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Public-Private Partnerships

When private businesses partnering with public disability agencies will achieve success in recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining qualified workers with disabilities.

Did You Know?

• Companies in many industries report difficulty finding enough skilled workers to fill available jobs.

• People with disabilities are the largest source of untapped talent in today’s labor force.

• There are many tax incentives available to businesses for training and hiring people with disabilities.

• Local vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs are a resource to help business in recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining of workers with disabilities.

• Business Leadership Networks (BLNs) are employer-led organizations that share innovative best practices in hiring and retaining people with disabilities. BLNs help employers meet current and future labor needs.

Why Partnerships?

Business needs skilled, qualified workers to fill its labor demands and grow into new markets. Rehabilitation programs need employment placements for their customers – people with disabilities. A strong partnership is a win-win situation. Private businesses partnering with public disability agencies will achieve success in recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining qualified workers with disabilities.

Who Benefits from the Partnership?

• Business Benefits
  • Access to a wider range of qualified candidates
  • Learn how to meet workers accommodation needs
  • Reduced turnover and improved attendance of workers
  • Diverse workforce
    

• Rehabilitation Benefits
  • Increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities
  • Improved knowledge of business culture and needs
  • Realistic skills training
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction

How to Develop a Partnership?

The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce in Maryland began working with the local Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program when the chamber sponsored a BLN (Business Leadership Network). The chamber and VR regularly plan for the region's workforce needs. VR develops training and support programs and the result is a steady pipeline of job-ready workers with disabilities – meeting the labor demands of the region.

Working Partnerships Resources

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

• The ADRS has developed a single point of contact for employers.
• Employer Development Coordinators (EDC) actively share information in the business community and coordinate services across the various community rehabilitation programs.
• A partnership between ADRS and the UAB was formed some 20 years ago.
• UAB and ADRS now work together to provide timely and aggressive employee intervention strategies for University personnel whose jobs have been affected by illness, injury or disability.
• The focus of the partnership is to help the university retain valued employees by tapping into the disability management resources of ADRS.
  

Resources

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services - Services for Employers
Peggy Anderson, 205-290-4457, panderso@rehab.state.al.us

Alabama Business Leadership Network
Teresa A. Holmes, 334-792-0022, tholmes@rehab.state.al.us

Source: VCU - RRTC on Workplace Supports