Human Resources Team Begins ‘Employing Abilities at Work’ Certification Program

Written By: Lisa Kort, Easterseals Marketing and Communications Project Manager

In an effort to further Easterseals Southern California’s mission of leading the way to full equity, access, and inclusion, the Human Resources team is working toward completion of the Employing Abilities at Work Certificate Program, presented by the Society for HR Management (SHRM) Foundation. The seven-module program aims to empower leaders and organizations to:

• Understand the barriers to employment experienced by individuals with disabilities.
• Articulate the business case for building a workforce that is equitable and inclusive of individuals with disabilities.
• Educate stakeholders to reduce barriers to employment faced by individuals with disabilities.

Human Resources has set a goal for the full team to be certified by the end of the second quarter of 2023.

Easterseals VP of Talent Acquisition Marquis McCraw recently completed the program and said, “The SHRM Employing Abilities at Work course is a ‘must take’ for every leader, and I would encourage all associates to take it as well. SHRM is an organization focused on supporting HR professionals, but this is a true business course on diversity, equity, and inclusion with an emphasis on accessibility. It is not just a ‘check the box, I completed its course; it provides practical tips and resources that can be applied to both work and everyday life.”

The program, which takes approximately nine hours, provides many benefits including:

• Providing a broad perspective on disability as a whole with diversity, equity, and inclusion as the foundation of the course.
• Helping ESSC to create an inclusive workplace for all and enabling our managers to grow as inclusive leaders.
• Positioning ESSC as an example to other organizations of how to attract, hire, retain, and develop individuals with disabilities.

Easterseals is thrilled to take another important step toward creating a more inclusive and accessible workplace environment for employees with and without disabilities.

To learn more about employment opportunities with Easterseals SoCal, visit our careers page.