Since 2014, the Global Interdependence Center has partnered with the Columbus Community Center, based out of Salt Lake City, on a series of programs called “The Bottom Line of Disabilities.” At these events, we explored the social and economic impacts of disabilities in general, as well as incorporating adults with disabilities into the workforce. While this can seem like a daunting prospect for many businesses who do not already have built-in supports for this population in place, the data show that the benefits to business, individual employees and customers, as well as the fabric of society in general, are numerous and greatly outweigh the common hiring infrastructure and legal concerns.

These benefits were highlighted in a recent article published in Utah Business, Willing and Able: Why you should consider hiring people with disabilities.

“A lot of the folks that come into employment with disabilities already have supports in place,” [Columbus Chief Program Officer Kevin] Keyes adds. “That’s what [organizations like Columbus] do. We’re not only there to support the individual, but also the employer. I would say that in most cases, it’s going to be pretty successful.”

GIC board member and Columbus Chief Innovation Officer Stephanie Mackay summed it up in the article when she noted:

“This is really an important economic story to tell. This is a labor force that can lend themselves to helping companies. These people have incredible skills, but they’re skills that are overlooked because we see the disabilities first.”

Read the full article here to learn how hiring people living with disabilities can benefit you and your business. The article includes resources for the state of Utah. For those in other locations, visit www.disability.gov or askearn.org to learn more about employer supports and other resources in your state.

GIC is proud to foster discussion and education on the economic issues surrounding this topic. Presentation resources from past programs in The Bottom Line of Disabilities series can be viewed on the GIC website at www.interdependence.org.