W. Roy Grizzard, Jr.
Assistant Secretary, U. S. Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Employer Celebration Breakfast
WellPoint, Inc.
Richmond, Virginia
January 12, 2007
Thank you for that kind introduction Joyce and thank you Mark for your comments. I understand you were the one at WellPoint who crafted this exceptional partnership with Bender Consulting services.
I am truly honored to be here this morning, and just so you know, while we may be here celebrating WellPoint, I have and am still using my Anthem Insurance Card!
You know, I think everyone in this room will agree with me that Joyce Bender is an incredible individual. An article that appeared in a recent WellPoint News publication refers to Joyce as the powerhouse behind Bender Consulting Services. “Powerhouse” is an apt description for Joyce.
Not only is Joyce extremely passionate about disability employment, but her can do/will do attitude has resulted in employment for 298 skilled workers with disabilities. The thing about Joyce is that she knows exactly what she wants to achieve and she absolutely won’t stop until she gets it.
What Joyce wants is ODEP’s vision—A world in which people with disabilities have unlimited employment opportunities—Working in collaboration with Joyce and business leaders such as you, I firmly believe that together we can turn this vision into a reality.
When people with disabilities become part of corporate culture across America—this vision will become a reality and businesses will benefit. Businesses that overlook people with disabilities do so at an economic peril.
And that is precisely why ODEP was created—to provide national leadership so that hiring talented candidates with disabilities in America becomes the standard and not the exception.
ODEP’s employer research has produced findings that support a strong business case for the employment of people with disabilities. Many of you here today are living testaments to these findings.
This business case demonstrates that investing in workers with disabilities is indeed a sound investment. I think you will find what ODEP learned in the course of building the business case quite interesting.
First, employers’ top concern is finding qualified employees. When employers found out that more and more young people with disabilities are graduating from high school and college, and that people who experience a disability have creative problem solving skills, employers recognized that many candidates with disabilities do have the talents, skills, and experiences that they are recruiting for.
ODEP’s Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) helps employers find the candidates they are looking for. Visit Earnworks.com or call 1-866-327-6669 for details.
Second, employers are concerned with performance and retention. When employers learn that workers with disabilities have comparable performance and retention ratings as employees without disabilities, they see that hiring, retaining, and promoting people with disabilities positively impacts their bottom line.
And third, employers say that accommodations are costly. When employers hear that almost half of the accommodations that are needed actually cost nothing, and that the typical cost for an accommodation is $600, then they see that accommodations can be made cost effectively. ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the Nation’s premier source for information on job accommodations. Give them a call at 800-526-7234 or visit their Web site, www.jan.wvu.edu.
Together, these plus other ODEP findings support a compelling case for hiring candidates from this often overlooked talent pool. Through ODEP’s Workforce Excellence Initiative, we are reaching out to employers to help us spread the good news about this untapped resource.
I am happy to announce that ODEP recently formed an alliance with the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest human resource group (with more than 210,000 members), to promote the strategic and tactical business advantages of policies that promote the development of a workforce that looks like America. ODEP and SHRM have identified three goals for year one of this Alliance: a disability toolkit, a sustainable mentoring initiative, and a national awareness campaign.
To WellPoint, which is attracting top notch talented workers with disabilities in partnership with Bender Consulting, I commend you. Through this partnership, employees with disabilities are able to realize their full potential.
The inclusive corporate culture at WellPoint clearly sets the pace for others to follow, I am honored to meet both Mark Boxer (Executive Vice President) and David Casey (Vice President, Diversity and Workplace Culture) today. I understand that Careers and the Disabled Magazine named WellPoint a U.S. Top 50 Disability-Friendly Employer in 2004 and 2005. And in 2006, WellPoint was ranked among the top 50 companies by Diversity Inc. Magazine.
Employers such as WellPoint are setting new standards for hiring skilled candidates with disabilities in America and raising the bar in the disability employment arena.
I would like to close with two very specific requests:
First, that each of you would join Joyce Bender and ODEP in reaching out to employers who, like WellPoint, are seeking to attract and engage the best talent, but who may not be aware of the business case for hiring talented workers with disabilities.
And, second, that you would consider applying for the Secretary of Labor’s prestigious New Freedom Initiative Award this year. Joyce will let you know when the announcement is released next month.
Each year the Secretary recognizes non-profit organizations, small businesses, corporations and individuals (such as Joyce Bender) that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment and workplace environment for people with disabilities.
A distinguished group of U.S. businesses and organizations that received the Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award works to share proven strategies and practices. This Circle of Champions instills in other employers a corporate culture that includes employees with disabilities.
For details on how to apply and information on past awardees, please visit ODEP’s Web site at www.dol.gov/odep.
Thank you very much.
