Employers committed to the inclusion of qualified people with
disabilities in the competitive workplace and as consumers

Employer Supports

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Oregon MIG Leadership Council
White Paper

Employer Supports to the Employment of People with Disabilities in Oregon:
 A Review of practice and strategies for improvement

 Prepared for the Leadership Council of the Oregon Medicaid Infrastructure Grant

November 2005

 Submitted by:

Lucy Baker, Executive Director, OBLN

Sharon A. Baggett, Ph.D.

Oregon MIG Leadership Council White Paper

Employer Supports to the Employment of People with Disabilities in Oregon: A Review of practice and strategies for improvement

People with disabilities in the competitive workforce and marketplace represent a larger number of individuals with each census, now topping 20% of the American adult population and a higher percentage for African Americans and Native Americans.  At the interface between the business environment and trends that will affect Oregon business sectors in the next 5–15 years, there are some unique challenges and opportunities immediately ahead.  A growing pool of skilled workers traditionally undervalued by business, the skill dearth as aging boomers begin leaving the workforce, the cost of lost days from injury on the job, and the emergence of a new consumer market expanding faster than any other, all share a common characteristic: this is the profile of people with disabilities in the workplace and as consumers between the years of 2005-2020.

The practice of building employer supports and accessible workplaces is evolving nationally into cultures of inclusion in many corporations with ties to internal or external expertise to support the vision of leadership.  While every sector of business and industry has its own unique needs regarding it, accommodation of disability has become part of the business strategy and key competencies of many leading Oregon businesses, large or small, around the state.

The successful growth of such cultures, in Oregon and nationally, is founded on traditional business practices of efficiency, quality, and timeliness linked with access to expertise.  For business to be successful around employment of people with disabilities, it must understand its special interests around inclusion of disability in the workplace and marketplace, develop the internal practices to assure that all parts of its operation are working to promote these interests, and access the expertise and resources it will need to take full advantage of accommodation as an effective business strategy.  For experts from the VR/employment community to be successful, they must be prepared to engage with business on these terms.  This includes helping business analyse its needs, have resources available, and provide a coordinated response for recruitment, training, assessment, accommodation, modification, strategy or other supports.  In larger businesses much of the expertise may be internal, but in many others it is a combination of internal leadership linked with private consultants or the comprehensive array of government expertise and resources within Vocational Rehabilitation (VR), Developmental Disabilities (DD), and WorkSource Oregon’s Employment Department and One Stops.

This is a time for Oregon business and the Oregon VR/Employment community of experts to consider whether the system of disability supports, practices, and delivery systems that was developed in the 1990's, is adequate to the needs of the next decade.  This paper briefly reviews an array of promising concepts and models in employer supports that use partnerships between business and VR as a foundation for success.  It also suggests strategies and actions aimed at key areas including:

·        Business model elements for inclusion and accommodation

·        Business/government joint leadership and vision

·        Coordinated response

·        Evaluations of delivery systems and supports

·        Piloting new approaches

·        Measuring success

Developing Employer Supports in a Business Environment

For successful integration of employer supports, both the business and the VR community need to understand the characteristics that make businesses successful in employing people with disabilities.  "One way to [increase the effectiveness of placement services] is to increase our understanding of employers," according to Dennis Gilbride.[1]  “Many employers do hire and effectively accommodate [the needs of] people with disabilities. [Identifying] the specific characteristics of employers who are successful in hiring and accommodating people with disabilities can help focus placement services and improve the targeting of consulting, education, and advocacy activities."  Table 1 contains a list of these business characteristics:

Table 1. Key Characteristics of Employers Who Are Open to People with Disabilities

Both the literature and review of best practice suggest that some of the most successful joint enterprises between businesses and the VR community around improving employer supports and employment outcomes are:

·        Led by business champions externally; and internally by top leadership;

·        Tied to business plans and associated internal metrics;

·        Spread using business models from which others can learn and mentor;

·        Relevant to the trends and needs of specific business sectors;

·        Responsive to the pace and culture of individual businesses;

·        Delivered in ways, places, and with standards that businesses use; and

·        Partnered with rehabilitation experts who treat business as a customer.

Alabama, Washington, Oregon, and other states that have taken on the effort to involve businesses successfully in developing models for employing people with disabilities have teamed with businesses to change their practices by focusing on developing business as customer.  This paradigm involves taking a fresh look at employer relationships and support through the lens of the business case, business metrics, and relevant business trends, including worker shortages, technology advances, the benefits of diversity, and specific sector needs.

What Oregon Does Now Around Employer Supports

The Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation/Employment Community

Oregon clearly has begun to examine ways in which VR, the employment community and business can more effectively support hiring, retention, recruitment and quick return to work of people with disabilities.  At the optimum, this would include establishing business as a customer and a partner, working with business to frame an array of supports that fit easily into business environments, better addressing the long standing desire of business to find individuals that are qualified to do the work at the time they are needed, and tracking metrics to see what is working. 

A number of Oregon Departments and non-profits provide a comprehensive set of employer supports around employment and disability (see Table 2).  Lead by the Department of Human Services – which houses Developmental Disabilities (DD), the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVRS) and the Office of Mental Health Services – it is joined by others which offer further supports.  These partners include the Oregon Commission for the Blind, the Employment Department, the One Stop System and its Navigators, the Worker's Compensation Division (Preferred Worker Program and Employer at Injury Programs), Independent Living Centers, the NW ADA and IT Center and others.  Each of these individually and/or jointly reaches out to business to build relationships, provide service and discuss business needs.  Government also contracts with private enterprise for job development or other aspects of support.  The contractors compete around representing their clientele with business.  A coordinated approach by government with business around disability is part of best practice in states like

Table 2. Employer Supports in Oregon from Governmental and Non-Profit Sources

Alabama.  The benefit of such a system to business and job seekers in Oregon has not been fully explored.

Oregon Business and Employer Supports

The array of supports that business provides statewide or within sectors is less documented.  The Oregon Business Leadership Network (OBLN) is a recently formalized business association for employers which share a bottom line interest in inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and as consumers.  The OBLN provides business-to-business networking, forums, e-newsletters, a web-based resource clearinghouse (www.obln.org) and leadership around promoting successful models in hiring, retention and recruitment of workers with disabilities based on the business case.

Many businesses in Oregon and affiliates of the OBLN have long histories of working relationships with government including including with the OVRS, DD, WorkSource Oregon (including the Employment Department) and Worker's Compensation Division.  In conversations with employers in Oregon, the OBLN has identified a number of supports that they commonly provide to their employees with disabilities. These include:

Nationally employers have been studied to see which supports are most common, most effective, and most difficult.

Table 4. Types of Supports for Workers with Disabilities that Employers Provide

Source: Susanne M. Bruyere, Disability Employment Policies and Practices in Private and Federal Sector Organizations, Cornell University, March 2000.

Alabama and other leading states are looking to business models for better answers with the intent that both employer supports and employment figures can be improved.  They are scrutinizing how business-like they are in providing supports and teaming with business in creative, new ways.

Promising Practices Around Employer Supports: Alabama VR

Alabama is often cited as a state that has a helpful model around improving employer supports and, ultimately, employment for people with disabilities using a business paradigm.  It should be noted that in the review for this paper, no definitive research was identified that indicated that any state model has resulted directly in improved overall employment rates for people with disabilities.  Statistically, employment for persons with disabilities has remained flat across the nation for many years with a slight reduction in 2004.  Yet, those with whom we spoke indicated that they are having employment successes, especially around those with significant disabilities.  Within Oregon, there are models in re-employment and other areas that appear statistically significant in improving outcomes.  Gathering information on promising models and associated metrics will be an important component of improving employer supports.

Employer Relationships: Business as a True Partner and a Customer

Alabama Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) has been actively working to develop employer relationships in the state for almost thirty years, and has developed a regional presence with business and industry over the past ten years.  Among the supports VR provides are training resources, recruiting assistance, retention assistance using the Retaining a Valued Employee (RAVE) program and accommodation. The VR works closely with some of the largest employers in the state, such as the University of Alabama, Alabama Power, Wachovia Bank, CVS Pharmacy and others.  From the state’s perspective, there are two levels on which the system operates. The first level is the “big picture” – the larger aspects of the business as customer model that are both impacted by and impact on public policy.  The second is the state and regional level and the supports that VR and employers provide to one another.

Working With Business at the Policy Level

While the U.S. Department of Labor has relationships with and reaches out to large corporations who express interest in hiring and recruiting from target groups, it is hard to see the actual result at the state rehabilitation level of people with disabilities hired and retained from these national efforts.  But where states have adopted the business as customer model, not only are the big, visible corporations involved, but also are medium and smaller businesses at all levels of business and industry.

Having key businesses in leadership roles in the rehabilitation organizations is a powerful tool for success.  In Alabama, one of the largest employers, the University of Alabama, funded a part of a position in the University to work with the RAVE Program. They and other large employers serve on the Vocational Rehabilitation Department’s Advisory Committee, on the Board of Rehabilitation Council’s Advisory Board, the Employment Committee, and are active in the Alabama Business Leadership Network . Several of these bodies are chaired by business and industry representatives.  In addition, the Alabama BLN was started by business, including representatives from the Office of Federal Contracts Compliance Programs (OFCCP), Wachovia Bank, University of Alabama , Alabama  Bank, CVS Pharmacy and others who have had a long relationship with VR.

Business can also play a key role in advocating for the value of rehabilitation services. In response to recent proposed reauthorization of the federal Rehab Act, businesses countywide came together, organizing a corporate Congressional Breakfast and legislative summits to publicly advocate for VR programs.

The State VR Community

Alabama  VR provides a range of supports for employers, many of which are provided by other states as well.  But what is different is the creativity, the level of outreach and the extent of partnering that make their efforts stand out.  Alabama  VR provides training and consultation – the most commonly requested support.  The second most common support requested by employers is assistance with recruiting and, more recently, with return to work and retention.  It also assists employers with worker accommodation, in areas from ergonomics to safety.

The relationship with business is reciprocal, with employers also providing assistance to VR.  Indeed, many of their activities involved both partners’ contributions.  Alabama , like many states, holds job fairs, and businesses pool and send their recruiters; in return VR is committed to building a pool of candidates who are prepared to work.  VR and businesses also work together in arranging disability mentoring days and pre-hire work opportunities.  In a more unique partnership, five years ago, the ALABAMA  BLN came to VR and offered to help build a more business-friendly client database, from which they could directly recruit.  Posting positions also provided them the opportunity to show evidence of their affirmative action policies.  The Alabama BLN link is also on the VR website.  The database is now shared and offers a more effective tool for both.

Creating alliances is also important to Alabama  VR.  For example, VR staff did outreach to government staff working in affirmative action compliance and built relationships by showing them how VR could support their efforts.  In return, if the OFCCP visits a business to ensure compliance with affirmative action and finds that the company does not have in place policies to hire and retain persons with disabilities, they are automatically referred to VR for assistance.

What Does It Take: Lessons from Alabama  and Others

Conversations with Alabama  VR staff and national experts indicate that there are key components of making the business and rehabilitation community partnership successful.  These include:

·        Agency leadership clearly adopts the dual customer view, where business is “the other customer” – not just saying it, but acting to implement in a business oriented, timely way.

·        Staff exists with technical knowledge and business expertise in a leadership role.

·        Middle management buys into the philosophy. This requires training and continuous reinforcement, but is essential if managers are to set the business as customer tone for counselors.

·        Counseling staff is trained to understand the needs of business.

·        Designated staff is committed to building and maintaining employer relationships.  This may involve reclassifying some positions from traditional counselors to outreach and business relations; this can be done without additional resources when none are available.

·        Products are developed and delivered that meet businesses’ current needs, recognizing that these are ever-changing.  When ADA passed, businesses needed assistance with compliance.  When the labor market shrank, interest in retention increased.  When diversity was the buzzword, disability needed to be built into diversity training.  No matter the need, there will be the opportunity to build a response that builds on and moves forward employment of persons with disabilities.

·        Resources are shared and linkages built.  A strong regional and national presence is becoming more critical and VR and BLN's can help.  Many medium and large companies work across state lines, and states need to build the infrastructure and delivery mode to serve these businesses.  State VR’s and BLN's can share training programs, assessment tools and other resources.  Alabama  has formalized working protocols for how they work across states, both to solidify their relationships and to respond to businesses’ need to streamline points of entry/contact.

·        Employers work to get commitments from leadership (find a champion), provide needed training and develop key relationships with HR for optimum outcomes.

·        Person-to-person contact is necessary to know how individual businesses work. The unique needs of each company – whether seasonal, geographic, industry-specific or other – must be recognized.

·        Market information for planning is developed: Where are the future careers?  What are growth sectors?  What do employers see as their coming needs for employees?

The Business View: Alabama Power

An example of business in partnership with the VR community is Alabama Power.  It has had a long connection with VR.  The company’s Disabilities Manager serves on the state rehabilitation council, has attended national meetings with the state commissioner, and is often consulted by businesses.  Alabama  Power has a history of both retaining workers with severe injuries, as well as hiring people with significant disabilities, mainly physical.

Alabama Power staff cited several supports offered by VR that are most valuable.  These include:

·        Expertise/consultation/counsel

·        Timeliness and responsiveness of service.  Staff noted a recent need for large screens to assist low vision applicants and noted that VR immediately delivered the screens.  Staff said, “This kind of assistance, saving our staffing people from having to go out and find this equipment, is just invaluable and VR is always there for us on these things.”

·        Placements

·        Coordination among agencies.  VR coordinates all of the agencies (such as Easter Seals and local agencies) so Alabama Power staff do not have to try and respond to multiple agencies.  VR knows how the business operates and serves as a clearinghouse.  If an agency does call Alabama Power, they are told to go through VR, saving a great deal of staff time and effort.

Alabama Power staff recognize that their VR is different, noting “our VR’s attitude is that ‘we are here to serve’; it’s a total partnership.  It’s the total service that works.”  In addition, staff pointed to the fact that VR is out in the businesses, noting, “That’s how I found out more about what they had to offer.  They were in my building, talking to people.”  Alabama Power also works with VR on new initiatives, such as one which is beginning between VR and the Veterans Administration.

Strategic Opportunities Around Employer Supports and employment for Oregon

Oregon business is taking some important steps towards formalizing its interests around disability in the workplace with the August 2005 publishing of the OBLN's Business Case for Inclusion of People with Disabilities in the Competitive Workplace and as Consumers.  It is also pushing for inclusion of Accommodation as a Business Strategy in the Oregon Business Plan.  Governmental leadership is also progressing.  The Oregon VR/Employment community has taken the lead around developing the Business-as-Customer concept and has initiated focus groups and training around this key practice.

The following recommended strategies are based on leadership already begun in Oregon and are modeled after national best practice in states like Alabama .  They are aimed at building a commitment by business and government to improve the rate of unemployment among Oregonians with disabilties with a joint plan for making it happen.  They articulate steps that typify best practice in business and also in government.  They are inclusive of all people with disabilities being built on strategies proven successful in the employment of those with multiple disabilities.  Many of these strategies reflect those in Table 4 that were identified nationally as being most effective in increasing employment for persons with disabilities.  The underlying strategic opportunity of all these recommendations includes a coordinated inter-departmental approach linked with business champions that does not yet exist, although many of the elements are present or can develop when provided with this opportunity.

The OBLN Board of Directors endorses these recommendations and provides them to the MIG Leadership Council for its purposes in sparking discussion, debate, enthusiasm and leadership around employer supports in Oregon.

Employer supports to the Employment of People with Disabilities: Recommended elements for a Strategic Plan