MidlandsBiz: Employer Summit to close disability employment gap
South Carolina businesses and human resource professionals will be gathering online in October to learn how to close the disability employment gap and build a disability-inclusive workforce.
The Employer Summit, an annual event held by Hire Me SC, will be held online this year on Oct. 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Human resource professionals who attend will hear from other businesses on their inclusionary practices and from disability rights activists who have helped create and reform employment policies. Attendees will also learn why disability employment is important not just for society but for their companies, and they will learn how to make the case for disability employment to your C-suite.
“This isn’t just an important social issue, it’s an important economic issue,” said Sandy Jordan, director of employment programs at Able South Carolina. “Although people with disabilities make up about 15% of South Carolina’s population, our state has one of the highest unemployment rates for disabled people in the nation. They are twice as likely to be unemployed, and we need to change this for the betterment of our own economy. People with disabilities can work, want to work, and bring valuable skills and talents to the workplace.”
The October summit will align with National Disability Employment Awareness Month: a month centered around the importance of hiring and retaining people with disabilities in the workforce. This year’s keynote speaker is Tim Arnold, President and CEO of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company—a company that has successfully integrated disability employment practices into the workplace. Other topics on the agenda include mental health inclusion in the workplace, creating accessible workplaces, inclusive models for job instruction, and including disability in their business strategy.
Tickets are $75 and available at https://hiremesc.org/employer-summit/. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and HR Certification Institute (HRCI) credit hours are pending.
About Hire Me SC
Powered by Able SC and the South Carolina Disability Employment Coalition, Hire Me SC is a campaign that promotes a culture of inclusion across the state of South Carolina, one in which employment for every individual, disability or not, is the norm rather than the exception.
About Able South Carolina
Able SC is a change agent committed to fostering an inclusive society that empowers individuals with disabilities to live fully-engaged and self-directed lives. Able SC is an organization led by individuals with disabilities that challenges stereotypes, protects disability rights, and champions social reform. To learn more about Able SC’s programs and services, please visit www.able-sc.org.