Medford, Ore. — Some 100 intellectually and developmentally disabled workers in Southern Oregon are having their hours cut at Goodwill, as the company restructures its policies as mandated by the state.
It caught Sharon Halfhill and her husband Clyde by surprise. They say it came as a shock to them, the couples 48-year-old daughter Teressa, who lives with a learning disability, is currently offered paid vocational training by Southern Oregon Goodwill at a segregated or sheltered workshop.
Thats where a group of intellectual or developmentally disabled adults work together, but that vital training and experience is being phased out by the organization, in fact they’ll lose the funding entirely next July.
The reason is the Governor’s executive order and the employment first policy, which aims to integrate these workers.
Shae Johns/VP, Mission services at Goodwill, “The state is saying that paid work experiences in sheltered workshops are no longer acceptable for people to get training.”
Goodwill says workers won’t be cut hours but instead will see a decrease in the amount of paid work experience they have.
Kardine Holt says her son lost his position at the Ashland Goodwill, an environment he worked well in, when they closed their sheltered workshop. “I dont think they realize the snowball that they have created.
Those concerns also echoed by Halfhill, who’s worried about her daughter. “She needs to have the privilege of working with people and being a productive part of society.”
Southern Oregon Goodwill says they help 3,000 workers in 5 Southern Oregon counties and in Siskiyou County, but as they revamp their service model, the families of those affected aren’t blaming them.
“I think our only recourse is through our senators and congressman, it’s not gonna do any good to call the Governor, its a done deal.
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