• Employer event to highlight the benefits of a disabled workforce
• Help to join the 456 city region employers with Disability Confident accreditation
• Expert advice on funding and help with recruitment

Employers are being urged to sign up to a scheme to help unlock the potential of the disabled workforce across the Liverpool City Region.

Just over half (53%) of disabled people in the UK are in work, compared with 82% of those without a disability.

An information event is being held at Liverpool John Moores University to help organisations learn more about recruiting and retaining disabled staff.

The Disability Works for Employers Forum aims to highlight how hiring disabled workers can help in maintaining a dedicated, loyal and skilled workforce.

It will also showcase the benefits of official accreditation as a Disability Confident employer.

Experts, including staff from the Department of Work and Pensions, will be on hand to give advice on government funding grants via Access to Work to assist with recruitment.

Councillor Marion Atkinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Portfolio Holder for Employment, Education and Skills and Leader of Sefton Council, said:

“Liverpool City Region Combined Authority wants to use every opportunity to support disabled people to take up work with decent employers. The Disability Confident Scheme provides a framework for employers to demonstrate their commitment in this area, to evidence their employment of disabled people, and to help other employers on their disability confident journey. Initiatives such as these help our narrowing the gaps agenda in supporting disabled people into decent jobs with prospects.”

Last year, as part of the Combined Authority’s Equality Strategy, four new Equality Panels covering disability, race, gender, and sexuality met for first time.

The panels aim to embed equality, diversity and inclusion into everything the Combined Authority does, building on the work of the Fairness and Social Justice Advisory Board.

Panels launched to tackle discrimination, injustice and inequality across Liverpool City Region

To help address the disparity in employment rates, the government initiative Disability Confident was set up to support employers to attract, recruit and retain disabled workers.

It provides advice on how to think differently about disability and offers free mentoring from companies that have already embraced the scheme.

Employers can progress at their own pace through the Disability Confident tiers, from Committed and Employer levels through to the final Leader status.

There are currently 456 Disability Confident employers across the city region with six new employers signing up in February. Of these, 333 are at Committed level, 111 at Employer level and 12 at Leader level.

The forum will discuss the benefits of the scheme and support employers in joining the thousands of UK businesses that have already signed up.

It will also explain the recently introduced Health Adjustment Passport, which is designed to help employers talk to employees about adjustments and in-work support that they may need.

The Disability Works for Employers Forum will be held at Liverpool John Moores University, Student Life Building, 10 Copperas Hill, Liverpool L3 5AH on 19th March from 10am until 12.30pm

Please book your tickets here by Tuesday 12 March.