Home About PA SILC Policy Issues Advocacy Independent Living Resources Media Center Calendar Contact Us     POLICY ISSUES   1.   Employment 2.   Housing 3.   Community Services 4.   Transportation 5.  Youth           E-mail         POLICY ISSUES     Employment   People with disabilities want to work and make excellent employees, but high unemployment rates are a huge problem. Research shows that people with disabilities have a wide range of education, skills and experiences, and are determined to use their talents to meet the needs of their employers. This strong desire to work means people with disabilities arrive on time, miss fewer hours and are more productive than their co-workers without disabilities. Plus, in a labor market with constant turnover, people with disabilities are typically more loyal and remain with the same employer for years, thus reducing the cost of hiring and training new employees. Despite these advantages, the unemployment rate among people with disabilities remains high, regardless of education or qualifications. In fact, people with significant disabilities have an unemployment rate of 70 percent, the highest of any group of Americans. Furthermore, access to education and training necessary to compete in today's world remains a concern. Governmental policies can make the problem worse. People with disabilities do not choose poverty, but programs with eligibility rules can force people to remain poor to get or maintain access to benefits or health care coverage. The PA SILC Employment Committee is working on all of these issues. The goals and actions of the committee are described below.   Employment Committee PA Statewide Independent Living Council Charge and Description 2005-2007   The State Plan for Independent Living was developed with substantial input from members of the Pennsylvania disability community, service providers and advocacy groups. As a result of that input, the following goal was developed in order to improve employment options for Pennsylvanians with disabilities. This goal and the steps outlined below set the framework for a three year period. Chairperson: Jamie Ray Staff: Corey L. Rowley, Matthew Seeley Date Constituted: October 1, 2004   GOAL VII: INCREASE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILTIES   Action Steps: Partner with OVR to influence training of VR Counselors Partner with employers and their trade associations to identify emerging employer needs and job opportu Partner with the network of CILs to develop and implement IL services and programs that assist people with disabilities to work Partner with the network of CILs and schools to create and/or enhance supports for transition from school to work Broaden SILC membership to include a more comprehensive perspective on employment (e.g., MAWD, Ticket to Work, PASS, etc.) in the private sector Partner with the Department of Labor & Industry to assist with accessibility compliance at CareerLink offices across the Commonwealth Send job announcement to the designated OVR Placement Counselor Advocate for increased state and federal VR funding Establish and develop a working relationship with the Governor's Committee on the Employment of People with   Measures of Success: Achievement of a majority of the following-   Documentation of meetings with employers and their trade associations Documentation of partnerships with CILs and schools regarding the creation and/or enhancement of supports for transitioning from school to work The addition of a representative of the employment perspective to the SILC Documentation of partnership with Labor & Industry working for the increase of accessibility at CareerLink sites Increased accessibility of CareerLink sites Documentation of job announcements sent to OVR Documentation of advocacy for increased state and federal VR dollars Documentation of outreach to the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities   Meeting Minutes Employment 1-03-06 Employment 3-17-06 Employment 4-04-06   Archive Employment-1-12-05 Employment-1-18-05 Employment-3-22-05 Employment-5-26-05 Employment-6-23-05 Employment 7-25-05 Employment 8-29-05 Employment 9-19-05   Register to vote       Contact Your Legislator   The committee wants to hear from you.  -Tell us about the employment situation for people with disabilities in your area.

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