UMass Medical School’s Work Without Limits will honor the Boston Bruins for their leadership in advancing workplace diversity by hiring individuals with disabilities. The award will be presented to the Bruins during the third annual Work Without Limits “Raise the Bar Hire!” Conference and Career Fair Oct. 27 and 28 at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood.
The Exemplary Employer Award will be presented to Bob Sweeney, executive director of the Boston Bruins Foundation and former Boston Bruins player, on Oct. 27. John Dunleavy, an employee of the Boston Bruins who has Down syndrome, will receive the Exemplary Employee Award.
“Work Without Limits is excited to honor the Boston Bruins with our Exemplary Employer Award this year. Through their partnership with the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress, the Boston Bruins have been key leaders and advocates for hiring individuals with Down syndrome and other developmental and intellectual disabilities,” said Kathy Petkauskos, director of Work Without Limits.
The Boston Bruins were chosen for the award through their participation in the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress’ new public awareness campaign, Your Next Star. Sweeney and Dunleavy, who has worked for the Boston Bruins for five years, appeared in a video featuring individuals with Down syndrome and their employers.
Two additional awards will be presented at the conference. The Work Without Limits Leadership Award will be presented to Partners for Youth with Disabilities and the Work Without Limits Partnership Award will be given to Richard Berrena of FutureWorks Career Center.
Employers, employment service providers, state agencies and people with disabilities and their families are welcome at the conference. The conference will feature speakers, breakout sessions and opportunities for networking.
A half-day career fair is scheduled for Oct. 28, which will feature a career coach who will give job seekers tips about preparing for interviews with prospective employers.
The conference keynote speaker is Bob McDonald, vice president of Common Support and Services at IBM. Conference co-hosts are Laura Stout, director of Contract Operations at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and Richard Curtis, vice president of Workforce Development at State Street.
Work Without Limits, a statewide network of employers and community partners in the Disability, Health and Employment Policy unit of Commonwealth Medicine, is working to increase the employment rate of people with disabilities.
Related links on UMassMedNow:
37th annual employee service celebration honors UMMS staffers with milestone anniversaries
UMMS and state partner to increase employment of people with disabilities
Boston Globe: Work Without Limits connecting disabled with jobs
Telegram: Work Without Limits finding jobs for people with disabilities
Employees with disabilities turn blue hospital wrap into green products
