Benefits of Hiring People With Autism Reiterated at Business Conference

Florham Park, NJ, July 8, 2015 (Newswire.com) - ​​​​With barely over half of the 50,000 individuals with autism who become adults every year holding a salaried job, the disturbing question of whether America is fully ready to provide employment support to the differently abled was raised once again at a lunch and learn event organized by Autism Speaks and Special Counsel at Saiber LLC last week.

The event, titled Diversity & Inclusion Lunch & Learn for Business Leaders, was attended by lawmakers and law firm administrators, corporate HR managers and top-level executives from New Jersey’s legal and business community.

"It has been only a few months since the launch of The Spectrum Careers and we have already succeeded in creating a buzz among a growing niche of employers and service providers that perceive autism differently and are not fazed by the myths and misconceptions surrounding the condition"

Nish Parikh, CEO, WebTeam Corporation

The speakers and presenters from Autism Speaks, Rangam Consultants and WebTeam Corporation made a strong case for hiring adults with autism, a neurodevelopmental disorder with no known cause and cure. Autism is found to impact an estimated 3.5 million Americans, affecting communication, behavioral, emotional and occupational skills for life. Only about one third of students with special needs pursue college education. However, with early diagnosis and intervention, together with continued professional support, most autistic individuals are capable of being productive members of the workforce. “If corporations such as Microsoft and Cisco Systems can develop a diverse and inclusive workplace by hiring people with disabilities, we definitely can,” said Hetal Parikh, President of Rangam Consultants.

Stephanie Newman, parent of a son with autism and the NJ Executive Director of Special Counsel, the nation’s largest legal staffing firm, said: “This lunch and learn was a successful first step in increasing awareness amongst forward-thinking employers in New Jersey’s legal and business community. The thoughtful interactions during the event solidified the notion that many employers are eager to connect with autistic job seekers and employees. The economy is steady and unemployment is currently at a low point, so autism employment is an incredibly compelling concept for hiring managers. The job portal, combined with the information shared by Autism Speaks, empowers this group of professionals to take action and build upon their inclusive hiring structure. We all left the event feeling motivated. I am confident this is just the beginning of long-term progress for job seekers with autism and employers.”

“This was the first time we made a well-coordinated attempt to make professionals from law and legal career fields aware of the benefits of hiring individuals with autism. For me, the day went exceptionally well, fostering an atmosphere of openness and stimulating interaction. We intend to host a series of lunch and learn events in near future to reach out to businesspeople from other industries as well,” said Nish Parikh, CEO of WebTeam Corporation and VP of Rangam Consultants Inc.

Mr. Parikh was particularly upbeat about the success of autism employment in the long run. The WebTeam CEO drew on data to prove that there is no dearth of opportunities for employable adults with autism. “It has been only a few months since the launch of The Spectrum Careers and we have already succeeded in creating a buzz among a growing niche of employers and service providers that perceive autism differently and are not fazed by the myths and misconceptions surrounding the condition,” he said.

Dave Kearon, Director of Adult Services at Autism Speaks, echoed Mr. Parikh’s enthusiasm about The Spectrum Careers. “This site was designed by and for job seekers with autism who have shown that they would prefer to use an online job board specifically for people with disabilities,” he said. “At the same time, we aim to make this as easy as possible for businesses that are interested in this largely untapped talent pool of individuals with autism. Remember, this is not about charity; this is about what is good for your bottom line.”

 ***

About Special Counsel

Special Counsel is the largest provider of legal staffing services to corporate legal departments and law firms nationwide. Special Counsel services include customized staffing and project management for e-discovery and document review projects of any size and location, as well as providing experienced legal professionals for general workload management, litigation support, and business transaction support. For more information, visit SpecialCounsel.com.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is the world’s leading autism science and advocacy organization. It is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. Autism Speaks was founded in 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Mr. Wright is the former vice chairman of General Electric and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal. Since its inception, Autism Speaks has committed more than $525 million to its mission, the majority in science and medical research. Each year Walk Now for Autism Speaks events are held in more than 100 cities across North America. On the global front, Autism Speaks has established partnerships in more than 60 countries on five continents to foster international research, services and awareness. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit AutismSpeaks.org.

About Rangam Consultants Inc.

Rangam is among the fastest growing staffing companies that support contingent workforce programs for Fortune 500 clients of managed service providers. Equipped with cutting-edge technologies that align with VMS applications, Rangam serves industries such as Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences, Telecommunications, Energy & Utilities, Hi-Tech & Information Technology, Financial & Insurance, Manufacturing & Retail, and Consumer Products & Food, among others. The firm has over 450 employees working in 12 business offices spread across three continents.

Rangam donates money and resources to health care and special education service providers worldwide. The company’s current corporate social responsibility programs are directed at helping individuals with special needs find suitable employment opportunities in multinational corporations. For more information, please send an email to [email protected] or call (908) 704 8843 x344.