Accor North America announced a partnership with the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) to maintain employment positions for individuals with disabilities. Administered by theOhio RSC, the Governor’s Initiative on Jobs for People with Disabilities isa grant program that offers economic development projects that create jobopportunities for people with disabilities.

“This initiative is a wonderful opportunity for all parties involved,” said Larry Daniel, Senior Vice President, Accor North America Contact Centers.“As a result of the grant, everyone will have the chance to be trained onstate-of-the-art equipment.”

Accor received a state grant in the amount of $49,910 to update and enhanceits call center training facilities in Columbus and Springfield, Ohio.Updates for the facilities will include new video projection and audioequipment, including a document camera and multimedia sound system thatwill be installed in each training room. Plasma monitors will be set up topromote internal communications and video conferencing capabilities will beexpanded through the installation of advanced technology equipment.

Accor’s Columbus and Springfield call centers have been hiring individualswith disabilities since its opening in 1996, and participating in theGovernor’s Initiative makes it possible to provide further opportunitiesfor qualified applicants. The Ohio call center handles approximately 3.6million calls per year for all Accor brands including Sofitel, Novotel,Ibis, Red Roof Inn, Studio 6 and Motel 6. To date, 25 individuals work inthe call centers that were referred to Accor by agencies affiliated withRSC.

The RSC, Ohio’s vocational rehabilitation agency, instituted a Governor’sInitiative Program in 1994 that partners with Ohio businesses to create jobopportunities for people with disabilities. In return for recruitingqualified applicants with disabilities over a three-year period, businessesreceive state grants to purchase equipment.
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