Employers and human resource professionals in South Carolina can take the next step in building a hiring plan inclusive of individuals with disabilities at the Hire Me SC Employer Summit on Oct. 7, 2020. Registration is now open at https://www.hiremesc.org/employer-summit.
The annual event, which will take place online through Zoom on October 7, will feature keynote speaker Tim Arnold, president and CEO of Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company — a company that has successfully integrated disability employment practices into the workplace — and former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, author and chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Topics for the summit’s breakout sessions include mental health inclusion in the workplace, creating accessible workplaces, inclusive models for job instruction, and including disability in business strategy.
The summit coincides with the 75th observance of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October, a month centered around the importance of hiring and retaining people with disabilities in the workforce.
“We’re proud to host the annual Employer Summit alongside NDEAM this October,” said Sandy Jordan, director of employment programs at Able South Carolina. “As our economy rebuilds, it’s important that individuals with disabilities are included in the hiring plans of businesses nationwide. NDEAM does a great job of bringing this to the forefront of employers’ minds. By hosting the summit in tandem with this, we are able to further increase awareness of disability employment issues and opportunities among South Carolina employers.”
The Hire Me SC Employer Summit is powered by Able South Carolina and the SC Disability Employment Coalition, a collaborative statewide effort of over 40 employers, state agencies, private entities and individuals with disabilities working to address the employment barriers of people with disabilities in South Carolina.
The 2020 Employer Summit, which has a theme this year of Disability and Employment: Strengthening the Workforce, will be held virtually from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2020. The event is approved for 2 hours of Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and HR Certification Institute (HRCI) credit. Interested participants can view the full agenda and register online at https://www.hiremesc.org/employer-summit. For questions, call 800-681-7715 or email hiremesc@able-sc.org.