Transcript

Interviewer: I think that sometimes people do not believe strongly enough in the services that they provide so they shortchange those services. You will hear people saying, "Well, should the person earn minimum wage? Or should I negotiate for less than minimum wage?" Please speak to the value of the individuals that you are representing to the business and what types of wages you tend to advocate for the people with disabilities.

John Luna: First of all, the wage is whatever the local [commensurate] wage would be for that respective job. [The same wage that anyone without a disability would make.] We are not asking for a handout. We are not asking to start someone at minimum wage [if the position pays more]. If the job starts at seven dollars an hour than that is [what we ask for]. We are bringing an individual who can and will do the job to the satisfaction of the employer. The employer does not have a problem paying someone who can do the job. It is one of those things that you have really got to look at. Here is what I have. I have a good, reliable, dependable employee [who makes the same as any employee of your company]. Because the employer wants a reliable, dependable employee and someone who will show up at work each and every day and not be thinking about what they are going to be doing on the weekend or vacation, someone who can do the job.

What we are doing is providing that quality employee. We have found is that, many times, there are more opportunities for employment because some people [do not] want to work for their money. Everyone would like to receive a check, but you have to work for it. We are providing good employees, and because of the reputation and the trust factor that we have brought to the employer, it just spreads with that.

Interviewer: That really speaks to a point you made a few minutes ago, which really is making sure that your agency is functioning from a business perspective versus a human service perspective. You are bringing value to the company. You are a business; you are not a human service agency just trying to get somebody a job in the community, because it is a good thing to do.

John Luna: Right. Many times employers will state that they give ten to twenty thousand dollars to the United Way. They have done their social community part. But still they are looking for employees and that is the key that we are bringing to them, is employees.