[nfbmi-talk] Snyder's hiring plans

Tue Oct 28 12:04:31 UTC 2014

And this is worth a repeat as it relates...

(BTW how many blind folks are working in this award winning program?)

"Better Off Working" Awards Presented

August 11, 2014 by

Matthew Ivan

DeWitt resident Janna Rowan signing for Mitch Tomlinson of Peckham 
Industries.

Mitch Tomlinson of Peckham Industries

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley today presented the inaugural Better Off Working 
awards to Meijer and Peckham Industries for their leadership in training, 
employing

and retaining workers with disabilities. The award presentation was part of 
the release of the innovative

Better Off Working report,

which details programs that help more people with disabilities tap their 
potential and connect to work and provides needed changes in the disability 
system

to encourage employment.

Calley was joined at the event by Michigan Department of Human Services 
Director Maura Corrigan and members of the Better Off Working workgroup at 
the Meijer

Distribution Center on South Creyts Road in Lansing. The workgroup was 
created last year by Director Corrigan after discussions with fellow 
secretaries,

members of the disability community and employers on workplace challenges 
faced by those with disabilities.

"I commend the work of DHS Director Corrigan and the Better Off Working 
workgroup. This is a critical issue and we need to continue aggressively 
looking

for employment opportunities for those with disabilities," Calley said. "It 
is important that we encourage self-determined pathways where all people 
have

the chance to chase their dreams rather than being steered into 
predetermined outcomes based on labels and diagnosis. I'm proud of our 
partners, Meijer

and Peckham, and their commitment to helping those with disabilities become 
valuable members of their workforces."

Meijer Vice President of Distribution Rick Keyes and Peckham Industries 
President Mitch Tomlinson, along with Peckham-trained Meijer employees, 
accepted

the awards on behalf of their companies.

"We are proud of receiving the inaugural Better Off Working Award," Keyes 
said. "By focusing on what persons with disabilities can do, rather than 
what

they cannot, we are seeing incredible results at matching team members with 
the right jobs. We're finding that refining our job matching techniques for

persons with disabilities improves morale and can have tremendous impact on 
the overall effectiveness of our supply chain operations."

The Better Off Working report was developed by workgroup members 
representing the Michigan Department of Human Services, Michigan 
Rehabilitation Services,

the Disability Determination Service, The Disability Network and Michigan 
employers. It focuses on steps to improve the likelihood of success for 
individuals

with disabilities in the workplace. Director Corrigan chaired the effort. 
After finishing the report, the workgroup believes more strongly than ever 
that

all people, including those with disabilities, are better off working.

"Too few Michiganders with disabilities are working because too often the 
system gets in the way. This report outlines specific ways we can change 
that,

including removing barriers and deterrents," said Corrigan. "The goal of 
disability benefits should be to advance employment and entrepreneurial 
opportunities

and help those with disabilities to enter or return to the workforce."

The Better Off Working plan identifies a number of administrative and 
legislative changes that can be made at the local, state and federal levels 
to remove

barriers, change incentives, improve services and connect more individuals 
with disabilities to work. These include:

State Changes:

List of 3 items

Assisting individuals to find jobs by providing additional support and 
accommodations.

Helping businesses hire and retain workers by providing employer navigation 
programs to help them locate, accommodate and retain employees.

Educating individuals with disabilities on the programs available to help 
them earn and save more income and assets.

list end

Federal Changes:

List of 4 items

Making work pay by increasing the income and assets individuals can earn 
without losing essential benefits.

Improving the quality and uniformity of administrative law judges' decisions 
so the system is serving those who truly have disabilities.

Eliminating double dipping by offsetting unemployment benefits if an 
individual is receiving unemployment benefits in addition to disability 
payments. While

there are several ways to accomplish this, the workgroup strongly endorses 
the withholding of Social Security Disability Income benefits for any month

in which a disabled worker receives unemployment benefits.

The workgroup is now turning its attention to implementation of these 
proposed changes including a six-month action plan that includes reviews of 
organizational

structure, outreach and outcomes and the formation of new public-private 
partnerships.

list end

The full Better Off Working report can be downloaded here.

Better Off Working Workgroup members include:

List of 20 items

Maura Corrigan, director, Department of Human Services;

Duane Berger, chief deputy director, Department of Human Services;

Rick Keyes, vice president of Distribution, Meijer;

Mike Zelley, president, the Disability Network;

Jenny Piatt, vocational rehabilitation manager, Michigan Rehabilitation 
Services;

Jerry Marcinkoski, attorney, Lacy and Jones, LLP;

Tammy Jakus, administrative assistant for Charles Jones, Disability 
Determination Services;

Charles Jones, director, Disability Determination Services;

Terry Beurer, director, Field Operations Administration, Department of Human 
Services;

Suzanne Howell, director, Michigan Rehabilitation Services;

Deborah Wieber, director, Human Resources, Department of Human Services;

Denise Stork-Phillips, assistant Administrator to Director Corrigan;

Mark Meyer, acting director, Office of Legal Services & Policy, Department 
of Human Services;

Sandra Koppinger, departmental specialist, Department of Human Services.

Calley Green, Meijer;

Joe Longcor, Department of Community Health;

Bureau of Services for Blind Persons - reviewed and provided comments;

Advisory Council on Deaf and Hard of Hearing - reviewed and provided 
comments;

Michigan Department of Education - Special Education staff reviewed and 
provided comments;

Lt. Governor's Office - reviewed and provided comments.

list end

Source:

http://dnmm.org/better-off-working-awards-presented/

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry Posont via nfbmi-talk" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
To: "nfbmi-talk" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2014 10:23 PM
Subject: [nfbmi-talk] Snyder's hiring plans

> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
> 7189 Connors Rd.
> Munising, MI 49862
>
> October 27, 2014
>
> Dear Michigan Federationists:
>
>     If you have access to Newsline, go to the Associated Press to the
> Michigan State News. Go to the fourth or fifth article. You can read
> there about Snyder's hiring plans.
>
> Sincerely,
> Larry Posont
> President
> National Federation of the Blind of Michigan
> (906) 387-3546
> Email: president.nfb.mi at gmail.com
> Web page: www.nfbmi.org
>
> Munising home of the beautiful Pictured Rocks.
>
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