2008 Workforce Conference
After a delightful lunch of chicken or fresh fish, participants gathered for the 2nd keynote address, delivered by John Kemp, CEO of The American Congress of Community Support & Employment Services (ACCSES) and co-author of the book Reflections from a Different Journey. Mr. Kemp, who is disabled, dispelled many myths about disabled workers. For instance, he stated that there are 60 million disabled in the United States, and that 37% are employed. Many more want to be employed but face considerable challenges due to accessibility issues and employer bias against disabled workers. Yet studies of the costs of disabled workers have shown no significant difference in the amount of supervision needed and the amount of workman's comp between disabled workers and workers with no documented disabilities. These studies did show, however, that disabled workers had more absences and required more health care. Mr. Kemp encouraged employers to consider hiring disabled workers, who ask only for reasonable accommodation so that they can be given a chance to prove their value.