Employers who hire disabled workers in the Tennessee Valley can get tax breaks and reap other benefits.

At the same time, they can improve the life of a person with a disability.

“Hiring the disabled is good for the disabled; but it’s also good for the business,” says Janet Hill, vocational services director at the Tennessee Valley Rehabilitation Center.

The TVRC offers qualified workers capable of being competitively employed in Limestone, Morgan, Lawrence and Cullman counties.

But they want more businesses, industries and disabled people to participate.

Some of the employers who have hired TVRC workers include: Alpha Omega, Cabin Grill, Fire Mountain, Jameson Inn, Metal Exchange, Morgan County Courthouse, Vinson Guard, Wal-Mart Super Center in Athens, Lowe’s in Decatur, White Construction.



What services are available?

Here’s a list of what the TVRC can offer the employer:

• Environmental services.

• Industrial cleaning.

• Employees with basic office skills, including multi-line telephone systems, basic computer skills, word processing, sorting and filing.

• Employees with basic computer applications for business including Excel, spreadsheets, accounts payable and receivable, and payroll.

• Certified forklift operators.

• Employees with established work histories.

• Students just leaving high school.

• Employees willing to work part time or full time.



What’s in it for employer?

Here are some of the benefits employers get if they hire TVRC clients:

• Tax break of $2,400 for each employee hired.

• Employees age 16 and up who have taken a class that teaches good work habits, social skills in the work place and conflict resolution.

• Employees who have already been drug screened.

• Free job coaching, which cuts training costs.

• Free liaison assigned to work with employer and employee to make sure the job is getting done right.

• Help with accommodations for employee, if needed.

• Free 90-day follow-up to make sure employer is happy with employee.



Bring your work

Even if you can’t hire a disabled worker to come to your place, TVRC may be able to help get your work done – through Tri-County Industrial Work Services.

TCI provides training and opportunities for people with disabilities, but their work is done in the TCI workshop on the Calhoun Campus, said Janet Hill, vocational services director.

TCI maintains a variety of industrial work for these workers though contracts with local industries. Among them, Meow Mix, Stephen Gould, T&C; Stamping, McCord Leakless, Federal Mogul, SAAB, 3M, Sonoco, Cintas and Aramark.

About 35 disabled workers put cellophane wrap around flats of Meow Mix, straighten hangers for Aramark or Cintas, punch holes or machine parts for industries or do other jobs.

“We do the tedious, time-consuming jobs that people don’t have time to do or would have to pay someone too much money to do,” said Jerry Puckett, workshop manager for TCI. “We are providing jobs for people who cannot work competitively and that do better through the work center.

By staying at the work center, these employees can be closely monitored in order to ensure efficiency and quality.

“We put them in the work center to observe their behavior – negative attitude, anger management, social skills or bad work behavior” Puckett said.

Then, they work on any problem areas.

But make no mistake, they are not cheap labor doing make-work jobs.

“Companies expect quality work, which we guarantee,” Puckett said.

TCI is certified by the International Organization of Standards, or ISO, which is important to industries like 3M, Federal Mogul, Meow Mix and Del Monte, he said.

TCI is allowed to pay less than the federal minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. Some workers make more, some make less. It depends on the job.

Puckett would like to see more businesses and industries bring their work to TCI.



More information

Employers with questions about the TVRC or TCI or who want to participate in the programs, can contact the agencies the following ways:

Telephone: (256) 350-2041 or toll free at (866) 350-2041.

Web site: www.tvrcdecatur.com

Visit: 6250 U.S. 31 North, Calhoun Community College campus near Decatur.

Mail: P.O. Box 1926, Decatur, Ala., 35602-1926.