Community Living North Bay launched its newly wrapped city bus today with an important message to employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with a disability.
"There are many well researched studies indicating that employees who have a disability are hardworking, dedicated, and more loyal to the job," said J.C. Doyle, Manager – Home Style Café & Employment Services at Community Living North Bay.
"Employees with disabilities have reduced absenteeism rates, better safety records and better productivity than those on the job who don’t identify as having a disability.
"This is not an issue that community leaders or employers can afford to avoid. People who have a disability, and their families and friends currently comprise 53% of their constituencies and customer base."
Employment Services at Community Living North Bay works with employers to become “disability confident” and can assist businesses working towards a workforce that reflects the community they serve.
“We don’t ask businesses to hire employees with disabilities because it’s the right thing to do, we explain and demonstrate that it’s the smart thing to do.”
According to Statistics Canada, people with disabilities face different barriers to participation in the labour force, even though maintaining an attachment is often crucial for them. Doing so enables them to meet everyday needs and build self-esteem, and gives a sense of belonging to the community. These days, with an aging population and a possible labour shortage, society can ill afford to forgo any contributions.
