Bob Hartman is the owner and manager of Bills Super Valu in Milbank, South Dakota. Bob says that his experience hiring people with disabilities has been a rewarding one. “You always go into it with an expectation that it might require more time and training but surprisingly that is not always the case, the employee becomes a very independent worker.” Bob believes the time he and other staff spend training new employees is time well spent in the long run.
At present, there are two individuals with developmental disabilities working at the grocery store. One person has been there eight years and works about eight hours a week. According to Bob, he absolutely knows his job, loves it at the store and makes it a very enjoyable work environment. His job responsibility includes taking freight from the back room into the aisles and stocking shelves. He knows where everything in the store is and can help customers find the items they are looking for. According to Bob, the job means a lot to this employee and he has done well at maintaining it. Another person has been employed for a year and continues to learn and maintain the job.
Bob is very clear about the fact that not all people he hires work out whether they have a disability or not. The big thing for Bob is if the person can do the job independently. If they are capable of handling it, there is an opportunity for them to stay. Bob has found that there is not a lot of difference in hiring a person with a disability compared to someone who does not have a disability. Bob said he has found that a person with a disability often times outperforms someone without a disability.
Bob said employers should not view hiring a person with a disability as negative. It is a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. He does understand the hesitancy that some employers may have because they feel it takes too much time to train. This can be a factor and obstacle for employers but in the long run there is a payoff.
Bob is very complimentary of Project Skills, a paid work program through Vocational Rehabilitation Services for high school students with disabilities. He said, “Project Skills is a great opportunity to give a student a chance. The job coaching is great and the program makes it easier for the employer.” Bob said support programs such as Project Skills would be well worth continuing. Any program that makes the process easier for the employer is beneficial.