First-ever conference at Nova teaches disabled how to thrive in workplace

From: Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel, FL - Feb 10, 2004

By Joan Fleischer Tamen
Business Writer

Get the best possible education to secure the best possible job, choose where you want to work and know your rights as a disabled person when you go to interview for a job so potential employers can see beyond disability and see ability.

That was the message to more than 600 participants of the first-ever Emerging Workforce Conference from John D. Kemp, who was born without arms and legs and went on to become an attorney and a national advocate for the disabled.

"I'm really proud to be a person with a disability. It's an identity, not simply an experience of oppression," said Kemp. "We must accept our differences. It really comes down to those who get it, and those who don't. Let the revolution begin today."

Kemp was among a group of business, government and community leaders who aimed to inspire and enlighten those attending the two-day national conference that continues today at the Wyndham Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston and is sponsored by Nova Southeastern University.

Today, there are more than 54 million Americans living with a disability, representing a full 20 percent of the U.S. population, according to government statistics. Almost half of these individuals have a severe disability affecting their ability to see, hear, walk or perform other basic functions of life. In addition, there are more than 25 million family caregivers and millions more who provide aid and assistance to people with disabilities.

Much of Monday's sessions were geared to helping the disabled find a job and to helping employers understand the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.

George Koehm, CEO of SunTrust Banks of Florida, encouraged other employers to actively recruit the disabled and to offer disability awareness training to all their employees, especially managers and front-line supervisors. The banking company provides telework, or work-from-home, for persons with mobility difficulties and has sign language interpretation for both deaf employees and customers.

"Clearly many myths need to be shattered," said Koehm. "But I know from personal experience that our employees with disabilities perform as well as others. ... Gaining a productive worker is an advantage to all businesses. It is good business."

During the conference opening, Social Security Commissioner Jo Anne Barnhart announced the federal government has waived rules to allow Florida to expand programs aimed at cutting the 70 percent national unemployment rate for disabled Americans.

The Florida Freedom Initiative, a pilot program aimed at making disabled people more independent, self-sufficient and responsible, will benefit from a waiver issued last week and a $500,000 federal grant awarded last year, she said.

Basically, it will allow the disabled in Florida who receive Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) and Medicaid to earn more money on the job without fear of losing medical benefits.

"We're very excited about this," said Angel Figuerdo, a South Florida coordinator with the Social Security Administration in Miami. "It will be an incentive to work, it reduces the possibility of losing one's benefits."

Gov. Jeb Bush joined Barnhart at the opening of the conference on employment for disabled people.

Bush said he has doubled funding for developmental services in his five-year administration from $503 million to more than $1 billion a year, which will expand services to 3,200 people next year.

He is focusing on providing tax incentives to employers who lower barriers to employment and reduce the "huge" unemployment rate among disabled people willing to work.

Of 13 million recipients of Social Security disability payments, Barnhart said less than 0.2 percent fully enter the work force.

Bush said the high school graduation rate for disabled students in Florida improved from 84 percent in 2002 to 95 percent last year.

"I'm proud of that, but if these students can't find employment after graduation, then only half of the job is done," he said.

The Florida Freedom Initiative empowers individuals with developmental disabilities to take control of their futures, the governor said.

Empowering the disabled was a recurring theme during the daylong workshops that had hundreds of able and disabled shuttling between rooms. Many came on motorized wheelchairs, others with their guide dogs and walking canes. Some sat in front rows to see the sign language interpreters.

"This is what it's all about," said Melanie Mowry Etters, communications director with the Florida Department of Education's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. "There are many success stories out there of people breaking down barriers for the disabled and succeeding in jobs."

Joan Fleischer Tamen can be reached at jtamen@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5030.

Copyright 2004, Sun-Sentinel Co. & South Florida Interactive, Inc.