30-year Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Published on: Jul 24, 2020
In honor of the 30-year anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) celebrates its partnership with employers, stakeholders and families to provide educational, social and emotional support of Florida’s individuals with disabilities to build a career. VR is not just finding a job but helping VR customers find a career that aligns with their individual strengths, interests and abilities.
Today, 2.5 million working-age Floridians have a disability. Although there are many employment incentives for individuals with disabilities, the employment rate for individuals with disabilities, compared to those without disabilities, has remained stagnant. Regardless of the countless theories as to why the employment rate remains consistent, the public VR program has a viable role in changing the history and improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Even in the midst of unprecedented times, the division offers access to services and hands-on experience for our customers to attain these desired job skills. Working together, 5,924 individuals successfully obtained or maintained employment. This is compared to 4,752 the previous year. Not only are there more individuals with disabilities in the workforce, the average hours worked increased from 28 to 29 hours per week, which increased average weekly salary from $340 to $370.
The legislative and social changes that have occurred for individuals with disabilities over the last three decades has provided community inclusion, independent living and employment for all. We can anticipate a new trend in employment – post-pandemic – as many employers will take innovative approaches in their workforce. Many companies will modify their existing structure of work, including teleworking and rotating schedules, which will be an ongoing benefit not only to their employees, but also employees with disabilities. We will see an increase in employment opportunities that involve technology and virtual or remote services. VR will continue to provide customers with the training to meet these demands, which will be imperative to finding successful employment.