Larimer program aims to lower jobless rate for disabled

FORT COLLINS — A nonprofit group in Larimer County is hoping to lower the unemployment rate for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Those adults face a startling unemployment rate – between 80 percent and 90 percent, a number that stands in stark contrast to Larimer County’s low unemployment rate of 3.7 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Fort Collins-based Arc of Larimer County, through its Everybody Works Initiative, is aiming to close that gap with a training series called “Human Resources and The Americans with Disabilities Act.”

Training sessions will be held Oct. 28 and Nov. 11 at The Ranch Events Complex in Loveland, and each will focus on a different topic. To register, employers can visit www.arclc.org/for-employers.

“Employment is an important piece of being part of the community for everyone, including people with disabilities,” said Marilee Boylan, executive director of The Arc, who started the initiative last year. “However, stereotypes and misinformation still keep individuals with disabilities out of the workforce.”

The training sessions, timed with the observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, are designed to educate employers, human-resources professionals and hiring managers on information about compliance with the ADA. Designed to protect employees with disabilities, the act celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

“Despite being around for so long, I think many employers need more information about what is in the ADA,” Boylan said.

Studies show that accommodating those employees typically cost very little or nothing and that they are reliable in performance, attendance and safety, Boylan said. “Additionally, customers look favorably upon and prefer to do business with employers who hire individuals with disabilities.”

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