Andrew Fisher and RogersGray represent success of Disability Employment Awareness Month
Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times
5 min read
HYANNIS — Andrew Fisher was at his desk in the processing department at RogersGray Insurance Company last Friday. The 25-year-old was coming to the end of a 30-hour week, one he’s had for five years. It’s a feather in his cap, as it is for Cape Abilities and RogersGray, coming as it does during Disability Employment Awareness Month.
This year the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment is recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which prohibited discrimination based on disability in employment in federal agencies, contractors and recipients of federal funds. This year’s theme: Advancing Access and Equity.
“October is such a perfect month to highlight this,” said Christie Macomber, marketing and communications coordinator for Cape Abilities.
Andrew Fisher sits at his desk in the Processing Department at RogersGray Insurance in Hyannis.
What is Cape Abilities?
The nonprofit has been helping individuals with disabilities by providing counseling, residential, social and employment support for decades. Established in 1968, the nonprofit now works with about 40 Cape businesses and offers community employment services that help more than 100 individuals going into the workforce., according to James Barnes, vice president of philanthropy and engagement.
The job has been a gamechanger for Fisher, allowing him to work, to contribute, to be part of a company and to be part of a wider community.
When asked, he says without hesitation that he has pervasive developmental disorder. Now known as autism spectrum disorder, symptoms can include social communication and interaction problems, repetitive behaviors, and a host of other characteristics.
According to Fisher, it manifests itself in his being adamant about routines. He calls himself an introvert and said he likes spending time by himself because he finds it can be draining to be around other people.
Fisher went through Cape Abilities preemployment transitions and vocational services program. The programs taught him how to dress, how to behave, what to say, and how to conduct himself, he said during an interview. He visited two businesses before deciding he wanted to work at RogersGray.
Something about the office environment and the work reminded him of the movie, “Office Space,” a 1999 comedy that satirizes office work, office politics and the foibles of its main characters. It also reminded him of the animated movie character Mr. Incredible working as an insurance claims adjuster. These days he is in charge of distributing digital mail to the company’s 200 employees.
Working at RogersGray is a success story for Andrew Fisher
Case Manager Thatcher Hoyt calls Fisher a success story. Hoyt checks in on Fisher weekly or biweekly, and he is available to help whenever a need arises. He is also available to the employer when needed.
“I provide help when they need it, but a lot of times I’m just checking in,” Hoyt said. “He’s (Fisher) been working here longer than I’ve been with Cape Abilities.”
Twenty-one percent of people with a disability in the U.S. are employed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And one in 36 people in the U.S. have autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Those numbers represent a wide range of disabilities, and a wide range of symptoms on the autism spectrum.
Their discussions centered around access, inclusion, building relationships with business and community leaders and the need for programs to be business-focused in order to be sustainable. Stout said it was important to put less stress on disability and more on finding ways to be inclusive.
It can be challenging for businesses. Barnes said it’s necessary to build trust with business leaders, to work with businesses that have solid managers who want to build diverse teams.
Hiring differently abled people is a choice managers make
“You have to want to employ people with disabilities first,” Barnes said. “Some challenges are finding management teams who think like that.”
RogersGray has been partnering with Cape Abilities for more than two decades, helping employ new individuals and as a sponsor and community partner, Hoyt said. It’s part of his job to work with businesses, build relationships, be there for them when the need arises. Having that trust that Cape Ablities will be there to support them makes all the difference.
“For a lot of businesses, it’s a leap to bring in people like Andrew to be working with them,” Hoyt said. “They are the ones making it possible.”
Cheryl Van Gelder is Fisher's manager at RogersGray. She admits there are challenges, but some are challenges all workers and managers face. Eighteen months ago, RogersGray moved the processing department from Dennis to Hyannis. They outsourced the management of the company’s physical mail.
“It was a big change,” Van Gelder said. “Andrew’s responsibilities changed. We all struggled to adapt.”
Barnes, who started working as a manager at Cape Abilities farm, said working with disabled people has helped him become a better manager.
Becoming a better manager
"You get rid of sarcasm,” he said. “You speak directly to people and wait for their response to make sure they understand. Those best practices are no different than what any manager should be doing in their business or organization.”
Stop & Shop, area restaurants, cafes, hotels and stores hire people seasonally to help with the busy tourist season. The nonprofit runs Cape Abilities Farm. And they have a program geared to those 14 to 22 that prepares them for the workforce.
Fisher said he’s always been personable in a lot of ways, he tries to engage with people as much as he can, provides help when its needed, asks for help when he needs it.
"It’s just those little moments when someone needs help moving something or someone is having a rough time and they need someone to talk to, I always try to be there for them,” he said.
“Andew does a great job,” Hoyt said. “There's nothing that makes Andrew any different than any of the other people they are working with. I think that’s the reward that a lot of our community partners get from being willing to hire folks from our program.”
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