Experience Counts
Promoting Employment Opportunities for Older Workers
The Challenge
According to the National Organization on Disability, people between the ages of 55 and 64 have a 21.9 percent chance of developing a disability. With 78 million baby boomers in this age group, a significant number will likely develop age-related physical, sensory or cognitive impairments that may pose barriers to maintaining or regaining employment.
The fact that the nation’s workforce is getting older presents a host of challenges not only for aging Americans with limitations, but also for their employers and the nation’s healthcare and Social Security systems.
The Solution
To ensure that these workers may continue to compete in the workplace and enjoy gainful and productive lives, Abilities, Inc. implemented a three-year Experience Counts program in October 2005. The program is designed to assist mature workers with disabilities or age-related limitations to regain employment in the Bronx, N.Y., Ann Arbor, Mich., and Birmingham, Ala.
The goal is to serve 720 job seekers and to place at least 540 workers into meaningful jobs. In addition to providing comprehensive pre- and post-employment support, program participants may also be referred to other organizations for services, such as vocational training or retraining, benefits consultations, and job coaching.
The program collocates with other organizations in all three locations. The Bronx site occupies donated office space at the New York State Office of Vocational Education Services for Individuals with Disabilities. In Manhattan, Addeco, a staffing agency known for its commitment to older workers, provides space. In Ann Arbor and Birmingham, the program is housed in local Independent Living Centers, which offer a variety of services to persons with disabilities, including information and referral and peer counseling
The program operates on two parallel tracks: educating employers on the value of hiring or retaining older workers; and assisting mature job seekers in realigning their careers. Part of the education for both groups includes information about workplace accommodations, both high- and low-tech solutions that can compensate for functional limitations and enhance productivity and job performance.
On the employer track, an educational campaign has been undertaken to dispel long-held myths about older workers and to familiarize companies with both the variety and costs of accommodations that may not only increase productivity, but also reduce workplace injury for all employees. Training for employers is provided by Abilities, Inc. at national conferences attended by human resource and diversity professionals or at corporate sites on a contract basis. While onsite, Abilities,
Inc. conducts workshops and consults on issues related to hiring, accommodations and the supervision of older workers and employees with disabilities.
To assist mature job seekers in redefining career goals, experienced placement specialists provide career assessment, vocational guidance and job search assistance. These specialists are also responsible for business development, job referrals and initial accommodation consultations. Where needed, staff may also work with occupational therapists and ergonomists. Since this program is federally funded, there is no cost to job seekers or employers.
For individuals recently separated from the workforce, job seeking skills training is offered to provide knowledge about changes in job search and application techniques and information about laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, designed to protect workers from disability or age-related discrimination.
An important component of the job search preparation is rebuilding the confidence of those who have been discouraged from seeking work because of the assumption (or actual experience) that employers would not hire them due to their age and/or perceived “over-qualification.”The Results
As a result of the innovative practices implemented since the inception of the program, 187 mature workers have obtained meaningful employment. Of those, over 70 percent were unemployed for more than six months prior to receiving services.
The agency’s plan for 2007 is to expand this success with veterans with disabilities who are returning to civilian life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. This new initiative is entitled, the Military Experience Counts program.
Program outreach to the employment community is enhanced and supported by an affiliate, the National Business & Disability Council, a membership organization of Fortune 1000 companies committed to employing workers with disabilities. Staff also work in close partnership with local community organizations, such as the One-Stop Career Centers and the local offices of the National Council on Aging, to inform them of program services, seek coordination, and leverage funds.
The Organization
Abilities, Inc. is a nonprofit agency dedicated to facilitating integrated employment and full participation of persons with disabilities in their work and living communities. Employment is accomplished through direct service to youth and adults with disabilities and to employers, insurance carriers, schools and colleges and other rehabilitation programs. Services are delivered, when possible, in diverse community settings in response to consumer and business needs and legislative mandates. Abilities, Inc. is committed to developing and demonstrating programs and services of national excellence.
