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Home > News & Events > The Henry Ford |
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The Henry Ford Receives Employer of the Year AwardOctober 20, 2004
The Henry Ford received Employer of the Year honors from the Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns at a ceremony conducted at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn this evening. Jim Van Bochove - Director of Workforce Development – The Henry Ford, was on hand to receive the award which was presented by Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido and Cathy McAdam - Dearborn Commission on Disability Concerns. Services To Enhance Potential nominated The Henry Ford for this special honor. Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum, now part of The Henry Ford, has been hiring and accomodating persons with disabilities for over 25 years. Persons receiving services from Services To Enhance Potential have benefited from the acceptance, respect, and committment shown by many of the direct supervisors and staff working at The Henry Ford.
One of our first job placements was for a gentleman who has been employed for 18 years, and who is now independent in his community. Well over a dozen people from our agency have been given the opportunity to work here over the years and five are currently working. At The Henry Ford there is a good feeling that workers with disabilities are wanted, treated with respect and dignity, are recognized as individiuals, and accepted into the social culture of the organization. We have dealt with many employers who do not consult with us to solve problems in order to maintain a person's employment. Not so with The Henry Ford where the supervisors are proactive and team with their employee and our support staff to implement solutions. Examples of this include, but are not limited to... providing flexible working hours to accomodate public transportation schedules and an individual's health needs, e.g., fewer hours, varying days, leaving earlier....becoming primary advocates by recognizing and individual's needs and bringing it to someone's attention, e.g., concern over personal hygiene, a lost bus pass, for the sometimes difficult interpersonal interactions with co workers. In another example an individual tended to wander during breaks and lunch and a co worker buddied up with him to help. The Henry Ford is receiving this award because they have taken the extra steps to accomodate individuals, accepting them into The Henry Ford Family, and as a cultural icon, they set an influential example of diversity in the workplace. A number of stated values drive the mission of The Henry Ford and, with respect to persons with disabilities, the values of respect, fun, and teamwork fully support the inclusion of persons with disabilities as we have experienced it.
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