A new booklet entitled Showcasing Disability Best Practice aims to improve the experiences of people with disabilities in the workplace.
Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry launched the publication to highlight examples of best practice demonstrated by employers across Northern Ireland in recruiting and retaining employees with disabilities.
He said: “People with disabilities are fully entitled to participate equally in all aspects of society and to also enjoy the stimulation, challenge and financial benefits of employment.
My Department is fully committed to supporting people with disabilities to help them maximise their employment potential.
“Together, and in partnership with a range of organisations from the local disability sector, our objective is simple – to help as many people with disabilities as possible to progress towards, move into, and sustain employment, either on a full or part-time basis.
“The production of such a positive and informative publication serves as an excellent example of successful partnership working. It demonstrates the benefits associated with employing people with a disability both for the employer and the employee, and I hope that other local employers can follow their lead.
“My Department’s Disability Employment Service has worked successfully in partnership with Employers for Disability NI (EDNI), organising and delivering disability awareness events for employers across Northern Ireland.
“The aim of these events is to increase awareness of the services and programmes available to help people with disabilities find and keep work and also, of critical importance, the assistance available to employers to enable them to recruit and retain employees with disabilities.”
EDNI, the Equality Commission NI and the Department for Employment and Learning joined together to produce the publication.
Attending the launch Tony Earley, chair of Employers for Disability NI said: “The best way for us to mark 20 years of Employers for Disability NI was to showcase disability best practice among local employers in order to inspire other organisations to implement similar initiatives. We are grateful for the support provided by our partners to help make this possible.”