Press Release:

Date: Sept. 29, 2011

CLASS LTD Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Columbus, Kansas – CLASS LTD is pleased to announce that they will be celebrating the employment achievements of persons with developmental disabilities, and their employers, throughout the month of October in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

The 2011 theme for NDEAM is "Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities," which promotes the valuable contributions people with disabilities make to America's workplaces and economy. NDEAM is intended to urge employers, as they seek to fill positions, to embrace the richness of America's diversity by considering the talents of all workers, including persons with disabilities.

Currently CLASS STD has plans to host the 2011 Employment Awards in Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, and Montgomery counties. The Montgomery County celebration is scheduled for Thursday October 13th, 2011 in the Cessna Cafeteria (for information contact Norman Chambers, Employment Coordinator at 620-331-8604). The Labette County celebration is scheduled for Tuesday October 18th, 2011 at the Elk's Lodge in Parsons (for information contact Angie Knight, Employment Coordinator at 620-421-2800). The Cherokee and Crawford County's celebration is scheduled for Tuesday October 25th, 2011 at the Memorial Auditorium in Pittsburg (for information contact Travis Tobin, Employment Coordinator at 620-231-3131).

"It is important that we ensure, as a nation, that both people with disabilities and their employers expect that they will fully participate in our workplaces," Jan Bolin, CLASS LTD President/CEO said. "People with disabilities offer a wide-variety of skills and abilities to employers, with a level of loyalty that cannot be surpassed."

The effort to educate the public concerning issues related to disability and employment began in 1945 when Congress enacted Public Law 176 which declared the first week of October, National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. Twenty-five years later, Congress expanded that recognition to span the entire month of October and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The State of Kansas has furthered that initiative and in 2011, the Kansas legislature adopted House Bill 2336, creating the Kansas Employment First Initiative Act. This bill requires state programs and services that support employment of persons with disabilities, such as CLASS LTD, to consider, as their first option, competitive and integrated employment for persons with disabilities. The Kansas Employment First Initiative Act requires a focused, coordinated effort by State agencies for increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

"The opportunity to obtain a job is fundamental to adulthood, quality of life, individual productivity, self-worth, and earning the means to exercise freedoms and choices available to all citizens," Bolin notes. "CLASS LTD's Employment Services are resources to fulfill the needs of persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities seeking to develop employment skills and obtain a job, as well as an excellent source for Southeast Kansas employers to find qualified, willing, and able employees."