Senator Carlucci Announces InspireNY: Action to Support 8,000 New Yorkers left in Limbo

Senator David Carlucci, Chair of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee in the State Senate, joined advocates, employers and affected New Yorker’s today to talk about the InspireNY tax credit that promises to provide employment to New Yorkers who previously worked in sheltered workshops throughout the State.

  
8,000 New Yorkers currently employed in sheltered workshops now have to transition to a integrated employment model leaving many in limbo.

The InspireNY tax credit will go directly to employers who hire individuals who have a developmental disability who are either unemployed or a current employee of a sheltered workshop to help ease the burden of transition for these New Yorker’s.

InspireNY will exceed expectations by  increasing social interaction and creating a sense of belonging while allowing New Yorkers with developmental disabilities the ability to earn a paycheck.

Specifically the credit would be equal to a $5,000 credit for full-time employment and a $2,500 credit for a part-time employee. The credit applies to only people with a developmental disability who on January 1, 2015 have been unemployed for 3 months or are a current employee of a sheltered workshop. The employee also needs to be employed for at least 6 months for a employer to take advantage of this tax credit.

Furthermore, this only applies to an employee’s filling a new job; therefore a person with a developmental disability would not be hire to replace an existing employee.

InspireNY Petition

InspireNY launched in conjunction with a petition that can be found

at www.change.org/petitions/inspireny.

A rally will be held in Albany on Thursday to bring their message to the State Capitol.

Senator David Carlucci said, “As Chair of the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee in the State Senate it remains my priority to protect and support New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This plan will exceed expectations by doing more than just giving a tax credit. InspireNY will increase social interaction and create a sense of belonging while allowing New Yorkers with developmental disabilities the ability to earn a paycheck.”

Carmine Marchionda, Executive Director ARC of Rockland said, “Senator Carlucci has and continues to be a staunch advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  The Senator’s InspireNY legislation will provide critical incentives to local businesses both small and large to hire individuals with disabilities.  Employment opportunities are critical to the people we support at ARC of Rockland.  With a list of 100 people in need of meaningful jobs – we are counting on these tax incentives to jumpstart employment opportunities.

Christine Reinhard, M.A, M.S., Executive Director of the Rockland County Assn. of Learning Disabilities said, “InspireNY will help to open doors to employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  It creates a partnership between government, employers in the community and the agencies providing employment supports to better enable the individuals we support realize their goals of employment.”

Dan Lukens, Executive Director of Camp Venture said, “What people with disabilities want is not to be program participants. What they want is to be tax payers. They want to work, earn a paycheck and be independent. Our job is to support that aspiration but we can't get there by simply doing what we've done. We need to improve the not only the programs that prepare and support people in jobs, we also need to recognize that program supports alone are not going to get us where we need to be.”

Mr. Lukens continued, “The InspireNY tax credit sponsored by Senator Carlucci is the kind of new approach that we need. It puts incentives in the form of tax credits in the hands of the people who would hire our people. That's where the resources need to go if we’re going to turn the limited results of the past into something substantively better.”

Jill Warner, CEO of Jawonio said, “ "We are proud to support Senator David Carlucci and join with our sister agencies, Venture, ARC, RCALD/YAI in support of his critical NYS legislation to create tax incentives for employers around the state.

Jill Warner continued, "Since 1991, Jawonio has led the region with 4600 job placements for people with special needs. Progressive employers, like Bonnist International in Rockland County and the Doubletree Inn at Tarrytown have a history and a future as partners in employment and know they are hiring the most productive workers to achieve their goals. Jawonio is proud to collaborate and advocate for Senator Carlucci's bill that will give employers the tools and incentives they need to be successful while at the same time gaining a skilled, diverse and well-trained workforce from our NYS and regional award winning services for job creation and employment."

Ed Burke, Manager of the Rockland Fairway said, “Hiring people with developmental disabilities and sincere community involvement overall has always been a priority for Fairway Markets. We are proud to work closely with the advocacy groups standing here today to make sure people with developmental disabilities have the same opportunity in the work place. InspireNY will help Fairway continue our commitment to the Rockland community.”

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The bill number for InspireNY is S6631