Networking Forum

Interesting job stats for disabled persons in the US. According to the CNIB in the August newsletter Visions, employment stats for blind and visually impaired persons is at 32 per cent, the same as it was when I graduated 30 some years ago.

It's not the total solution, but too many employment opportunities aren't taken advantage because of preconceived notions and a lack of information. Many member agencies of the National Industries for the Blind (NIB) would love to hire workers who are blind. Many pay competitive wages, with benefits. These agencies offer upward mobility. Many have workers who are blind in key positions of leadership, including CEO. These jobs can be a good place to start a career, whether you intend to stay with the NIB agency or move into employment outside a specialized setting. In an era when the government may very well run out of money, perhaps a career path beginning at an NIB agency is a wise alternative to hoping Uncle Sam can continue to afford the bloated SSI program.

First to Rob's post (above). While agree NIB offers opportunity, can't help but question viability of positions for, significant number of contracts are with Federl entities. Since Federal government through the General Services Administration (GSA) is evaluating long standing contracts for effectiveness/efficiency, eliminating those services not critical to the agencies management/operation, there is a potential for contraction of available Service Agreements.

Earlier today, WSJ On-Line posted results of survey of 48 noted U.S. Economist with both liberal and conservative leanings. All agreed small business, where a majority of jobs are created, will not begin hiring until sometime in late 2010 and, unemployment, at best, will remain for the general public at 6% or greater once a recovery is in full mode.

After reading this week's materials, while Administration's efforts laudible, measures undertaken do not address the fundimental issues prohibiting a majority of persons with disabilities from pro-actively seeking gainful employment, i.e. transportation, training, technology and a myriad of other personal/family support concerns.

Next, while the Federal government is hiring, would suggest individuals conduct the following test. If you discover results significantly different than those noted, please share your findings:

1) When attempting to refer clients to a "Schedule A", Coordinator in a majority of Federal agencies contacted, it took no less than 6-8 calls to identify the individual. (In two cases, it was over ten).

2) Once the individual was identified, it was only through persistance (and, a measure of Voice Mail messages) that a "live" person was finally contacted.

3) In a majority of conversations, the Schedule "A" Coordinator did not provide the same response as to information necessary in order to demonstrate qualifications for a Schedule "A" vacancy resulting in the applicants delay in completing the application process or, being rejected from Schedule "A" consideration. Ironically, Office of Personnel Management (OPM), when contacted, noted all procedures shoud be identical.

In short, from this test, solutions to improve "Employment Opportunity" include:

1) the Administration's "Job Czar" needs to work with Cabinet agencies to insure uniformity in Schedule "A" processing of applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

2) Identify and pro-actively publish on the various Federal Websites the Schedule "A" procedures for each agency and, the primary contact, including their telephone and E-Mail for contact by perspective candidates with disabilities.

3) Conduct "Federal Employment Fairs" at the lowest possible denominator, i.e. "grass roots level" and insure maximized advertisement of the events and, critically important, the types of positions available and qualifications for each.

Finally, to aide small business in hiring, training and retaining qualified candidates with disabilities, expand tax incentives in these areas to enable these perspective employers to seriously consider this segment of the workforce.

Of course, there are other factors which, the Federal government could fund to enhance employability of candidates with disabilities using "stimulus" funds however, that's the topic for additional commentary.

The world economy took many years to get in the situation it was in last year and is still in today, so people shouldn't expect that jobs will be following quickly. Our Bank of Montreal and TD Canada Trust have said that job recovery won't occur in Canada until the spring of 2010 at the earliest, as James also mentioned. However today Stats Canada gave us a little good news on the job market, we dropped from 8.7 per cent to 8.2 per cent as of the end of September. It's going to be a slow go, but those of us of a certain age have witnessed this before. We will recover eventually.

This is what globalization brings to not just the US but Canada as well and all the world's major economies.

However, I still find it disturbing that our rates for employment for pwds has remained stagnant during the past 30 years. Despite education about pwds and how we are not as costly to employers, we still don't seem to be able to get beyond the marks of 30 years ago. Government initiatives are fine but I think we have to somehow change society's attitudes towards pwds. I don't know how we do that but pwds need something to make our lives more dignified and more worthy of of equal access, equal pay and equal opportunity. I don't know if it will happen in my life time. But we all need to be more diligent in getting the message across that we are willing to work , are able to work and are not all happily sitting on ssdi or odsp . We're only there if we've exhausted all other areas.

I found the article about the employment issues quite interesting. I think one thing which might help the situation is that we need some kind of technology summit. this summit could deal with issues like engaging the computer industry in coming up with solutions to current technology problems like access to social networks, multimedia, consumer communications products, and more general accessibility issues with mainstream computer products. I also think the conference could address finding funding sources to both do technology research, and put technology in the hands of blind people to become competitive in the workplace and to more fully participate in the digital age by doing personal networking and taking advantage of other mainstream communications technologies.

It is my most humble opinion that until we institute Policy that is conducive to rebuild our productive capacity there will be scarce opportunity for Disabled Worker’s.

This massive spending and wreckless Monitory Policies are killing the economics' of this Country.

Based on more than 50, Year’s in and around the Disability Community Issue’s, I doubt very much that 22%, of the working Population is for real disabled.

An intensive Study was conducted in California about 1970, to determine the real level of Fraud in the Social Service System and, behold, the result’s indicated that it was statistically insignificant.

Severely disabled Person’s entering the competitive Labor force is insignificant and the Individual’s severely injured or otherwise disabled file Worker Comp Claim’s, Insurance and disability Claim’s and then leave the Work Force.

I have often asked the question; if so many disabled People are even amongst us and if so many are really working then just why do they remain so invisible.

People have been misguided and misinformed for many Year’s regarding the number of severely disabled People.

There is a vast difference between Vocationally; working age and possessing work skill’s, and chronically and permanently Ill.

Back in the 50’s, I was an Under Grad. And I was the first Blind Student in the History of the University. During my last Year another Blind Student came in and there probably during my Year’s there were probably 4, Student’s using mobility Aids and I knew a few other’s having condition’s that caused some aggravation and limited loss, however, didn’t cause loss of independence.

I have spent time in 5, Universities and have known of very few people having severe disabling condition’s.

When a lot of Funding began flowing into the Disability Industry, the published number’s of Disabled rose dramatically.

I have been totally Blind for 55, Year’s and I have witnessed a great deal during this time and I know there is plenty of room for suspicion and cynicism about lot’s and especially when there is a Monitory potential.

C. Fred Stout

P.S. Just an old Blind, Man rattling on a little and not that anyone cares.

When it comes to people with disabilities, America speaks out of both sides of its mouth. I have a physical disability, and this does not mean that there is a mental problem there. My IQ is higher than most, and people with physical issues do occasionally have brilliant ideas that work. I am beginning to see that unless I come up with funds that I do not have my idea is only going to take place if I give it to someone else, and I am talking about geometric growth over the next 20-30 years. I have the seeds of a WalMart story here. Not to be curmudgeonly , but the fact that this idea is idel to me is absolutely a sin.

While I applaud the President's initiatives, I also feel it's not the most effective direction. The best place to find a job and keep working in even tough times is in the private sector. Of that, the most effective is with small business. At the same time, these are the folks most likely to hold to misconceptions about blindness and other disabilities.

I'd like to see some sort of massive educational drive to let folks know that the blind or vision impaired aren't invalids. In most cases, accommodation is easy to obtain (often with the help of a state or private agency) and the person can do most or all the work a non-disabled person can. They've also fought through the disability, developing or demonstrating desirable character traits such as perseverance and tenacity. Perhaps something like the "The More You Know" PSA series could do it, but I think it will take something more broad-based. Maybe we can tell our success stories through viral videos and internet sites.

It should be noted that, while small business owners may be the most difficult to reach with the word the disabled can do the job, they're also the most likely to be loyal to a disabled employee. Most larger businesses don't display loyalty to any employee, so I consider that a plus.