For restaurant operators who want workers who show up on time, have a good attitude and stay on the job not just for months, but for years, Joanne Packert is certain she has the perfect candidates—her clients at the Chesapeake Service Systems, a nonprofit organization in the Tidewater area of Virginia that assists people with severe mental retardation and other disabilities. In addition to running foodservice contracts at government facilities, CSS also finds work for its clients in the community. Packert supervises CSS job coaches who help their clients adjust to their jobs in restaurants and other businesses. Packert has placed employees at Fazoli’s, CiCi’s Pizza, McDonald’s, Burger King, Ruby Tuesday and Wendy’s. Some of the workers have been at their jobs for eight years. They roll silverware, wash dishes, clean bathrooms, greet customers and refill drinks. Americans with disabilities are an untapped resource for employers, Packert said. It is estimated that about 70 percent of them, roughly 20.3 million, are unemployed.
Why should operators consider hiring people with severe disabilities?
To affect their bottom line. We have high retention with these individuals. It costs money to continually hire and do orientations. Our guys are there, and they want to be there. There might be issues, but they have a job coach and employment specialists, parents, groups of individuals, a circle of support for what they are doing. It can be a win-win.
How do you determine what kind of work they can do?
We find the job to match their skill. We do something called job carving. Any one particular job in a restaurant is not complicated: rolling silverware, filling saltshakers. Say a nondisabled worker has five responsibilities. You can take one of them to give to this person. That frees the non-disabled worker to be more efficient in four things rather than five.
Is it difficult to convince employers to consider hiring your clients?
Some managers are hesitant because they do not know or are not educated about someone with disabilities. If they don’t have a niece or nephew or neighbor or know someone who is disabled, they’re afraid. I tell them don’t be afraid. This is a business decision you will not regret.