Press Releases
10/02/2016
Gov. Malloy Celebrates Workplace Diversity During National Disability Employment Awareness Month
#InclusionWorks Seeks to Inspire Awareness of Workers with Disabilities
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy is celebrating the important role that disability plays in workforce diversity as the State of Connecticut marks the beginning of 2016 National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October. Joined by Jonathan Slifka, the Governor's Liaison to the Disability Community, the Governor held a ceremony this morning at the Walgreens Distribution Center in Windsor to inspire awareness of the nationwide campaign.
"Connecticut has a diverse and talented labor force, and that includes the skills and experience that persons with disabilities provide. Nobody should be excluded from the workplace because of a disability - employers can benefit greatly from celebrating the diversity that our workforce offers," Governor Malloy said. "We celebrate and honor all Connecticut's employers who continue to foster a culture within their businesses that embraces individual differences, including disabilities, because inclusion benefits everyone, and makes us stronger and more competitive."
"A diverse workforce is a stronger workforce," Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. "Raising awareness helps companies and organizations figure out how to make themselves more inclusive and highlights how valuable every person is to the economy and the labor force."
Throughout the month, advocates will be using the hashtag #InclusionWorks - the theme of this year's national campaign - on social media in order to share the many ways that "inclusion works" in the workplace.
Slifka said, "Governor Malloy understands the challenges faced by members of the disability community. On behalf of his administration, we continue to work for policies that ensure the inclusion of all people - no matter their race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability."
The Governor held today's ceremony at the Walgreen's Distribution Center in Windsor because he explained that company remains a valued partner in workplace inclusion. Today, over 30 percent of the employees who work at the distribution center have a disability.
"Walgreen's Windsor Connecticut Distribution Center exceeds our national goal of having 20 percent of jobs for people with disabilities," Joe Wendover, Field Inclusion Manager for Walgreens, said. "While efficiency is key at every Walgreen's Distribution Center, so is opportunity."
Governor Malloy noted that the state government remains a partner in celebrating workforce diversity among its own employees. Recently, Connecticut state employees participated in a survey in order to better understand the experiences of state employees in general and gather specific information regarding experiences of state employees with disabilities.
When it comes to matters of disability, the survey found:
- Seven percent of respondents indicated that they had a disability, with eleven percent of respondents indicating that they preferred not to answer;
- About half of the individuals who report having a disability indicate that their disability started before they came to work for the state; and
- Almost eight in ten of those who report having a disability indicate that they have disclosed their disability to their employer, with the majority (81 percent) disclosing at some point after being hired.
The full results of the Connecticut State Employee Survey can be found here.
Additional information on National Disability Employment Awareness Month, including specific ideas for how different types of businesses and organizations can participate, is available on the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy website.
- Twitter: @GovMalloyOffice
- Facebook: Office of Governor Dannel P. Malloy