Washington State Employment Security Department announcement.
To spotlight the important role disability plays in workforce diversity, the Washington State Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment is accepting nominations for the 30th Annual Governor’s Employer Awards.
The deadline for submitting nominations has been extended to Sept. 1, 2022.
The Governor’s Employer Awards program honors and celebrates the many and varied contributions Washington’s employers make to recruit, hire and advance workers with disabilities.
Diversity and inclusion policies correlate with high performance and create opportunities, improve performance and boost profit margins.
“Washington’s most successful companies proudly make diversity a core value,” said Pat Bauccio, chairperson of the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment.
“They know that diversity works; it works for employees, it works for employers, it works for opportunity, and it works for innovation.”
The awards program honors employers of all sizes in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. It also honors one employer who supports youths with disabilities through employment preparation and job skills training.
Three awards are presented to individuals:
- The Direct Support Professional Award, honoring a job coach or developer who has made significant achievements in the successful employment of workers with disabilities.
- The Governor’s Trophy in Memory of Carolyn Blair Brown, honoring a person with a disability who has developed or influenced programs, services and legislation, resulting in positive outcomes enhancing the empowerment of individuals with disabilities in Washington state.
- The Toby Olson Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring an individual who embodies the qualities and characteristics of the late Toby Olson, and has made a lifetime commitment to addressing the inequities those with disabilities face in their community and at the state and national levels, and can demonstrate specific, direct actions dramatically changing the lives of those in the disability community.
Find nomination forms and instructions on the Governor’s Committee website. You also can request a nomination packet and get more information from Emily Heike. Contact her by phone at 360-890-3776 or by email GCDEawards@esd.wa.gov. Email is preferred.
The award ceremony will be in October.
