Benefits to Work

As the nation's unemployment rate hovers above the ten percent mark, the rate for Tennessee's job hunters with disabilities is even higher. It's the theme of an on-going disability employment awareness campaign, which also urges workers with disabilities not to give up on job searches.

Mike Rowe, community work incentive coordinator (pictured right), for the Tennessee Disability Coalition's Benefits to Work program, says, until recently, he was very successful placing workers with disabilities into new jobs, but he acknowledges the field of competition has changed. Applicants now have to preservere, he says.

"Folks with disabilities, the newly disabled, and folks getting into the job market for the very first time are having a real rough time of it."

Even when employers know there will be little or no cost, qualified potential employees with disabilities are often still overlooked, he adds.

"A lot of employers just don't want to deal with the allowances some employees who have disabilities require to allow them to work."

Employers often shy away from qualified applicants with disabilities because they are afraid that workplace accommodations will be expensive. The Job Accommodation Network calls that a "misperception," because their research shows nearly half of all job accommodations cost nothing to implement. If there is a cost, advocates say nearly 80 percent of projects have a price tag under $500.

Employment resources are available on the Tennessee Disability Coalition's Web site at www.tndisability.org/coalition_programs/benefits_work.

Click here to access an audio version of this story: http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/11455-1

About Benefits to Work:  The Center for Independent Living of Middle Tennessee and the Disability Coalition are partners in Benefits To Work, a program to assist Social Security beneficiaries and recipients with disabilities who are exploring career development.

Our services are funded by the Social Security Administration as Tennessee’s Work Incentive Planning Assistance (WIPA) project. We offer work incentive planning, education and assistance, outreach, and management of work incentives for people who are planning to pursue, maintain, or advance their employment.

Benefits To Work is hosting four WISEs (Work Incentive Seminars) in the upcoming months.  The purpose of these meetings is to connect beneficiaries with employment support services. 

Employment Networks, under SSA’s Ticket To Work program, Career Center representatives, maybe SSA’s Work Incentive Liaison, and Vocational Rehabilitation representatives will all be available for participation/presentation and individual consultation as part of these events. 

New Editions, the subcontractor assisting with the WISEs, invites 1,000 beneficiaries (Ticket holders) from the areas surrounding the event locations. 

Participants are required to register for the event so we can make any accommodations needed and plan for materials. 

Each of our staff will give a formal scripted presentation and then there will be time for people to ‘meet n greet’ agency representatives.  Call Benefits To Work at 888-839-5333 for more information and registration.

Johnson City – Thursday, May 14, 2009 10:00 am eastern
Tennessee Department of Human Services
Vocational Rehabilitation
103 East Walnut Street
Johnson City TN 37605
(423) 926-3178

Oak Ridge – Tuesday, May 19, 2009  10:00 am eastern
Roane State Community College
Oak Ridge Campus
701 Briarcliff Avenue
Oak Ridge, TN 37830
(865) 481-2000

Chattanooga – Tuesday, June 2, 2009 1:00 pm eastern
Southeast Tennessee Career Center
5600 Brainerd Road
Chattanooga, TN 37411
423-894-5354

Cookeville – Tuesday, June 30, 10:00 am central
Upper Cumberland Career Center
3300 Williams Enterprise Drive
Cookeville, TN 38506
Phone: (931) 520-8733