UNTAPPED TALENT POOL

Hiring People with Disabilities

Finding Talent

Are you struggling to find employees who show up for work? Who can do the work and remain loyal to the business? Find the untapped talent pool that Alameda County companies such as Claremont Club and Spa Hotel, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Copper Harbor and other inclusion-minded companies have already discovered – and add tremendous value to your business!

Did you know…

There are 1 million working age adults with disabilities in the United States?
That 75% of people without a disability are in the American workforce, compared to only 29% of people with disabilities?
Research suggests that if companies embrace disability inclusion, they will gain access to a new talent pool of approximately 10.7 million people?

The Alameda County Workforce Development Board is committed to connecting businesses looking for talent with high quality, loyal, creative individuals through partnerships with East Bay Innovations, the California Department of Rehabilitation, and the Regional Center of the East Bay . Learn how we can help you find great talent with disabilities by contacting Samantha Miller.

Also learn below how employees with disabilities make invaluable contributions to their companies through programs like East Bay Innovations’ Project SEARCH. Project SEARCH provides supportive job readiness assistance so that job seekers with disabilities succeed on every single aspect of the job!

Lady Idos
Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab
pictured with Seleste Rodriguez
Administrative Assistant
and Project SEARCH participant

Partnerships That Work!

“We know that companies that hire people with disabilities consistently outperform their peers. Since we’re in the business of innovation, we need a diverse set of perspectives and approaches to solve problems in unique and creative ways.

We have a stronger workforce and laboratory with Seleste and other Project SEARCH employees on our teams.

I urge other companies and organizations to consider taking a more innovative approach to creating a workplace that is truly diverse and inclusive and consider the many benefits and competitive advantage that comes with hiring people with disabilities.”

-Lady Idos

Want to Know More?

Learn more about the Business Case for hiring individuals with disabilities.

Read the article on “America’s Hidden Workforce Returns” in the Wall Street Journal (January 2019).

Hear about the valued role that employees with disabilities have from employers like Primus Power and La Clinica De La Raza who have hired individuals through East Bay Innovations’ Project Search.

Other Resources

No cost Windmills training offered by the California Department of Rehabilitation (CA DOR), to assist employers in hiring and retaining job seekers and workers with disabilities. Contact the CA DOR to sign up for training modules that meet the needs of your company.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) helps you find the answer for successfully providing on-the-job accommodations for people with disabilities.

The Disability Equality Index is a tool that helps companies benchmark and measure disability inclusion. See how your company measures up!