Alicia Day is an employee of Home Depot. On her very first day, she met her co-worker Maxine. Twelve years later, they’re not only colleagues, but they’re friends. “Really, she’s like a sister to me,” says Alicia. They love to talk, and they do a lot of laughing together. “Alicia has a great spirit,” says Maxine.
Making connections like that at the workplace is a benefit that can’t be packaged or monetized. But isn’t it something we all hope for? Enjoying the company of our colleagues while we’re at work? Knowing they are there for us when we need some support?
Alicia’s work situation is most likely what former Governor Nathan Deal envisioned in 2018 when he declared Georgia an “Employment First” state—meaning that everyone, regardless of disabilities, should have the right to meaningful and integrative employment with a competitive salary. It’s a vision that’s easy to get behind, but is it actually being implemented throughout the state?
Frazer Center CEO DeAnna Julian is doing her part to ensure that it is. As a board member of SPAAD (Service Providers Association for Developmental Disabilities), she advocates for policy changes that will positively impact the lives of people with disabilities. “Sheltered workshops do still exist in Georgia,” she says. These are cloistered workplaces where adults with disabilities provide labor, often for sub-minimum wages.
DeAnna explains that Georgia is working to phase out this model of employment, but it’s a complicated situation. Some families have loved ones who have worked for years in a sheltered workshop and love their job and paycheck. They may feel like there are no other employment options available to them.
And certainly, there can be obstacles to finding work that is both integrated—where employees like Alicia and Maxine are working side by side—and competitive—where Alicia’s salary is on par with her colleagues’.
Being an Employment First state requires collaboration among state agencies—Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) and Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency (GVRA)—working with Supported Employment service providers like the Frazer Center.
By the time a person with a disability comes to the Frazer Center for assistance with finding employment, they have already overcome a years-long waiting list to receive support from the state. Once they have an open case with GVRA, there can be another months-long wait before they are even assigned a caseworker.
It can be frustrating for Frazer’s Supported Employment team who is ready to grab the baton and help our individuals find the work they are dreaming of. But once all requirements are in place, our staff begins to help each individual “achieve what they once considered ‘the impossible’.” Frazer’s Employment Specialist Shelita Brumfield spends time getting acquainted with each job-seeker. “We explore their interests, learn about their transferable skills, and discover strengths—oftentimes unknown to them,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to be able to assist with making their dreams a reality.”
Akeem Powell is one such individual. He has worked for two years at Kroger. He loves his job and feels a sense of accomplishment when he completes a day’s work. Just like all of the adults in Frazer’s Supported Employment program, Akeem wants “to have a sense of importance, to be able to share his talents, and to have normalcy by being treated like everyone else,” says Shelita.
Of course, being an Employment First state also requires collaboration with employers, which has its own challenges. There are cultural stigmas and biases that may have to be overcome. Shelita says that employers may be concerned about “an individual’s ability to perform tasks, as well as their own ability to support the individual on the job.” Shelita and Frazer’s job coaches work to educate employers about each individual’s strengths and abilities, and to help them make any necessary accommodations to ensure the employee’s success.
Hiring people with disabilities brings success to the employer as well. Not only are there tax incentives available to businesses that employ people with disabilities, but it shows the clientele of that business that inclusion is a priority. “Creating an inclusive culture in the workplace improves morale,” says DeAnna Julian. “It shifts the culture in a workplace. If you want a drug-free, dependable employee that will be here every day and love their job,” hire a person with a disability. “They may need a little extra training and time, but we can teach skills,” she says. “We can’t always teach attitude and dependability.”
Frazer’s job coaches are on the ready to help employers provide that extra training and time, not just when the employee is newly hired, but throughout the employee’s tenure. “Persons with disabilities are reliable, personable, and teachable,” says Shelita. “They have a strong desire to learn new skills, and they tend to continue working in their positions for long periods.”
Job Coach Nikki Frazier finds fulfillment from “being able to make an impact in the participants' lives by advocating for them.” She and Job Coach Thomas Johnson are in the field supporting our currently employed individuals, as well as connecting with business owners to create potential win-win situations for both the employee and employer—like Alicia and Home Depot.
When Alicia had her 12th work anniversary, Home Depot celebrated her and gave her a new patch for her uniform and a certificate that she proudly showed to all the Frazer staff and participants. Alicia is living her best life, thanks to her village of support—from family, to work colleagues, to the Frazer Center.
We’re all putting boots on the ground to fulfill the vision of Georgia as an Employment First state.
If you are a business owner—or know one—who is interested in shifting their work culture to a more inclusive one by hiring people with disabilities, contact Employment Specialist Shelita Brumfield at s.brumfield@frazercenter.org.