Honoring excellence in disability employment and practices

A supplement to NHBR (New Hampshire Business Review)
COME JOIN US IN HONORING EXCELLENCE
IN DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT AND PRACTICES
Celebrating
our 5th Year!
Fifth Annual Statewide
Employer Recognition Ceremony
Thursday, October 10, 2013 • 8:15 a.m.
Currier Museum of Art
150 Ash Street, Manchester, New Hampshire
2013 AWARD WINNERS:
PRESENTING SPONSORS:
COMMUNITY SPONSORS:
The
NET
THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT TEAM
Let’s work together.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
GOVERNOR’S
COMMISSION ON
DISABILITY
This event made possible with Medicaid Infrastructure Grant funds provided by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under CFDA 93.768.
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Welcome to New Hampshire’s Fifth Annual
Employer Recognition Ceremony
Congratulations to the 2013 Employment Leadership Award recipients and to all the exceptional nominations that were received! This year’s award recipients represent a wide range of
New Hampshire employers from privately owned small businesses, to industries representing
hospitality, manufacturing and National Defense. In addition, I would like bring attention to
each business that made it into our Top 10. Foy Insurance – Nashua, The Home Depot – Manchester, The Air Field Café – North Hampton, Sodexo – Plymouth State University, Thayer’s
Inn – Littleton are New Hampshire Businesses that make recruiting, hiring and retaining people
with disabilities a top priority. We are fortunate to have each of them in our communities and
grateful for their efforts to create opportunities that assist people with disabilities in obtaining
competitive employment.
October commemorates National Disability Employment Awareness month and this event
is a wonderful way to raise awareness with businesses around the state about the importance
of promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce. By sharing the successful experiences of New
Hampshire employers, we hope more employers will follow their lead.
Employers often cite fears around lost productivity, increased liability and costly accommodations as barriers to hiring workers with disabilities. These are common misperceptions that
hold employers back from considering able and talented workers with disabilities for their hiring
needs. To get the facts, please visit www.nhletsworktogether.org, click on Resources for New
Hampshire Employers and download the Field Guide to Evolving Your Workforce. You can also click
on the Contact Us button to be connected with a direct resource for
your questions or to set up a personal consult.
I encourage you to reach out and learn how we can assist your business
in identifying qualified candidates with disabilities and/or in developing inclusive hiring practices.
Congratulations again to the 2013 Employment Leadership Award recipients and to each business that made it into our Top 10.
Jim Hinson, Supervisor V
New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation
Employment Leadership Award Committee Chair
2013 EMPLOYMENT LEADERSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Manchester, NH
“Work hard, play hard is the motto of many of Dyn’s employees.”
Dyn is the worldwide Internet Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) leader for over four
million enterprise clients, small businesses and home users. As such they are used to
being on the leading edge of technology and change. This is reflected in their approach
to hiring employees. Their focus is on the individual’s skills, strengths, and abilities. They
recognize that any employee may face barriers to doing their work and address that by
their commitment to listening to what the employee says they need and then finding
a way to make it happen. Dyn believes it is in the company’s best interest to see that
every employee has what they need to be successful. This includes individuals with a variety of disabilities and means they are treated exactly the same as everyone else. They
use technology, flexible schedules, meeting special dietary needs in their food services
and a willingness to consider any possible option (they even have a Segway) to do this.
This openness included being willing to work with the INCOME Program and setting up
an internship for a student. From the beginning DYN focused on how to best incorporate the student into the Dyn environment. This initial internship gave the student the
opportunity to grow, learn more skills, excel and lead to him being hired as a permanent
employee. Dyn is committed to being an active member of the community and has
demonstrated their intent to create an inclusive work environment for everyone.
Hanover, NH
As a leader in the continuing Care Retirement Community industry, Kendal at Hanover’s Dining Services department continues working with local community partners to assist people with
severe or significant developmental disabilities attain and maintain meaningful employment. They
have worked with Pathways of the River Valley, Healthcare and Rehabilitation Services and other
community partners to make meaningful work a reality for at least 15 people with disabilities.
These individuals perform important work and provide quality services to co-workers and
residents alike. Many individuals have started with small part-time jobs and have progressed over
time into positions with significant hours and responsibilities. Kendal is willing to make accommodations when necessary to help their employees perform the functions of their job and is
steadfast in their efforts to treat all people with dignity and respect. The people that work at
Kendal become part of a family that watches out for its members. They have even gone so far
as to purchase shoes for one person whose own were falling apart. This was of great concern
to the individual and therefore became important to his supervisor at Kendal. And the benefit is
not just for the clients, Kendal supervisors point out that they receive dedicated, hard-working,
enthusiastic, and positive workers. As an active member of their community, they provide the
leadership necessary for local programs like Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Project
SEARCH to grow. They are committed to their employees, residents, and to the community
that they serve.
“Together transforming the experience of aging”
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2013 EMPLOYMENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Since 2009, the Statewide Employer Recognition Ceremony and the Employment Leadership Award have acknowledged
the efforts of Granite State businesses that are actively implementing disability employment practices.
Previous award recipients include:
2012
2010
Chartwells
Rita Mae’s Restaurant
Remcon North Corporation
Pete & Gerry’s Organic Eggs
Murdawg Custom & Everything
Automotive
Johnson Precision
Havenwood-Heritage Heights
CEJ Computer Business Systems
Brevan Electronics
Hannaford-Keene
2011
CaLLogix
Dartmouth-Hitchcock-Nashua
Keene State College
St. Joseph Hospital
Sheraton Harborside Hotel
Astronics-Luminescent Systems, Inc.
Lowe’s
The Barley House
RKM Research and Communications, Inc
Concord Hospital
2009
The 2013 Employment Leadership Award Committee would like to thank each of our Employment
Leadership Award winners for your continuing efforts to recruit, hire and retain people with
disabilities. You are all valued business partners and true “Community Champions”.
Portsmouth, NH
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNS) is one of four public naval shipyards.
PNS provides the U.S. Navy’s nuclear powered submarine fleet with
quality overhaul work in a safe, timely, affordable manner. This includes a
full spectrum of in-house support--from engineering services and production shops, to unique capabilities and facilities, to off-site support.
Over the last eight years, PNS has consistently hired people with disabilities by hiring nine
New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation customers, each earning well above minimum
wage. Human Resources Office representatives attend Workforce Coalition meetings to
explain the PNS hiring process and to encourage people with disabilities to apply for any
open position. PNS creates opportunities that assist people with disabilities to develop skills
they need to obtain competitive integrated employment.
PNS has successfully created a workplace culture where people with and without disabilities are valued for their knowledge, skills and abilities. Out of 4700 employees, 318 (approx.
7%) self-identified as having a disability, including deafness, blindness, and non-paralytic orthopedic impairments. In FY 12 the Shipyard fulfilled 186 requests for sign language interpreters
and 321 requests so far in FY 13.
PNS also actively recruits veterans that have honorably served in a branch of the American
Armed Forces. There are 1041 veterans, of which 257 have compensable disabilities.
“Proud of our past…Ready for our future”
Nashua, NH
Sit back, relax and enjoy...everyone is welcome at Chunky’s.
Chunky’s Cinema Pub has been mixing the polished glimmer of
modern technology with the gauzy glow of yesteryear for almost
two decades. Eight screens mingle first-run blockbusters with
themed throwback classics catering to children of the ’50s or ’80s. There, in the glow of the
previews, is another testament to the melding of time—a contemporary dinner-and-a-movie
setup brings with it the nostalgia of old-school drive-ins.
In addition to being a great place to catch dinner and a movie, Chunky’s has been extremely
receptive to hiring people with disabilities. Over the past several years, New England Career
Services has developed a partnership with Chunky’s in several locations to assist in meeting
some of their hiring needs. Recently, Rachael Vallie, Supervisor at the Chunky’s in Nashua,
interviewed a young man looking for work. While the young candidate was nervous, he
wanted an opportunity to prove himself and he wanted to work at Chunky’s. Rachael quickly
made the young man feel comfortable and moved forward with the interview. When they
returned, the young man had a smile on his face, his body language had changed and he now
looked confident. This remarkable supervisor offered the young man the job and gave him
the precious gift of self-esteem.
This is not a unique situation, Chunky’s has a proven track record of recruiting, hiring and
retaining people with disabilities and it is fitting that they receive the 2013 NH Employment
Leadership Award. First, they accept the person for who they are and then they uncover the
individual abilities that each worker brings to the business.
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2013 EMPLOYMENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS
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NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS REVIEW
Let’s
work together.
LEADING BUSINESSES ARE HIRING QUALIFIED
PROFESSIONALS WITH DISABILITIES.
New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation (NHVR) is a primary resource for businesses
seeking to diversify their workforce by hiring qualified professionals with disabilities.
Here’s what New Hampshire’s employers are saying about partnering
with us:
“The free services provided by NHVR Business Consulting & Services have added
tangible value to CaLLogix. It feels very logical to use NHVR.”
– Cara Longenecker, CaLLogix
“NHVR has provided employment assistance and support to RKM Research and
“The most important thing for Starbucks is a relationship.That’s what Vocational
Communications for fifteen years, and they have repeatedly proven to be an
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business.”
– Debra
StarbucksRKM Research and Communications
—
R. Kelly Russell,
Myers, President,
Serving as a key source of information for the employment of individuals with
disabilities, NHVR consultants provide knowledge and expertise on financial
incentives, educational programs, accessibility accommodation options and the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
OUR MISSION:
ty, full rights of citizenship, equal opportunity, and full
ation for all NH citizens with developmental disabilities.”
For More Information Contact:
New Hampshire Department of Education
Vocational Rehabilitation
21 South Fruit Street, Suite 20
Concord, NH 03301
603-271-3471 or 800-299-1647
NH VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION REGIONAL OFFICE LOCATIONS:
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Berlin Regional Office
650 Main Street, Suite 110
Berlin, NH 03570
1-888-300-9550
Tel: 603-752-2271 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-752-5940
Concord Regional Office
2 Industrial Park Drive
Concord, NH 03301
1-800-299-1647
Tel: 603-271-2327 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-271-2328
Keene Regional Office
103 Roxbury Street, Suite 101
Keene, NH 03431
1-800-620-7688
Tel: 603-357-0266 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-352-1391
Lebanon Regional Office
Rivermill Complex
85 Mechanic Street, Suite B2-1
Lebanon, NH 03766
1-800-621-7876
Tel: 603-448-5793 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-448-3985
Funding provided through grants by the federal
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
under CFDA 93.768.
Manchester Regional Office
Mill West Corporate Center
195 McGregor Street, Suite 120
Manchester, NH 03102
1-800-627-9304
Tel: 603-669-8733 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-668-2640
Nashua Regional
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Suite 1st
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Nashua, NH
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603-889-2292
Fax: 603-889-2292
Portsmouth Regional Office
215 Commerce Way, Suite 3
Portsmouth, NH 03801
1-800-882-2744
Tel: 603-436-8884 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-427-6910
Services for Blind and
Visually Impaired
21 South Fruit Street, Suite 20
Concord, NH 03301
1-800-581-6881
Tel: 603-271-3537
Tel: 603-271-3471 (Voice or TTY)
Fax: 603-271-3816
www.nhcdd.org • (603) 271-3236 • 21 South Fruit St., Suite 22, Concord, NH 03301
800-299-1647 / www.education.nh.gov/career/vocational