CADILLAC — October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and here in Northern Michigan there are resources available to disabled persons who are seeking work.
According to data from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity the disability employment gap is narrowing with 32% of disabled people in Michigan working.
That slight above the national average of just over 22%.
At the Disability Network of Northern Michigan John Bertram is helping people with disabilities find work.
“What it comes down to a lot for a lot of these individuals is that sense of purpose and pride, self-esteem, fulfillment, community connections, all those things that come along with the paycheck.”
Bertram said one of the main barriers persons with disabilities face is navigating a complicated system that balances disability benefits with work.
“The majority of people with disability receive some form of social security benefit, whether it be SSDI or SSI, and there’s a lot of rules and criteria involved with that to be able to work,” said Bertram.
That complexity can steer some people away from working, but with the right resources help is available.
“The good news is there are great work incentives, and a lot of those misconceptions about working on social security might not be true,” said Bertram.
Some of the main concerns people with disabilities have is loosing benefits which includes health insurance. Disabled persons tend to see doctors more frequently to manage conditions.
“When you have a disability the employment can sometimes be difficult to to maintain. So, the benefits work with you as you are working through your barriers of employment, ” said Bertram.
After 26 depot is a restaurant that employs people with disabilities. Long time patron Robin Decker said the community plays a big role in supporting disabled workers. Decker’s son has a disability and has worked in several jobs.
“It’s very hard for someone with disabilities to find good employment in the community. And it also gives them a sense of belonging. And they get to learn the community and make friendships with the people in the community.”
Ultimately Decker would like to see more opportunities for disabled workers.