04/08/2005
The Department of Labor is doing its part to help employers fill open positions without exorbitant recruiting and hiring costs – and it’s giving workers with disabilities a leg up in the job market.
The DOL’s free new program, the Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN), matches employer job openings with productive and skilled employees with disabilities. EARN also provides information and technical assistance.
“Recruiting and hiring people with disabilities is a sound business strategy used by successful businesses of all sizes nationwide,” said Dr. Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy during a Workforce Solutions conference in Granite Falls, Minn., Thursday. “Studies show that employees with disabilities perform equally or superior to employees without disabilities, and EARN is a great resource for matching employers with employees who are well qualified to do the job.”
EARN is one of the ways the DOL aims to help employers weather a changing employment climate. According to a release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 35 million people will retire or change careers between 2002 and 2012; also, between 2010 and 2030, the workforce will shrink by 10 percent.
To begin using EARN, employers can e-mail a job posting or questions about recruiting and hiring people with disabilities to earn@earnworks.com or call (866) 327-6669.
