Business & Economy
State pushes job opportunities for disabled workers
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By ELIZABETH FERGUSON
Capital News Service
LANSING — Workers with disabilities are often overlooked, even if they have the right skills for a job, state officials say. “There is tremendous talent out there in that segment of our community, and the opportunities to showcase that talent aren’t always there,” said Matt Wesaw, executive director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights. A new committee appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder is working to make sure state government is part of the solution and not the problem when it comes to identifying and working with disabled employees. In a report issued April 1, the State Equal Opportunity and Diversity Council found state government has no program for training state employees on the importance of including disabled people in the workplace. The council of six officials, from areas such as the office of the State Employer and the Department of Civil Rights, hopes to develop a program to educate state employees on misperceptions about disabled workers and how to remove barriers that keep disabled workers from using their talents, Wesaw said.