Spokane Mayor David Condon today [Friday] announced the city has begun a new supported employment program for job candidates with disabilities.
“We want to provide opportunities for meaningful work for citizens throughout our community of all abilities," Condon said. "This program supports a major goal of the joint mayor-city council strategic plan, to build a 21st century workforce at the city government and that is more responsive and adaptive and reflects our community makeup and values.”
The city has identified a few dozen jobs it believes would be good opportunities for people with disabilities. It will work with organizations that prepare disabled people for work to identify good candidates for those, enroll them in the city program and help them navigate the civil service system.
“The exam process can pose a barrier for individuals with certain types of disabilities. So our supported employment program is designed to remove that barrier without undermining the integrity of the merit system,” said Amber Richards, the city's chief examiner for the civil service system.
She says federal law allows some people to bypass the traditional civil service exam. When jobs open up that might be good matches for disabled applicants, the city will forward names to those hiring to ensure they’re considered.
Applicants for the supported employment program must provide proof of their disability and that they’re ready for work.
The city will hold a workshop to explain the new program to agencies that provide supported employment services on January 30 at 8:30 am in the City Hall Council Chambers.