 Pictured above: Meijer Regional Vice President of Southern Region Retail Tom Wilson (left), OOD Director Kevin Miller (center) and Meijer Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Manufacturing Mike Graham.
OOD recognized Meijer as
a Champion of Opportunity Award recipient at an event in Cincinnati on
Wednesday. Meijer’s commitment to hiring individuals based on their ability
serves as a model for disability inclusion in the workforce not only in Ohio,
but across the country.
The Champion of
Opportunity Award honors companies that go above and beyond in their commitment
and who serve as statewide examples of what it means to provide quality
employment opportunities and increased independence for individuals with
disabilities. This award represents the highest award that OOD presents to a
business partner.
Inclusivity is an
important part of Meijer’s culture and the outreach efforts of their HR
personnel is noteworthy. Meijer’s human resources staff makes personal contact
with a face-to-face meeting and facility tour with every OOD candidate who is
interested in working at Meijer. Over the past year, Meijer has hired 25 people
into retail stores and one person into their distribution facility. Meijer’s
example and leadership in hiring well-qualified and capable individuals, who
happen to have a disability, serves as a model for other employers.
“We are
pleased to partner with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities to hire
individuals who may otherwise face barriers to securing employment,” said Meijer Senior Vice President of
Supply Chain and Manufacturing Mike Graham.
OOD
Director Kevin Miller said, “Meijer is a company that places an emphasis on
disability inclusion and is recognized for their unwavering effort to ensure
that disability inclusion is incorporated into their hiring practices and
workplace culture. Their desire to be a national leader in disability inclusion
is having a positive impact on employees, local communities and in the success
of Meijer stores.”
OOD congratulates Meijer
on receiving this award and for their commitment to integrate individuals with
disabilities into the workforce. For
more information about OOD's Opportunity Awards, visit ood.ohio.gov/Employers/Opportunity-Awards.
Tiffanie Harper began working in the janitorial field at
a sheltered workshop in 2007 and had never held a job in the community. She had
goals, including competitive employment, community integration and to earn more
money. Through the Employment First Partnership, she was referred to OOD
Employment First Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) Beth Knack for
services.
Tiffanie’s team consisted of her mom, VRC Beth Knack,
Workforce Initiative of Ohio (WIO) Caseload Assistant Ashley Eby, Lucas County
Board of Developmental Disabilities Service and Support Administrator Jessica
Legalley, and her job developer from Partners in Employment Barb Burkhardt.
When the team learned about a new relationship between OOD and Kroger, they
worked together to help Tiffanie apply and interview for a cart attendant
position.
Kroger hired Tiffanie and provided her with a flexible
schedule, along with assistance on tasks and coaching on proper procedures. She
works 20-25 hours weekly and has made many new friends.
Tiffanie is excited to have a permanent job and to have
met her goals. Prior to leaving the sheltered workshop, Tiffanie yelled, “Guess
what? I got a job!”
If you have a disability and
want to work, visit oodworks.com to get started.
Snow, sleet, icy roads and walkways can make getting around
not only challenging, but dangerous. Falls are the leading cause of
injury-related hospital visits. As the winter months approach, the risk of
falling is even greater. Below are some simple tips that could help you avoid a
life-changing fall.
While at home, space heaters, cords and blankets should be
kept out of walkways in order to avoid tripping over them and to help increase
mobility. Keep rooms well-lit with extra lamps or use light bulbs with a higher
wattage.
If you use throw rugs on cold floors, secure them to the
floor with tape. OOD Deputy Director for the Bureau of Services for the
Visually Impaired Mindy Duncan said, “When selecting a floor rug, it’s
important for individuals with visual impairments to consider selecting one
with contrasting texture or color to help make it easier to detect.”
Additional tips include:
- Make sure to keep rock salt or sand and a shovel near the entrances to your home.
- Plan extra time for traveling, especially if you require assistance for transportation.
- Prior to going outside in the cold, bundle up and make sure you can freely move and see in all directions.
- Be sure to check the rubber tips on canes and walkers.
- Wear winter boots that fit well and provide traction.
- If conditions are icy, walk with a buddy or carry a cell phone.
- To avoid tripping, do not walk in more than an inch of snow.
Hopefully, these tips will assist you in having a safe, enjoyable holiday season, and help you avoid an unwanted fall during the winter. For more information, visit http://aging.ohio.gov/steadyu/.
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Santa
will mail braille letters to boys and girls who are blind. Parents have until December
16th to complete the Santa Braille Letter Request form at https://nfb.org/santa-letters. The letter will include
a print copy for parents to read.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Current FFY2017
Individuals in Job Ready Status: 2,916 1,102
(For county level information
& map, visit our website)
Individuals Employed: 2,381 1,045
(Employed, not yet
successfully closed)
Successful Closures: 1,059
(Employed for over 90 days,
case closed successfully)
Disability Determination
(FFY 2017 as of 11/25/2016 – Week 8)
Applications Received: 27,833
Determinations: 29,526
Productivity Per Work Year (PPWY) 355.5
(Total number of cases processed divided
by the number of work years funded)
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