OPWDD Launches New Videos Celebrating the Positive Impact of Hiri...

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, OPWDD is excited to share two new videos that highlight the positive impact of hiring people with disabilities: It's Time to Employ Ability: Hiring People With Disabilities and Employing People with Developmental Disabilities: The Employer Perspective. I hope you will appreciate the powerful messages in the videos and share them widely to promote a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

People with developmental disabilities are skilled, competent employees who add diversity and value to all kinds of businesses across New York State. Yet the employment rate for working-age New Yorkers with a disability is less than half of what it is for people without disabilities. We need to work together to bridge the gap between job seekers and employers and to bring more people with disabilities into the workforce.

Thanks to Governor Hochul's commitment and support, we are making strides and increasing employment for people with disabilities. As part of New York's commitment toward becoming an Employment First State, we are partnering with businesses that have already committed to hiring people with disabilities, and we're excited to build more relationships that will benefit our state economy by strengthening the workforce, increasing diversity and broadening perspectives.

Today, to kick off the month, we are thrilled to sponsor New York's 3rd Annual DREAM Symposium, hosted by Governor Hochul's Chief Disability Officer, Kim Hill-Ridley. This incredible event celebrates the rights of people with disabilities and the value they bring to the workforce, matches prospective qualified candidates with employers and offers workshops that can help people prepare for and succeed in employment.

This month, and all year long, we urge businesses and employers in New York State to take our Employability Pledge and let everyone know you believe in the value of a diverse workforce and the rich contributions of employees with disabilities. All of us can help by patronizing the businesses that hire people with disabilities. Those that have signed our pledge appear on our EmployAbility Honor Roll.

At OPWDD, I have prioritized bringing people with developmental disabilities into our workforce because I value their contributions to policy development and decision-making. Working together, I believe we can and will improve the number of people with disabilities working in our communities. Your help and support are invaluable to us. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Willow Baer
Acting Commissioner

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