Celebrating its 20th anniversary, PersonnelPlus is honoring businesses that have helped the program expand and look ahead to the future.
As an employment agency, PersonnelPlus helps Athens County businesses find workers for open jobs. PersonnelPlus is different from other agencies because it fills open job positions with mentally and physically disabled employees.
Formerly Atco Job Placement Services, PersonnelPlus has helped about 70 people in Athens County find jobs, said Director Doug Mitchell.
Employers include Atco, 21 S. Campbell, Bob Evans, 357 E. State St., and the Ohio University Vice President for Finance office.
Shively Hall Manager Jim Yute said employees placed through PersonnelPlus have worked out well.
They're wonderful
he said. They are very dependable on time.
Yute said the dining hall originally employed two people, but now is at six.
Those are six individuals I don't have to rehire every quarter. I know they are there. That's a big relief for me Yute said.
A not-for-profit company, PersonnelPlus receives no fee from its clients, Mitchell said. It is funded mainly through local tax levies, but also receives funds from the Athens Board of Mental Retardation & Developmental Disability and the Ohio Board of MRDD.
The great part is that local money goes back into local businesses
Mitchell said.
Exact figures for how much money goes into PersonnelPlus are not available because such records are not kept, said Teresa Fulk, Atco vocal rehabilitation manager.
The PersonnelPlus process to find workers has been set up so there is almost no risk to the employer, Mitchell said.
The employer describes to PersonnelPlus the vacant job positions and its requirements. PersonnelPlus then looks at potential workers and assesses their strengths and weaknesses. After choosing a handful of workers who would be best for the job, PersonnelPlus presents the list to the employer.
Potential employees work on a one-week trial basis. Training is provided by PersonnelPlus, and a job coach assists the potential worker during his or her trial basis.
During the trial period, the worker's salary is paid for by PersonnelPlus. After the trial period, the employer can hire the worker, not hire the worker or request an extension of the trial period.
Sometimes, the company is unable to find a worker to fill a job.
We will not place anybody in a job unless we feel they can fulfill the duties of the job
Mitchell said.
Employees placed through PersonnelPlus typically make minimum wage or slightly higher. Most employees work 20 to 25 hours a week.
Dave Scholl, President and CEO of Diagnostic Hybrids Inc., 350 W. State Street, said employing people through PersonnelPlus makes good business sense because of the strong work ethic and reliability of the workers. Diagnostic Hybrids Inc. currently employs more than 10 people from PersonnelPlus.
Retention is high. If you look at the attendance
it's just outstanding
he said.
Looking ahead, Mitchell said he wants to continue the program's image with community businesses.
We want to continue to promote ourselves as a viable employment source to local businesses
he said. These people can do more than just janitorial work.
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