Providing Information & Resources for Hiring People with Disabilities
The Able Trust hosted the first Florida Business Leadership Network (BLN) EmployAbility Symposium in Tampa at the Renaissance International Plaza on August 18. The symposium featured an employer track addressing successful accommodation strategies, tax incentives for business and marketing to customers with disabilities and a service provider track geared towards preparing clients to be job ready, employer relations and safety issues in the workplace for people with disabilities.
The symposium highlighted speakers from several of Florida’s top private and public companies, including CastABLE President Jeannie Amendola of Walt Disney World Co., as well as representatives from SunTrust Bank, Hyatt Corporation and the University of South Florida. These companies, all with histories of employing people with disabilities, shared their experiences with disability hiring issues and gave insight into available resources for other businesses to improve opportunities for people with disabilities in today’s workforce.
The Able Trust’s 10th annual Ability Awards Luncheon was also held during the symposium, which recognized employers, service providers and individuals with disabilities for outstanding disability employment practices. Alex Valdez, keynote speaker for the awards luncheon, entertained the luncheon guests as he used his comical talent to send an inspirational message regarding people with disabilities.
The Florida BLN also honored the Panhandle BLN with the Local Chapter of the Year Award. The Able Trust established this award to recognize a local BLN chapter that has demonstrated outstanding practices, such as member recruitment, disability awareness, employer relations and job placement. This year’s winner, the Panhandle BLN, was established in August 2005. In just one year it has recruited over 60 members, 20 of which hired 30 people with disabilities. Congratulations for doing such a fantastic job!
Special thanks to the EmployAbility Symposium sponsors, Darden Restaurants, Walt Disney World Co., the Governor’s ADA Working Group, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and the HR Florida State Council, that made this event a success.
The Florida BLN, sponsored by The Able Trust, serves as an information clearinghouse by providing employers with disability employment resources and local Florida BLN chapters with general information and networking opportunities for sharing best practices.