ADA30: Increasing access and opportunity

On July 26, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 30. The ground-breaking legislation prohibits discrimination and guarantees people with disabilities have the same opportunities to take part in day-to-day functions as obtaining employment opportunities, purchasing goods and services, as well as participating in state and local government programs and services. Modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the ADA is an “equal opportunity” law for people with disabilities.

In 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports, “19.3 percent of persons with a disability were employed. The employment-population ratio for persons without a disability was 66.3 percent.” 

At SourceCast, we recognize the barriers to employment for people with disabilities. Working with the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) and an electrical contractor, a young man is furthering his career goals and accepting new challenges.

Headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., Design Electric, Inc. is 100% employee-owned with offices in Fishersville, Va. and Windsor, Va. Casey Carwile, Personnel Director at Design Electric had an opening for a Telecommunications Helper. He contacted DARS Hampton Roads to fill the position. DARS offers no-cost services to employers across Virginia to help with employee recruiting, screening, training, and retention efforts. Business development managers provide disability awareness training, job accommodation solutions, in addition to providing information on Virginia’s economic and workforce development.

“You gain dedicated employees, enhance workplace diversity and talent, in addition to lower hiring and training costs,” said Melissa Edmonds, Business Development Manager, DARS Hampton Roads Office. “Learning the needs of the business allows DARS to refer pre-screened qualified candidates so they are successful in employment.”

“We were able to hire a nice young man who is an individual with a disability, a minority and is putting himself through college. He has been with us four months. He was able to gain hands-on experience and expand career opportunities,” said Carwile. “He will be leaving the end of the month, moving closer to home, using skills he has developed, while furthering his career goals with a Fortune 500 federal contractor. We are enormously proud of him.”

“It is all about building relationships with businesses, making good job matches for both the business and the candidate to be successful” commented Edmonds.

Tags: #ADA30 @USDOL #ODEP @BLS_gov @vadars @DesignElectric_
Photo credits below: (L-R) Row 1: Wes Seaton, Business Development Manager; LaPearl Smith, Business Development Manager; Beth Groff, Business Development Manager; Dale Batten, Deputy Commissioner Division of Rehabilitative Services; Melissa Edmonds, Business Development Manager. (L-R) Row 2: David Leon, Deputy Director of Workforce Programs; Nate Mahanes, Business Development Manager.

The Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) team. Photo courtesy of Va. DARS.

Design Electric, Inc. headquarters in Charlottesville, Va. Photo courtesy of Design Electric, Inc.