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Idaho Workers with Disabilities

May 4th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Idaho workers with disabilities will be happy to know that a recent partnership formed between the US Department of Labor and a major human resource organization should result in more jobs. This partnership teams the US office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) with the Society of Human Resource Managers (SHRM). The result of this partnership will be that Idaho workers with disabilities will have access to additional resources and opportunities.

Since it was founded in 2001, ODEP has worked to ensure disabled workers have full access to jobs. This agency is separate from the US Department of Labor, which until 2001 oversaw policy for disabled workers at the federal level.

The other partner, SHRM, has been around since 1948. This organization is international and has chapters in more than 100 countries. With over 200,000 members and 550 chapters, SHRM has a mission to provide human resource professionals with resources that are essential and comprehensive.

Together, ODEP and SHRM will focus on services that benefit disabled workers. For instance, included in their focus is the need to improve access to resources. Moreover, they plan to conduct research and provide information and guidance across agencies. Their focus also includes helping state agencies with resources. Finally, when it comes to working with various agencies, this new partnership should facilitate communication between these agencies.

Although the Idaho Department of Labor will still provide Idaho disabled workers with several services, the ultimate result of this new partnership should be additional opportunities and resources for disabled workers. For instance, training and education will be part of the partnership’s target, along with technical assistance and outreach.

What’s also important is that this alliance will work to promote dialogue on the national level concerning employment for disabled workers. This segment of the working population still is not utilized to its fullest potential in the current work force.