National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Celebrating 70 years!

Submitted by Debbie Cairme, Human Resources Director

Join us in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, this nationwide campaign takes place every October to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of workers with disabilities. 

HR is committed to recruiting a diverse workforce and proudly supports October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Campaign.  From left to right: Riana Funk (HR Coordinator), Starr Martinez (HR Information Systems Administrator), Mandi Schlimmer (HR FWS Student Worker), Mariko Westbrook (HR Coordinator), Diana Niles-Hansen (AVP, HR), Missy Correia (HR Benefits Administrator), Mary Cano (HR Manager, Staff Relations), Debbie Cairme (Employee Relations, Investigations, EEO/AA Compliance Director & Deputy Title IX Coordinator) and Karin Gustafsson (HR Temp Assistant).

 This year’s theme is “My Disability is One Part of Who I Am.”  As Jennifer Sheehy, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, explained:

This year's theme encapsulates the important message that people with disabilities are just that — people.  And like all people, we are the sum of many parts, including our work experiences. Disability is an important perspective we bring to the table, but, of course, it's not the only one.

 At Hawai‘i Pacific University, we value the skills and talents our employees with disabilities bring to our workplace.  Our culture of inclusion fortifies what our University has to offer our students, our community, and the world at large.  This strength has led to many accolades, such as being nationally recognized as the most diverse University in the nation.  Let us continue to be true to our University’s values — pono, kuleana, aloha — as we celebrate this year’s theme.

Students, faculty and staff can learn more about how to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month by visiting the Office of Disability Employment Policy website at www.dol.gov/odep. 

HPU is an equal opportunity employer.  We seek and employ the best qualified individuals from the labor force without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, ancestry, marital status, arrest or court record, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability or other protected classifications under the Federal and State laws.

The University makes reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.  All requests for accommodations can be submitted to the Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Diana Niles-Hansen.  Our employment and recruitment team, led by HR Manager-Staff Relations, Mary Cano, and supported by our HR Coordinators, Riana Funk and Mariko Westbrook, are committed to our culture of inclusion.

HPU ranks #1 in the nation for diversity in 2014, according to USA Today. HPU earned a 91.4 percent overall diversity score, which looks at ethnic, gender and geographic diversity.