Safe‘N’Clear, Inc. markets The Communicator™ surgical grade clear face mask. Sourced and manufactured in the USA, The Communicator™ was the first surgical clear mask to be approved by the FDA. As an ADA-effective PPE device, The Communicator™ provides clear communication for visual communicators, such as the deaf and hard of hearing community.

As a deaf-owned, woman-owned business, Safe’N’Clear is approaching a milestone anniversary of 10 years serving the healthcare industry, educational institutions, and all types of businesses worldwide. Last year, Safe’N’Clear experienced tremendous growth, created more job openings, including opportunities for individuals with disabilities, obtained Health Canada Approval, and was certified as a DOBE (Disabled-Owned Business Enterprise) designated by Disability:IN, an accredited nonprofit resource for disability inclusion worldwide.

The year 2021 marked several important events for individuals with disabilities:

• July marked 31 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law; and,

• October was the 75th anniversary of Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Although employment statistics for Americans with Disabilities have improved over the years, employers and employees faced barriers brought on by COVID. More progress needs to happen to promote true diversity and inclusion in the workplace as we forge ahead through life post COVID. Data collected by the National Organization on Disability in July 2020 show that nearly 1 million people with disabilities lost their jobs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Benefits to hiring Americans with Disabilities?

• According to a 2018 report published by Accenture, companies that prioritized the inclusion of individuals with disabilities were four times more likely to outperform their competitors in shareholder returns, and have, on average 28% higher revenue, double the net income and 30% higher profit margins.

• This community is an untapped workforce and a valuable resource. People with disabilities can be overlooked because of stigmas; however, employers who abandon these stereotypes gain highly skilled employees with substantial motivation to exceed expectations. Not only are individuals eager and willing to take on a variety of employment opportunities, many of them have valuable skill sets to offer, stemming from their diverse backgrounds and experiences. Research has historically demonstrated that heterogeneous teams outperform homogenous teams; add this critical diversity to your team!

• Individuals with disabilities are loyal workers. The Department of Labor found that employers who supported those with disabilities saw a 90% increase in employee retention. The financial impact positively benefits businesses because offering reasonable accommodations is often significantly less costly than hiring and training new, inexperienced workers.

While there are still barriers facing employers as we head into the new year, overcoming the stigmas surrounding individuals with disabilities should not be a barrier. Investing in this skilled and dedicated workforce will benefit all involved and places companies on the path to starting 2022 on the right foot.

As President of Safe’N’Clear, Inc. and deaf since age 4, I am committed to making sure Safe’N’Clear employs and serves individuals with disabilities, Military Veterans, and college students to prepare them for the workforce.

Safest regards,