Craig Friesz, HR Representative, Ameren
"We had an employee with a disability who we were trying to make an accommodation for, as he was moving into a new position. We were at a bit of an impasse- we were stuck. DRS brought something new to the table, something we hadn't thought of and that we didn't know was even a possibility, which was a job coach. DRS helped them succeed at what they needed to do in their training. Without them the employee wouldn't have been successful. DRS deals with cases like this everyday. You (a business) may not always have the expertise in house to handle every issue that comes up, and so it just makes good business sense to work with DRS."
Margrett Hardman, Regional SEPM Coordinator
"The U.S. EPA has a long tradition of hiring and promoting people with disabilities. Working with the Division of Rehabilitation Services provides an effective way to turn our mission into truly human realities, touching lives and offering a future full of hope to all qualified individuals."
Keith Nielsen, President, Jewel-Osco
"Jewel-Osco values and understands the importance of a diverse workforce that includes people with disabilities. These associates are a valuable part of the Jewel-Osco team, and their hard work and dedication are critical to the company's success. Their contributions help make Jewel-Osco one of the leading grocery and drug retailers in the state of Illinois."
Charnetia Young, Manager of Workforce Development, CVS Pharmacies
"DRS has done a great job supporting our employees who have disabilities by making sure that they are (initially) ready for work. If they (our employees) need assistance while at work we lean on our partners in that aspect."
"At CVS, one of our goals is to educate our managers on diversity in the workforce, and making sure they are equipped to handle the challenges that come with that. DRS has done a great job in making sure we know how to educate our employees."
Deb Russell, Career Outreach Manager, Walgreens
"It's very helpful to know that we don't have to handle situations where an employee with a disability has changes in his job duties or his life and needs more support than what we can provide alone. We at Walgreens can pick up the phone and call DRS and see how you can help and what resources are best for this situation."
"We have found across the board that solutions we work out for our employees with disabilities end up being solutions for everyone. But a lot of times it's not us coming up with the solution - it's DRS."
Chef Matthias Merger, Charlie Trotter's Restaraunt
"I first met Laura through a cooking competition posted in the Chicago Tribune. Laura is blind and at the time was using a personal assistant to assist her with navigating through the kitchen. I believe that everyone has talent no matter what disabilities they may have. We need to look beyond their disabilities into their abilities. I saw great things with Laura and so I hired her. Besides being a great cook, Laura brings value to Charlie Trotters through her professionalism. She is a great team member and has made all of us in the kitchen aware of communicating better. We have an exceptional worker in Laura."
Pamela Thurston, Store Manager, Lowe's Home Improvement
"We at Lowe's Home Improvement strive to differentiate ourselves in the home improvement business through superior customer service. Daniel is an example of an individual who provides positive defining moments for our customers. We train our team to create an experience that the customer wants to choose to come back again and again for their projects and Daniel is part of that equation. His smile lights up every conversation he has whether that's with a customer or a fellow associate.
The biggest piece that Daniel brings to our store is his great attitude. I have never in my 15 years of leading in a retail environment met someone who consistently lights up others around him with his enthusiasm and overall willingness to make every day a great day! I have often said that every Lowe's store - and every business, needs a Daniel; someone who is thankful to have been given an opportunity and pays us back every day with his smile, and service, a hundred fold."
Rosie Montero, Regional Recruiter, Comcast Chicagoland Area
"I've been in the Recruiting department for four years now and since then we have tried very hard to work with the Divison of Rehabilitation Services to hire as many candidates as we could. When we were looking to hire a group of Customer Service Reps, staff from DRS stepped up and helped us to fulfill those needs with relative ease."
Nowadays, we're looking at being very cost effective. Working with DRS has given us that tool; from seeing what programming would best serve our needs to helping many candidates who are in need."
John Eilering, Vice President, Jacksonville Savings Bank
John says that all businesses have certain needs to fill and to consider working with DRS when looking to hire. "The workers we've had want to work, they want to be here. We get a well trained employee that provides us with needed work production and the student learns work skills and life opportunities that build their confidence to be successful. That makes a difference in how we do business and how our customers see us."
Read more of the Jacksonville Savings Bank Story
