DENVER — A new program to help workers with disabilities in Colorado is coming to the Denver metro area. The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment will launch a pilot program to offer career services to people with disabilities in four Denver-area workforce areas.
The department is set to hire disability program navigators for its facilities in Adams, Denver and Jefferson counties and its joint facility for Arapahoe and Douglas counties. These roles are designed to accommodate the needs of workers with disabilities and better prepare them for today’s job market.
Plans are also in place to improve training for case managers, with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion.
People with disabilities uniquely struggled during the pandemic. In 2020, the unemployment rate for workers with disabilities was more than double the unemployment rate for workers without disabilities, at 17.9% compared with 8.3%.
The cost-neutral program is set to expand statewide upon its successful completion.
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