Minnesota Department of Economic Security Commissioner Earl Wilson announced May 23 that the department has received a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to improve training services and employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

“Minnesota has consistently led the nation with the largest number of people with disabilities in the workforce, and this grant will enable WorkForce Centers to build on that strength,” said Wilson.  “In fact, 67 percent of people with disabilities are employed in Minnesota, compared to a nationwide rate of 52 percent.”              

This competitive work incentive grant will pay for interactive web-based training videos that will provide information on many issues that people with disabilities face as they seek and hold employment.  Some of the videos will provide customer service training to WorkForce Center staff as they work with people with disabilities.  Other content will be directed at employers and will focus on:  viewing people with disabilities as credible job candidates, how to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other ways to accommodate a person with a disability in the workplace.

The completed videos will be available on the MDES/WorkForce Center website at www.mnwfc.org.  The goal of the project is to enable WorkForce Center staff and employers to become more familiar with the services that are available and how to appropriately interact with people with disabilities.  Ultimately, this should increase employment opportunities as well as the number of people with disabilities who are successful in unsubsidized employment.