and the job opportunities available at www.gettinghired.com to support its pre-vocational skills and competitive employment services. Larry Georgeson, Center for Independent Living of South Florida's Project Director for Workforce Development, was impressed with the ease of navigation for GettingHired.com's Jobseekers, and has recently further expanded use at the organization.

The Center for Independent Living of South Florida is one of more than 680 Centers for Independent Living spread across the United States. Since its creation in 1993, the Center for Independent Living of South Florida has grown from a one-room office to a 14,400 square foot facility near downtown Miami that serves all of Miami-Dade County.

The Center for Independent Living of South Florida recently created an Information Technology program to help reduce the digital divide between individuals who have access to computer technology and individuals with disabilities who do not have access. Fewer than 25% of persons with disabilities have access to computers compared with about 60% of the general population. The center's IT program serves 60 to 75 adult participants annually. The program incorporates the latest technological equipment, including DSL Internet lines, to meet the needs of a cross-disability population of users. Participants are using the IT center's resources to create resumes and conduct online job searches. And of course, as a registered Service Provider, the Center for Independent Living of South Florida is making available to its consumers the best resource available to job seekers with disabilities, GettingHired.com.

Visit www.soflacil.org to learn more about the Center for Independent Living of South Florida, GettingHired.com's featured Service Provider.

Featured Advocacy Organization: American Foundation for the Blind

2009-06-10T16:35:00Z

GettingHired supports AFB's recent initiative, "Sign-On to Letter to Congressional Leadership Concerning Health Reform and Vision Loss". The following letter, addressed to Senators Max Baucus and Charles E. Grassley, was also sent to Representatives Edward M. Kenney, Michael B. Enzi, Charles B. Rangel, Dave Camp, Henry A. Wasman and Joe Barton.

June 4, 2009

Hon. Max Baucus

Chair, Senate Committee on Finance

U.S. Senate

219 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Via fax: 202-228-0554

Hon. Charles E. Grassley

Ranking Minority Member, Senate Committee on Finance

U.S. Senate

219 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Re: Health Care Reform

Dear Senators Baucus and Grassley:

We, the more than 100 undersigned international, national, and community-based organizations representing, serving, and advocating for the more than 20 million Americans of all ages experiencing significant vision loss, urge you to exercise your leadership to ensure that any comprehensive health reform legislation enacted by the 111^th Congress adequately addresses the needs and rights of individuals living with vision loss. Specifically, we call upon Congress to send to President Obama legislation that, at a minimum

ensures that individuals with vision loss and other disabilities can properly identify and take medications by mandating appropriate labeling standards and methods for providing nonvisual and enhanced visual access to drug container labeling and related information;
establishes clear Medicare (or other national minimum benefit plan) coverage for, and fosters broader private plan availability of, low vision devices and other medically necessary assistive technologies; and
allows orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists, and low vision therapists to be full participants in the professional team providing specialized services to people with vision loss by establishing unambiguous Medicare (or other national minimum benefit plan) reimbursement for the services such professionals offer.

Congress is currently weighing a variety of health care policy options that have the potential to fundamentally transform the scope and delivery of health care to all Americans. While many of these policy options could be of significant benefit to Americans with vision loss, we are concerned that proper attention is not being given in the policy debate to several basic health care needs experienced by people who are blind or visually impaired. We therefore ask for your help to craft and enact policy solutions as part of health care reform to address these unmet needs.

Drug Label Information

Current Law: No state in the union clearly requires labeling of prescription or other medications to be accessible to individuals with vision loss through minimum large print font size, audible labeling technologies, tactile markings or braille, or other methods calculated to provide alternatives to visual use of medication labeling and related information. Moreover, current federal law places no meaningful requirements on such labeling to ensure nonvisual and enhanced visual access. Additionally, while retail pharmacies can be held accountable for providing some degree of access to label information under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA neither provides standards for pharmacies to follow nor establishes a consistent national policy ensuring that customers will, upon request, be provided the nonvisual or enhanced visual means of their choice to use drug labeling safely and independently. The failure to make medication labeling accessible to people with vision loss has been shown to lead to significant health risks (see e.g., consumer survey conducted by the American Foundation for the Blind at www.afb.org/labels).

Proposed Policy: Congress should enact legislation requiring retail pharmacies to offer, upon the request of a customer, nonvisual or enhanced visual means for using medication labeling and related print information safely and independently. The means to accomplish label accessibility must be the means of the customer's choice and conform to national minimum standards to ensure consistency, reliability, and customer privacy,.

Low Vision Devices and Other Medically Necessary Assistive Technology

Current Law: Very few private health plans offer customers access to low vision devices or other assistive technologies that maximize remaining usable vision or otherwise provide nonvisual access to information and the environment. Moreover, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) refuse Medicare coverage of any device that employs one or more lenses regardless of a device's other technological features simply on the grounds that devices using lenses fall within the long-standing statutory bar on coverage for eye glasses. Other categories of assistive technology are routinely denied coverage on the grounds that they are convenience items, are not primarily for use in the home, or on other erroneous bases. People with vision loss can use low vision devices and other assistive technologies to manage their health care needs, properly identify medications, maintain proper diet, and ensure safe mobility at home and in community. Along with appropriate rehabilitation services, low vision devices and other assistive technologies prevent injury and the acquiring of additional disabling conditions.

Proposed Policy: Congress must overturn the CMS regulation barring coverage for low vision devices and establish clear criteria for their provision. Such criteria should acknowledge other distinctive features employed by the most valuable low vision devices, other than their mere use of a lens, such as a device's integration of a light source, use of electrical power, or other distinctive features. In addition, Congress must establish clear parameters for CMS to follow to provide Medicare beneficiaries with vision loss access to assistive technologies meeting their unique needs.

Vision Rehabilitation Services

Current Law: Medicare currently pays for some forms of vision rehabilitation services provided under the direct supervision of a physician and offered by an array of state licensed personnel. However, orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists, and low vision therapists, professionals who are explicitly trained to provide such vision rehabilitation services, are not among the professional disciplines recognized for purposes of Medicare reimbursement. This means that, while the services offered by other professionals--such as occupational and physical therapists--are services provided by personnel who are regularly part of the team of providers offering some limited form of vision rehabilitation addressing, for example, a beneficiary's needs for daily living skills training or other related services, the professional team is incomplete. As a result, beneficiaries are not ensured access to the full range of quality services, such as orientation and mobility, provided by the best qualified professional disciplines. Moreover, since the limited vision rehabilitation-like services that CMS will pay for must be provided under strict physician supervision, these services, which are most relevant when offered in a beneficiary's home or in community, are diminished in effectiveness. Finally, a Medicare demonstration project currently being undertaken to assess vision rehabilitation reimbursement has such significant design and administrative flaws that Congress should not wait for the project's conclusions or have confidence in their validity.

Proposed Policy: Congress must establish unambiguous coverage for the services offered to Medicare beneficiaries by orientation and mobility specialists, vision rehabilitation therapists, and low vision therapists to allow the most qualified and complete team of professional service providers to meet the unique needs of individuals with vision loss. Such services should be allowed to be provided in a beneficiary's home and community to maximize their effectiveness.

Thank you for your thoughtful consideration and for your advocacy on behalf of Americans living with vision loss. We look forward to working closely with you as health reform moves forward.

Respectfully,

Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals, National Headquarters, Tucson, AZ
Accessible Design for the Blind, Asheville, NC
Alaska Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Anchorage, AK
Alphapointe Association for the Blind, Kansas City, MO
American Association of the Deaf-Blind, National Headquarters, Silver Spring, MD
American Council of the Blind, National Headquarters, Washington, DC
American Council of the Blind of Maine, Clinton, ME
American Foundation for the Blind, National Headquarters, New York, NY
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, National Headquarters, Alexandria, VA
American Society on Aging, National Headquarters, San Francisco, CA
Associates for World Action in Rehabilitation & Education, Mohegan Lake, NY
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired, National Headquarters, Alexandria, VA
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Ohio, Columbus, Ohio
Association for Gerontology and Human Development in Historically Black Colleges and Universities, National Headquarters, Atlanta, GA
Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Grand Rapids, MI
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Binghamton, NY
Association of Blind Citizens, Holbrook, MA
Aurora of Central New York, Syracuse, NY
Badger Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Milwaukee, WI
Bay Area Digital, San Francisco, CA
Bay State Council of the Blind, Watertown, MA
Blind Childrens Center, Los Angeles, CA
Blinded Veterans Association, National Headquarters, Washington, DC
Blind Services Planning Council, Chicago, IL
Braille Institute of America, Los Angeles, CA
Cabell-Wayne Association of the Blind, Huntington WV
California Council of the Blind, Sacramento, CA
Carroll Center for the Blind, Newton, MA
Catholic Charities Maine, Portland, ME
Center for Deaf-Blind Persons, Milwaukee, WI
Center for the Partially Sighted, Los Angeles, CA
Center for the Visually Impaired, Atlanta, GA
Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Utica, NY
Cincinnati Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Cincinnati OH
Cleveland Sight Center, Cleveland, OH
Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Cincinnati, OH
Community Services for the Blind and Partially Sighted, Seattle, WA
Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments, Richmond Heights, MO
Earle Baum Center of the Blind, Santa Rosa, CA
Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind, Tallahassee, FL
Florida Lions Conklin Center for the Blind, Daytona Beach, FL
Foundation for Blind Children, Phoenix, AZ
Georgia Council of the Blind, Athens, GA
GettingHired.com, Bedminster, NJ
Greater New York Council of the Blind, New York, NY
Guide Dogs for the Blind, San Rafael, CA
Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Yorktown Heights, NY
Hadley School for the Blind, Winnetka, IL
Hampton Roads Blinded Veterans, Hampton, VA
Hatlen Center for the Blind, San Pablo, CA
Hawaii Center for Independent Living, Hilo, HI
Helen Keller National Center, National Headquarters, Sands Point, NY
Helen Keller Services for the Blind, Brooklyn NY
Hollinger Consulting, St. Charles, MO
HumanWare, U.S. Headquarters, Concord, CA
Illinois Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments, Naperville, IL
Illinois Council of the Blind, Springfield, IL
Independence for the Blind of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
International Association of Audio Information Services, Detroit, MI
Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, Vinton, IA
Iowa Statewide System for Vision Services, Vinton IA
Iris Network, Portland, ME
Junior Blind of America, Los Angeles, CA
Leader Dogs for the Blind, Rochester, MI
Lighthouse Central Florida, Orlando, FL
LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco, CA
Lighthouse for the Blind of Houston, Houston, TX
Lighthouse for the Blind, Seattle, WA
Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired, Brooksville, FL
Lighthouse International, New York, NY
Lighthouse of Broward, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Lighthouse of Pinellas, Largo, FL
Lions Clubs International, International Headquarters, Oak Brook, IL
Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, Baton Rouge, LA
MAB Community Services, Worcester, MA
MaryAnn Keverline Walls Low Vision Center, Southern California College of Optometry, Fullerton, CA
Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Miami, FL
Michigan Statewide Independent Living Council, Lansing, MI
Montgomery County Association for the Blind, North Wales PA
National Accreditation Council for Agencies Serving People with Blindness or Visual Impairment, National Headquarters, Middleburg Hts., OH
National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments, National HQ, Watertown MA
National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs, National Headquarters, Midland, MI
National Coalition on Deaf-Blindness, National Headquarters, Watertown, MA
National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts, Holbrook, MA
National Industries for the Blind, National Headquarters, Alexandria, VA
National Senior Citizens Law Center, Oakland, CA
New Jersey Foundation for the Blind, Denville, NJ
North Dakota Vision Services/School for the Blind, Grand Forks, ND
Northwest Suburban Special Education Organization, Mt. Prospect, IL
Oklahoma League for the Blind, Oklahoma City, OK
Peninsula Rehabilitation Services, Quilcene, WA
Pennsylvania Council of the Blind, Harrisburg, PA
Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA
San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind, San Antonio, TX
Susquehanna Foundation for the Blind, Lancaster, PA
The New York Institute for Special Education, Bronx, NY
The Seeing Eye, Morristown, NJ
Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind, Staunton, VA
Vision & Vocational Services, Columbus OH
Vision Consultants of West Michigan, Kalamazoo, MI
Vision Loss Resources, Minneapolis, MN
VisionServe Alliance, National Headquarters, St. Louis, MO
VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, New York, NY
Vista Center for the Blind & Visually Impaired, Palo Alto, CA
Visually Impaired Persons of Southwest Florida, North Fort Myers, FL
Westchester Council of the Blind, Mt. Kisco, NY

Eleven More Employers Partner with Gettinghired.com to Fill More than 2,000 New Job Openings

2009-06-05T17:37:00Z

At Gettinghired.com we are celebrating the arrival of 11 new employer partners. When they all come on board in early June, job seekers with disabilities can look forward to accessing more than 2,000 additional job openings. The list of new Gettinghired.com employers include Microsoft, Panasonic, The ServiceMaster Company, Pepsi, Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago, Western Illinois University, Duff & Phelps, Boehringer-Ingelheim Corporation, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Abilicorp, and Delta Dental. Try these links to view their jobs as they come onboard, set job alerts for those that are still ramping up and be the first to apply!

We congratulate them all for making their commitment to their communities a tangible reality. These employers understand that the frequently untapped pool of people with disabilities offers them the opportunity to hire qualified, motivated, productive, and reliable employees while, at the same time, they enhance their reputations for affirmative action, workplace diversity, and positive community involvement.

A recent study conducted by the University of Massachusetts at Boston confirms that companies who hire people with disabilities achieve a higher placement in the public's collective esteem than employers who either may not hire people with disabilities or don't bring attention to their hiring policies with respect to people with disabilities. Among surveyed consumers: 92 percent felt more favorable toward companies that hire people with disabilities; 87 percent said they would give their business to companies that hire people with disabilities; the employment of people with disabilities ranked third as an indicator of a company's commitment to social justice; and

98 percent of respondents who had been served by a worker with a disability reported that they were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the service they received. According to Working Together, a group of businesses in Maine who collaborate to meet their goal of hiring more people with disabilities, and who reported the results of the UMASS Study referenced above, there are real, bottom-line benefits for companies who look to the often untapped resource of job seekers with disabilities to fill staffing vacancies. These include:

Increased Market Share: According to recent census data, nearly one in five Americans has a disability. This population has a total annual income in excess of a trillion dollars, and a discretionary income estimated at $200 billion. People with disabilities prefer businesses that are sensitive to their needs and that represent their population, and companies have found that it makes good business sense to have a workforce that is representative of the communities they serve. According to research conducted by Simmons Market Research Bureau, 48 percent of people with disabilities are the principle shoppers for their families. They have influence over not only their own spending decisions, but those made by other family members as well.

A Highly Productive Workforce: A 35-year-long study conducted by Dupont indicated that employees with disabilities consistently perform as well, if not better, than their non-disabled colleagues. Study results included these intriguing statistics: 86 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for attendance; 90 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for performance; 97 percent of workers with disabilities are rated "average" or "above average" for safety.

Lower Staff Turnover: Employers have found that they can significantly reduce turnover costs when they hire people with disabilities, who generally have a lower attrition rate than employees without disabilities. According to a survey conducted by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), 96 percent of employers reported they saved money by hiring or retraining people with disabilities and by making necessary job accommodations. Fifteen percent of employers reported savings of up to $5000, while 20 percent said they had saved between $20,001 and $50,000 in employee replacement costs after hiring or retraining people with disabilities. According to the Job Accommodation Network, For every dollar spent on making an accommodation for an employee with a disability companies received $34.58 in benefits.

Workplace Diversity: According to a 1994, Federal Glass Ceiling Commission study, organizations that excel at making the most of their employees' diversity achieve better financial performance in the long run compared to organizations that do not treat diversity as an opportunity.

We congratulate our new employer partners for deciding to take advantage of all these benefits associated with hiring people with disabilities, and all of our job seekers who will, undoubtedly, find the kinds of jobs they are looking for through GettingHired.com's partnerships with the employers who have joined our online community.

If you are one of our job seekers at Gettinghired.com, remember that completing your online profile is the prerequisite for being matched with the jobs available with these and other Gettinghired.com employer partners, so if you haven't completed the profile yet, now is the time to get that done. To all of our job seekers and our employer partners, do let us know about your successes finding work, and finding just the right workers to meet your companies' needs. At Gettinghired.com, we are proud of offering a service and a community that facilitate matching job seekers with such a variety of impressive skills and talents with employers who need to hire motivated and talented workers to meet their staffing needs now, and in the future.

Featured Education Partner: The University of Rhode Island

2009-04-14T17:19:00Z

A Profile of the Career Center at the University of Rhode Island

The Career Center at the University of Rhode Island, could serve as a model worth emulating at universities and colleges across the nation. Via their on-campus walk-in center, students can access a full range of career development services every weekday by appointment. A staff of professionals assists students with all aspects of career development, including career assessment, career counseling, skills development, resume writing, gaining experience with interviewing and connecting with employers. An early partner with GettingHired, the on-campus center recognizes the effectiveness of our online tools for assisting students with disabilities to achieve their career goals, and to connect with real employers who offer immediate employment at real jobs.

The Career Center sponsors a variety of workshops, presentations, panels, and networking events with alumni and employers throughout the year to provide career awareness and education to students.

Some of the workshops include: Internships Explained, Resume and Cover Letter, Senior Job Search, Preparing for Graduate School, and Effective Interviewing.

In addition, on-campus job postings are announced and disseminated through the Career Services office via the campus computer network.

Each year, the Career Center posts at least 8000 career and internship opportunities for university students, graduate students and alumni via a web-based career management program residing on the Career Services web site. Opportunities are state, regional, national and international in scope.

Congratulations to the Career Center at the University of Rhode Island for providing an array of career development services that benefit university students and alumni, including students with disabilities, and for their effective partnership with GettingHired.com where job seekers with disabilities can access an array of career development services and social networking opportunities that lead to real jobs and achievement of the career goals that led them to pursue a university education in the first place. .

If you are a student or alumnus from the University of Rhode Island, contact the Career Center at: 228 Roosevelt Hall, 90 Lower College Road, Kingston, RI 02881.

Call them at: 401.874.2311, or Fax at: 401.874.5525. E-mail: career@etal.uri.edu

Featured Advocacy Organization: Easter Seals

2009-04-14T17:14:00Z

The Right to Live a Normal Life: An interview with Carol A. Salter, Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development and National Director( of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) at Easter Seals

By Penny Reeder

I want to thank Carol A. Salter for so graciously agreeing to answer my barrage of questions about Easter Seals and the important work that the organization does on behalf of people with disabilities. Although we were separated in time and space, while Carol was attending a conference and then flying on to the west coast and I was working from the opposite side of the country, we managed to develop a multi-week, bi-coastal e-mail friendship with the assistance of computers and Blackberries. It is obvious that Gettinghired, and all of us who cope with our own or family members' disabilities are better off, by far, because of the commitment of people like Carol, and Easter Seals, Inc., to giving people with disabilities the right to live a normal life.

Q: What would you like for our readers, who will be people with disabilities, employers, and other organizations who provide services and advocate on behalf of people with disabilities, to know about Easter Seals.

A: Easter Seals, Inc. provides training and employment services to individuals with disabilities at more than 45 affiliate sites in the United States. We work in conjunction with other agencies to collaboratively serve individuals who are seeking employment. One service that we provide is a personalized assessment of skills and interests to best match each job seeker with job openings in his or her community. We also work closely with employers by pre-screening potential job candidates so we can make the best possible recommendation for each job opening. Easter Seals providers also offer job retention services, such as job coaching, mentorship, and follow-up services to ensure successful job matches for both the employer and the employee.

Q: I spent some time on your web site where I learned that Easter Seals is currently focusing on autism. There truly does seem to be an epidemic of new autism diagnoses. Can you highlight some of the findings from Easter Seals' recent ground-breaking report on autism, and can you talk about some of the specific programs that you sponsor which are helpful to people with autism and their families?

A: One of the most striking findings from the Easter Seals "Living with Autism Study" was that only 24 percent of teenagers with autism have looked for employment, compared to 76 percent of typically developing teenagers, many of whom are already engaged in paid work long before they leave high school. Teenagers with autism are not even looking for work. Easter Seals provides many secondary transition support programs for high school aged students. These programs are intended to support a successful transition for individuals with disabilities exiting the public school entitlement programs. The transition programs have a strong emphasis on employment. High school students who are already employed when they exit school are much more likely to maintain employment than kids who exit high school without a job. Easter Seals works to support these transitioning students to exit their high school years with the greatest opportunity for success in adulthood.

Easter Seals also provides opportunities for individuals with autism to develop those social and communication skills that are so important for success in adult life. The Easter Seals' "Living with Autism Study" clearly stated that a major concern is the social skills of children with autism. Only 17percent of parents of children with autism felt that their children would have friends in the community. With effective instruction and intervention, individuals with autism can learn social skills that lead to friendship and success in a work environment. Easter Seals provides effective intervention.

Q: I knew Easter Seals two decades ago when one of our children was experiencing a speech and language delay. He attended an Easter Seals preschool program, where he absolutely blossomed. Does Easter Seals still sponsor programs for children with hearing and speech and language difficulties?

A: Easter Seals continues to provide rehabilitation services to children, including speech-language pathology and audiology services. These services are provided in a number of different environments including in families' homes, in inclusive child development centers and in out-patient rehabilitation clinics, as well as in schools. In fact, Easter Seals operates the nation's largest network of inclusive child development centers and serves over 37,000 children per year through early intervention services, which work to identify children with disabilities at the earliest possible age.

Q: How many employment training programs does Easter Seals sponsor, i.e., where are they? And, how can people with disabilities take advantage of the employment and training programs you offer? Does a person with a disability need to go through a state agency to access Easter Seals employment services?

A: There are over 43 locations in the United States which can be located through our public web site: http://www.easterseals.com by entering your zip code into our service locator. Most of our locations are funded through the state Vocational Rehabilitation agencies, however some have other sources of funding that allow them to work independent of those agencies. Individuals with disabilities who are interested in working through one of our local sites may call the contact number listed on the web site and inquire about the services provided at that site.

Q: I found Easter Seals' history to be so interesting. Your web site outlines the organization's founding, and the creation of the very first Easter seal. At that time, Easter Seals described the needs of people with disabilities like this: "Those served by the charity ask simply for the right to live a normal life." Do you think that the needs of people with disabilities have changed since the Charity came into existence? Are the needs of people with disabilities more complex today than they were in the 1940s?

A: Society's willingness to recognize and meet the needs of individuals with disabilities has certainly changed since the 1940s, however the basic needs of the individuals have not changed. We want to provide individuals with the basic tools to succeed in today's job market, enabling them to have family-wage job opportunities, leading to independence and choice.

Q: Is the recession affecting Easter Seals' ability to keep its centers open, to employ staff, or to provide the services which people with disabilities and their families have come to depend upon?

A: As with all agencies, non-profit or for-profit, in the U.S., we have seen some of our centers go through some tough times due to the recession. Our donations have decreased in the past few years, however we have not seen any of our centers close. There have been some cases of down-sizing of staff, hiring freezes, and additional job duties added to the regular workforce.

Q: I am interested in your operation "Employ Veterans." Is that a partnership with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and how would a returning vet take advantage of the rehabilitation and employment services that Easter Seals is providing? Are there any aspects of this program that make Easter Seals' range of services especially effective or unique?

A: Operation Employ Veterans (OEV) is a year-long program that supports the McCormick Foundation's Operation Healing Freedom campaign and is currently being offered throughout the Chicagoland area. This training provides employers education on effective methods to recruit, employ, and retain wounded veterans. The training modules are a product of identified employer needs and veteran challenges resulting from several focus group meetings that include representation from corporate employers, the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, and Illinois Employment Services, and groups of veterans. Veterans with disabilities who are facing challenges in the Chicagoland area, as well as employers seeking to hire veterans with disabilities, are encouraged to contact Easter Seals at 1-866-423-4981 to identify available public and private resources they may be able to utilize. A unique aspect of the early success of the OEV program is that Easter Seals is able to leverage other programs, such as Community OneSource^TM, which not only provides veterans with employment resources but also helps connect them with other community services and supports, including benefits, housing, childcare, transportation, health care, respite, recreation, mental health and financial counseling-through individualized system and service navigation and personalized follow-up.

Q: What do you see as the biggest obstacle Easter Seals has to overcome in order to find jobs for people with disabilities?

A: The biggest obstacle that Easter Seals encounters, when assisting individuals who are seeking employment, is employer attitudes. There are stereotypes of this population that result in employers' believing that their health costs will increase, productivity will decrease and most of all; it will cost too much to make "accommodations" of work stations to be able to employ individuals with need of these services. In truth, over 80percent of all accommodations cost under $500, health costs do not increase, and an appropriate job match will assure adequate productivity.

Q: And, finally, do you believe Easter Seals' ability to help people with disabilities to find jobs has improved, or become more difficult, or stayed essentially the same in light of the new administration in Washington? If you think the changes that have come about as a result of the Obama Administration have made it easier for Easter Seals to provide services, or to advocate effectively on behalf of people with disabilities, can you point to any specific changes that have come about because of the Obama Administration's programs or policies?

A: The Obama Administration has placed a great deal of emphasis on domestic policy issues and how those areas connect with our nation's economic recovery. Its' call for investment in the environment, health care and education sectors of our economy is intended to turn our economic direction around, which should help all workers - including workers with disabilities. The investment in job training programs such as vocational rehabilitation, community colleges and One Stops through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has already had a huge impact on people with disabilities by providing much needed resources to programs that have suffered cuts over the past few years. These investments mean more people getting more services - resulting in more people getting hired and going to work. President Obama stated in March that improving the employment situation for people with disabilities would be a top priority for his Department of Labor, a commitment we are very pleased to see. It's still early in this term, but the interest in helping people with disabilities move more easily into the workforce is certainly there.

Welcome to 'The BUZZ' Monthly

2009-04-14T16:03:00Z

Welcome to "The BUZZZ". At Gettinghired.com, we have noticed that all the people, businesses and organizations in our community are busier than ever, so we have created this monthly newsletter to let everyone know what's going on in all of our virtual neighborhoods. At Gettinghired.com, employers are seeking qualified applicants to meet their staffing needs, while people with disabilities are looking for work and finding ways to increase their skills and improve their lives, while advocacy organizations are working hard to better the odds for their clients and consumers, and universities are preparing to send the current class of graduating seniors out into the real world. Phew! Lots of things are happening, and there's a buzz of excitement about every one of them. You can see why we need a newsletter, to keep everyone informed!

Here at Gettinghired.com, there's a real buzz of excitement about all the employers who continue to come onboard in astonishing numbers. We are proud to know and work closely with every single one of our employer partners who have subscribed at Gettinghired.com, companies like CIGNA, Wells Fargo, Sears, Kmart, Chubb Insurance, Merck, WellPoint, and so many others. We are excited about the 15,000-plus job opportunities available on our web site and we want to share our enthusiasm about matching good people with good jobs in great companies, with everyone in our online community. We know that, for our employers, a commitment to corporate social responsibility and diversity is more tangible than simply adopting high-minded slogans or bringing out tried and true platitudes once a year during Disability Employment Awareness Month events. Companies who register with Gettinghired.com have a social consciousness and a business interest that converge in the sure knowledge that hiring qualified people with disabilities enriches their business lives and brings a level of talent and commitment to their workforce that cannot be achieved by tapping into any other available talent pool!

If you've been having trouble figuring out which new employers have been joining our community, or who's hiring whom to do what, then check out "The BUZZZ" each month as we will list the five most actively hiring employers and choose a company to feature in each upcoming issue. Next month's "BUZZZ" will carry an in-depth profile of a featured Employer of the Month. Like you, we want to learn more about the strategies that employers adopt to bring diversity to their companies. We want to know about training programs that help make people from diverse backgrounds and cultures, with a variety of interests and skills, feel comfortable with one another. We want to hear about success stories and team building strategies, future directions, anticipated staffing needs, and innovative approaches to creating truly inclusive work environments. If you are one of our Gettinghired.com employers, we look forward to getting to know you better, and to letting our job seekers, service providers, university subscribers, and mentors learn about you too.

Each day, more and more job seekers register with Gettinghired.com. They're busy creating and updating their profiles, constructing resumes, practicing their interviewing skills, seeking and sharing advice, and taking advantage of our accessible social network to meet other people with disabilities, and share their triumphs, their experiences and their concerns with one another in our online discussion forums and blogs. There are job boards to scan, applications to complete, articles to read, mentors to find, campus programs to explore, and all manner of ways to network and look for meaningful work. If you were too busy yourself to check in on our discussion forums last month, or to read every single word of every single blog, you can rely on "The BUZZZ" to keep you up to date. We'll recap the hottest discussion topics in our forums and rerun the five most visited blogs each month in "The BUZZZ". We'll introduce you to our advocacy partners, and we will profile a different organization each month. Check out our interview with Carol A. Salter, Assistant Vice President for Workforce Development and National Director (of the Senior Community Service Employment Program at Easter Seals, Inc., this month. And, learn about the exciting approach to job development and career education that the University of Rhode Island has developed, in this month's issue, as well.

Here in the Gettinghired.com online community we believe in networking and promoting an environment where all our residents and visitors can learn from one another and speak freely about the issues that matter to us all. We are excited about sharing "The BUZZZ" with all of you, and we welcome your feedback and look forward to buzzing into your online consciousness again, in coming months.