WASHINGTON, DC – September 4, 2013: Companies working to meet new U.S. Department of Labor regulations for hiring people with disabilities can benefit from engaging with Enable America, a non-profit organization with programs that build bridges between employers and those they want to recruit.
"In a competitive job market, employers need access to the best possible employees," said Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "These rules make it easier for employers to tap into a large, diverse pool of qualified candidates."
Enable America helps employers find those candidates, through a series of offerings that open doors to work-ready, qualified people with disabilities. These include Job Skills Workshops, Career Mentoring Days, VetConnect programs for disabled veterans and wounded warriors, as well as Community Connection and Business to Business meetings. Collectively, these Enable America programs help improve employment opportunities for the more than 56 million Americans with disabilities.
“Our programs today are the result of more than ten years of engagement with both employers and people with disabilities, during which time we have built and refined our services to best meet mutual needs,” said Richard Salem, founder and chairman of Enable America. “Now more than ever, we have the right programs at the right time to further the Labor Department’s mission.”
Employers who want to take advantage of Enable America’s programs are encouraged to contact the organization’s Executive Director Chris Jadick (Chris.Jadick@EnableAmerica.org).
“We work at the front lines of this issue, providing those who have great talent, skill, and desire with opportunities that can be difficult to find in a challenging job market,” Jadick said. “Through Enable America’s growing network of proactive corporations and organizations, there is access to those opportunities. But much more work remains, and we welcome all interested employers to join us in these efforts.”
In the rules announced last week, government contractors are required to set a goal in which a minimum of 7 percent of their employees are people with disabilities. The requirements also list actions contractors must take in recruitment, training, record keeping and policy dissemination, similar to those required to promote workplace equality for women and minorities.
Enable America’s programs can also be helpful to employers who can’t immediately meet the goals, but are required to show proof of recruitment and outreach efforts in this area. Failure to meet objectives, or provide evidence of efforts made to do so, can lead to the loss of federal contracts.
“We remain committed to improving employment situations for those we serve, and we thank our many corporate sponsors and participants for their ongoing support,” said Jadick. “We welcome all those who want to join in this work to connect with us and participate.”
People with disabilities who would like to participate in future Enable America events, as well as companies interested in sponsoring a program at their site, can find out more and register on the group’s website,
www.EnableAmerica.org.
