Dedicated to Improving the Lives of Blind and Visually Impaired People

Building Local Partnerships to Hire and Retain Skilled Workers with Disabilities: A Webinar on March 20, 2024

“People with disabilities represent a major source of talent in the United States.” For employers, hiring skilled workers with disabilities expands the pool of talent and boosts retention and productivity. This webinar will be held on March 20, 2024 from 2 to 3:30 pm ET. It explores how to recruit and hire candidates from this large talent pool by forming local partnerships with public agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and service providers. A panel discussion will cover such topics as how to: establish and nurture partnerships; measure program impact and effectiveness by identifying shared goals, priorities, and benchmarks; navigate challenges; and manage change. The featured panel will include “innovative leaders” who will share strategies they have used in developing “successful partnerships to help recruit and retain workers with and without disabilities.” For more details and to register, visit the EARN (Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion) on Building Local Partnerships: One Strategy for Hiring and Keeping Workers. EARN is funded by ODEP (the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor).

Creating Community Partnerships

Community partnerships can facilitate hiring and retention efforts related to employees with disabilities through outcome-based relationships. Some of the criteria for prospective partners to support the process include whether the organization:

– provides reasonable accommodation consultation and assistance;
– provides resources for obtaining technology resources and training;
– develops training and resources on disabilities topics; and
– links employees to supports outside the workplace, such as caregiving.

For additional criteria and other information, read the EARN webpage on Community Partnerships: An Effective Inclusion Strategy.