EEOC Awards Abilities Inc. with Coveted ‘Freedom to Compete Award’ Employment Opportunities for Mature Workers with Disabilities

Washington D.C. — Naomi C. Earp, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), today presented the agency’s third annual “Freedom to Compete Award” to Abilities, Inc., a Nassau County not-for profit that supports the education and employment of people with disabilities.

Abilities, Inc. President and COO Francine Tishman receives the Freedom to Compete award from EEOC Chair Naomi C. Earp.

“In today’s competitive global economy, employers must cast a wide net to attract the most diverse range of talent available,” Chair Earp said at a morning ceremony at agency headquarters. “The Freedom to Compete Award showcases the most innovative employer programs to promote fair and open competition in the 21st century workplace without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age or disability. We applaud the 2007 winners, whose practices serve as models for the employers across the nation.”

The awards are part of the EEOC’s Freedom to Compete Initiative, a national outreach, education and coalition-building campaign launched in 2002 to provide free and unfettered access to employment opportunities for all individuals. The central theme of the initiative is that every individual deserves the opportunity to compete and advance as far as his/her talent and ability allow without regard to discriminatory barriers.

EEOC Chair Earp presented Francine Tishman, President and Chief Operating Officer, Abilities, Inc. with the Freedom to Compete Award for its Experience Counts program that assist mature workers with disabilities or age-related limitations to regain meaningful employment. The program aims to educate employers about the value of hiring or retaining older workers and to assist mature job seekers in realigning their careers. As a result, 187 mature workers have obtained meaningful employment. Of those, over 70 percent were unemployed for more than six months prior to receiving services. Abilities, Inc. plans to expand the program to include veterans with disabilities who are returning to civilian life after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It is truly an honor to be recognized by the EEOC for our Experience Counts program as it attests to the equity needed in the workplace for older workers with disabilities” stated Francine Tishman. “We have all read stories and reports depicting the looming worker shortfall in the United States as the baby boom generation continues to age. The fact that our nation’s workforce is getting older presents a host of challenges for both mature employees and employers. That is why we are so proud of our Experience Counts program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Projects With Industry Program. The program currently operates out of the Bronx, NY; Ann Arbor, MI; and Birmingham, AL and provides appropriate training for both mature workers and employers — enabling older Americans to continue to compete in the workplace and enjoy gainful and productive lives.”

Edmund L. Cortez, President and Chief Executive Officer, Abilities!, stated “It is truly rewarding to receive such a prestigious award and to be recognized for this important work that enables older workers with disabilities to continue to be productive and self sufficient members of our society. The key to our success has been both our close working partnerships with business leaders to identify the skill sets required for today’s competitive business environment, along with our expertise in identifying workplace accommodations that may compensate for functional limitations and enhance productivity and job performance. It is our hope that more and more companies will continue to discover the value of this often overlooked labor pool.”

The other 2007 award winners included: Emory Crawford Long Hospital for its Project Search program, which was created to assist hospitals experiencing shortages of nurses and medical technicians by employing young people with developmental disabilities to assist with routine tasks that do not require medical expertise; the City of Norfolk for its Pathways to Public Service program, which was designed to remove barriers to public employment for people of color, women, and individuals with disabilities; the Internal Revenue Service for its Lions World program to facilitate the hiring and retention of individuals with visual impairments; and the Johns Hopkins Health System for developing a series of programs to increase job opportunities for area youth with disabilities; more efficiently handle disputes among its employees, including EEO disputes; improve upward mobility for both new hires and permanent staff, including those from under-represented groups; and enhance the skills of its service workers.

Prior years Freedom to Compete Award recipients included PK USA, Inc., Giant Eagle, Inc., Minority Corporate Counsel Association, International Business Machines, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Governor of the State of Maryland, McDonald’s Corporation, Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program, North Broward Hospital District, Fluor Corporation, Public Service Electric & Gas Company, Arizona Public Service Company, and Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential.