As the 34th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) approaches, Bender Consulting Services, Inc., the first Disability:IN certified Disability-Owned Business Enterprise (DOBE), will launch a joint effort to advance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Despite the historic passing of the ADA, there remain vast inequalities for candidates with disabilities seeking employment in every state across the country. At present, the Labor Force Participation Rate for working-age Americans with a disability is 37.9%, compared to 77.8% of their non-disabled peers.
Through this effort, both organizations will utilize the experience, expertise, and guidance of former Congressman Tony Coelho, the primary author of the ADA, who has spent his time since leaving elected office fighting for greater employment opportunities for the disability community. Tony recently added his voice to this collaboration by saying that, “Today, we are matching two leading organizations who make a daily impact on disability equality by galvanizing both candidates with disabilities, as well as employers who understand that hiring people with disabilities is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do to increase their bottom line. Together, we tackle this problem head on and will remain focused until we achieve true equality in the workforce for our community.”
Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN, emphasized the potential of this powerful untapped talent pool, “By actively seeking disability talent, companies gain access to a wealth of expertise, innovation, and skills that can drive success. Together, we are committed to advancing disability employment in business.”
Joyce Bender, Founder of Bender Consulting Services, Inc., and Founder of the Bender Leadership Academy, said of this initiative that, “Together, with Disability:IN, Jill Houghton, and Tony Coelho, we can make in-roads at the local, state, and national level that will have a monumental impact on the disability community. I know that through this collaboration, we can and will make a difference. I encourage all leaders in Corporate America to join us now as we cannot do this without your help and support.”
If you have any questions about Bender Consulting Services or our work, please contact Sherry Lapaglia at slapaglia@benderconsult.com.