The University’s director of disability compliance was recognized for her efforts in hiring and promoting people with disabilities.
Lynnett Van Slyke, the University of Rochester’s director of disability compliance, received a business recognition certificate from the Rochester Area Employment Network on Wednesday, in recognition of her efforts supporting people with disabilities in securing and maintaining employment.
The award was presented in Wallis Hall by Marianne Durrant, the president of the network, and Jennifer Geiger, a business relations representative at ACCES-VR. ACCESS-VR, an office of the New York State Department of Education, stands for Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation and helps people with disabilities to find and maintain employment.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and the theme is “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion.”
“Lynnett embraces the value of people with disabilities being hired and being successful at the University,” says Geiger, who nominated Van Slyke for the award. “She engages employees and their supervisors in discussions about reasonable accommodations. That process generates ideas and solutions that can provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to meet the essential functions of their job.”
Van Slyke estimates that 8 to 10 percent of University employees have disabilities and are represented in various jobs across all campuses. While she says the award makes her feel “valued,” she says it’s not about her. “It’s the entire team, the business partners I work with, the department administrators, and ACCES-VR who help to keep our individuals with disabilities at the University employed.”
