Diversity Journal May/Jun 2012

Page 55

Hiring Policies Fifth Third’s EEO/AA

policies convey commitment to hiring, promoting and retaining talented people with disabilities. The company is building relationships with community, government, and state vocational rehabilitation partners to utilize resources and promote placement of people with disabilities.

By including hiring and advancement policies targeted at employees with disabilities, companies prepare the groundwork for a diverse workforce and allow themselves to attract the best candidates.

KPMG has specific training

and programs in place to recruit, retain, and support partners and employees who have disabilities or who are caregivers for someone with a disability.

WellPoint has a talent

acquisition consultant role who supports disability and veteran hiring initiatives. They also regularly attend targeted job fairs and events.

OfficeMax embarked on a company-wide People with

Disabilities and Veterans Initiative in 2009. The purpose of the Initiative was to improve outreach to the disabled community and increase hiring of those individuals. The company works with Aspire of Illinois, which helps identify qualified candidates with disabilities for hire.

Fully serving clients requires harnessing the energy and creativity of a diverse workforce. CSC realizes that diversity and inclusion, in any arena, serves as a catalyst to foster innovation. CSC believes strength comes from the company’s ability to unite people of different backgrounds around common principles.

Renee Hilliker, Customer Service Representative - National Grid In a day and age where everything typically revolves around the bottom line, National Grid continues to prove that their employees’ success is still a top priority. December 7, 2006, I had a routine cataract surgery. Inexplicably my immune system recognized the replacement lens and continually grows scar tissue over them. As a result my vision can be excellent one day and horrible a week later. National Grid has made it possible for me to take the time off once a month to have a laser procedure that returns my vision to normal. For the time during the month when I cannot see well, my team leader has aided me in procuring a larger computer monitor so I can continue to work. The simple opportunity to work is more rewarding than just the pay, my co-workers are a second family and there is a sense of pride that comes with accomplishing a day’s work.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Programs & Accommodations Qualcomm includes Disability Awareness Training

as part of their incentive to support employees with disabilities. Additionally, Qualcomm sponsors other company-wide programs like Day in a Chair. This program raises awareness of the successes and challenges that people with disabilities face daily. Mentoring Day helps bridge the gap between people with disabilities and the workplace by providing a way for potential job candidates to learn what it’s like to work at Qualcomm.

Supporting employees with disabilites through programming and accommodations will improve the workplace culture of a company, and highlight the diversity and inclusion program as a strength of the company. The Disability Outreach program consultant at WellPoint researches and identifies opportunities for employees with disabilities, making connections that otherwise would not be made. ABLE ERG is involved with the review of service dog guidelines and supporting a self ID project.

May/June 2012

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