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Show Hire Handicapped Workers, Asks Employment Office The 79th Congress and the president of the United States set aside the first full week in October, which is the J5-12 this vear, as "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." "This is a period when every employer and worker would, want to consider the importance of employment of handicapprd workers," stated Mr. Val J. Meridian, Me-ridian, manager of the U. S. Employment Service. "Let us look at both facts and figures dealing with handicapped handicap-ped workers," continued Mr. McClellan. "According to latest reports, there are 2,000,000 living liv-ing casualties of World War II of which there are approximately approximate-ly 250,000 yet seeking employment. employ-ment. To this number can be added 130,000 victims of industrial indus-trial accidents each year, and to these the thousands injured by traffic accidents, farming, recreational recre-ational activities, and those impaired im-paired by sickness and disease. "There yet exists among many employers a misconception and in some cases a prejudice against handicapped workers." staged McClellan. "At the word handicapped, handi-capped, they immediately visualize vis-ualize a person with an arm or leg missing. Little do they realize real-ize that these individuals can hold exacting and responsible jobs often with greater skill, fewer work injuries and less labor la-bor turn over. This can be proven prov-en by a statement issued by 450 employers, which stated that of their employees, the handicapped were 2 per cent superior to non-handicapped non-handicapped workers in safety matters; 51 per cent superior with respect to absenteeism, and 58 per cent superior in labor turn over. This added to another fact that no increase in compensation compen-sation insurance will be charged because of handicapped workers employment." Mr. McClellan, "that handicapped handicap-ped workers want neither special spe-cial privilege nor sympathy but only a chance to prove their abilities to cooe with the task of earning a living in civilian work." To an employer that remains re-mains as a challenge "Hire thp handicapped it's good business." |