To mark National Disability Employment Awareness Month, local and statewide organizations are celebrating employers in Lewis County that have inclusive hiring practices.
The Washington Initiative for Supported Employment (Wise), the Lewis County Autism Coalition and Cultivating Inclusion Lewis County will host a free-to-attend celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 8 to 10 a.m. at The Loft, located at 547 NW Pacific Ave., Chehalis. Breakfast will be served, courtesy of The Loft, to those who pre-register at https://conta.cc/3RPgaxN.
“It’s an opportunity to celebrate employers that are actively hiring people, bring together community members who touch disability in their personal life or work and to really create momentum around the national celebration,” said Emily Harris, senior training and technical assistance manager for Wise, a Washington-based nonprofit that trains and offers consultation for employers hiring people with disabilities.
The event, Harris said, will be a great opportunity for those with disabilities and employers looking to learn more about accommodations.
“It happens to fall this year on the 50th anniversary of the Rehab Act, which really looked at discrimination in the workplace and minimizing barriers for people with disabilities,” Harris said.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disabilities in employment opportunities provided by federal agencies, in employment practices of federal contractors and in programs receiving federal financial assistance.
According to Harris, 15 community employers are already involved with the celebration on Oct. 18. Additionally, employers looking to learn more and those with disabilities looking to network are invited to the event.
“We’re actively recruiting for people to come celebrate with us,” Harris said, later adding, “Lewis County is trying to create momentum around the value of inclusive hiring practices while also celebrating what exists and what is happening already in the community.”
For more information about the celebration or details on how to get involved, email Harris at emily@gowise.org.
In April, the Autism Coalition and Cultivating Inclusion hosted Lewis County’s first-ever inclusive hiring fair at Centralia College in partnership with the Economic Alliance of Lewis County and the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce.
Employers were provided resources and education about inclusive hiring, and attendees had access to resume editing and could hand their resumes directly to employers, according to previous reporting by The Chronicle.
“There’s a really high unemployment rate for people with disabilities and differences,” Nicole Miller, operations director for Cultivating Inclusion, said in April. “In Lewis County, it’s over 17% unemployment.”
To learn more about Wise, go to https://www.gowise.org. For more information on the Lewis County Autism Coalition, visit https://www.lcautism.org, and to find out more about Cultivating Inclusion Lewis County, visit https://www.lcautism.org/cultivating-inclusion.
