Texas Program Encourages Employers to Hire People With Disabilities

The Texas Workforce Commission has rolled out several programs to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities to not only help people find jobs but diversify the job market.

"We know from consistent statistics that about a quarter of the population in the U.S. and maybe globally, about one in four people have a disability," explained Lisa Givens, a vocational rehabilitation communication strategist with the Texas Workforce Commission. "Sometimes, disabilities are not visible. For instance, you know, anxiety, depression, or some of the symptoms with long COVID are qualified as disabilities. So, people in the workforce are living with disabilities."

October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is part of the Department of Labor's campaign to spotlight contributions people with disabilities can make in the workforce.

"Inclusive employers consistently have better engagement, better retention, and people are just generally happier at work," said Givens.

In Texas, about 7% or about 940,707 Texans in the workforce have a disability.

"That number could be higher depending," said Givens. "Because a lot of times, people don't self-identify their disability. We know at least that many are in the workforce, either working or not working with disability, and probably there's likely more than that."

The state launched its 'Texas HireAbility' campaign to encourage employers to hire people with disabilities. And the program recognizes employers whose workforce is made up of at least 10% of people with disabilities.

In Plano, nonPareil Institute was recognized by the state for hitting that mark.

"We were so grateful for that recognition. When I would give my tours (of the facility) I would tell everybody that you know, 50% of my staff is actually on the spectrum," said Wendy Crooks, Director of Operations for nonPareil Institute on Plano. "But I learned later that it was more like 70% and I'm so so thrilled that you know, the state is now recognizing the importance of that. They honored us with what we do. We do it because we love it. And so the fact that they're recognizing that and they're getting the word out for other companies to join us in our efforts is just so exciting to me."

The nonprofit serves about 100 students, also known as crew members, who are adults with autism. They offer classes to teach people about technology, work readiness and social skills.

"NonPareil is so important because there are so many people with autism that are just kind of being left behind. There's about 89% of the population of adults with autism, who are currently underemployed or unemployed, and so for us, we're hoping and working hard to bridge the gap to make people more ready for work. And also to educate companies on the importance of hiring people with disabilities and autism in particular," said Crooks.

Tyler Friesen, an instructor and former student, said he knows from first-hand experience how challenging it can be.

"Even though I can seem really personable and easy to talk to, aside from nonPareil, I have not been able to get a consistent job. I didn't do well in interviews as odd as that may seem and it was weird to me too, but I just did not get hired on anywhere. And it's just because I always came off a little odd or off, or they always judged me on things that they thought they were seeing that were just my differences and not indicative of something you know wrong or worse. It's just a lot of people not understanding, but bringing that awareness and making the effort allows people like me to be hired and to make a living where otherwise we might just be trapped, you know, always stuck in assistance programs or worse homeless," explained Friesen.

He said the program means so much to him because he's helping provide resources and support for others that he didn't necessarily have at the start of adulthood.

Getting a job at nonPareil Institute meant to him that he was not 'broken' in the way that others had told him over the years.

"When I came here, a lot of the weird things I did were celebrated or not even bothered with and not punished and because it could be simple things like me just stuttering or tapping my fingers or whatever it is, flapping my hands," said Friesen, who explained he would get sharp looks or be punished in other environments.

"Here you know, it's normal. We know that that's not a bad thing. And just little inclusions like that a little bit of acceptance just meant the world to me," he said.

The former student and now instructor teaches digital art, something he loves and makes sure to give his all to his students.

"I want to be a constant source of inspiration of being yourself. Like we all have such strengths, skills, and knowledge that we can bring, no matter what we've been labeled, what we've been told what we've been pushed to do that we're not able to do and then we feel less but there's always something that maybe we just didn't see or people didn't focus on that. We are smart and we are strong and we have something valuable to bring and I want people to realize that they can find those things in themselves and to celebrate it even admits the weirdness and uniqueness," said Friesen.

"Our individuals are very detail oriented. They're very committed to the job, whatever it is they're hired to do. We see that commitment level over and over and over again," said Crooks. "You know, we're all defined by what we do, and so for me, people with disabilities are no different. They want to get up in the morning. They want to have a purpose and have a reason and, you know, when somebody says, 'What do you do for a living?" they want to have the answer to that and we want to bridge that gap to make that happen for them."