Leaders and advocates in the disability community say capable workers, who have a wide range of skills and abilities, are being overlooked by companies that have open jobs to fill even as many business groups raise concerns about a labor shortage.
On any given day at the Palm & Able warehouse in Bridgeport, Latasha “LJ” Jones might be assembling retail displays, conducting quality checks or picking and packing shipments of medical supplies.
Jones has an intellectual disability, but she has tackled myriad assignments at the warehouse; she’s currently training to fulfill orders using e-commerce software.
“I like this job because we’re doing different things,” Jones said.