DES MOINES, Iowa — This week, The Harkin Institute is addressing the barriers to hiring people with disabilities. The 2024 Harkin International Disability Employment Summit in Washington DC brings together leaders and disability advocates from more than 40 countries.

Easterseals Iowa is working with businesses to make that a reality in the metro. A new program called Athene@Work is helping Iowans with disabilities find their place in the workforce.

“I’m very friendly. Always have a positive attitude,” said 26-year-old Jason Henry.

Hired in the summer of 2023, every day is a good day when he walks through the doors at Athene.

“Our department is responsible for making changes to annuities after they’ve been issued, hence the name post issue processing,” he explained.

Like any new job, it came with a learning curve. 

“It was hard at first, but it has gotten easier,” said Henry.

Henry is part of a successful pilot program called Athene@Work. The partnership with Easterseals hires and trains people who are neurodiverse.

“The program is focused on our neurodiverse population so some people from Asperger’s to Autism kind of fall within that range,” said Mindy Burr, Easterseals Director of Vocational Services.

Easterseals supports about 500 people through its vocational services. Henry is one of a dozen hires in the Athene@Work program.

“It is good business, and you know, not everyone is the same. Some people have innovative ideas, and they think about and approach things in a unique way, not the way you think about them, but it can get to a solution that really is a huge benefit,” said Angela Jackson, Senior Vice President of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Athene.

Hiring a person with a different ability works at Athene. Leaders welcome and challenge other businesses to start a program of their own.

“You can open up your doors and invite people with disabilities visible and invisible. There’s so much opportunity out there and it’s really an untapped resource. It’s a pipeline that we hope to build,” said Jackson.

“They are just absolutely amazing,” said Burr, “There’s just really not any negatives to doing it,” she added.

“Keeps me busy all the time,” said Henry.

Busy bringing his positive attitude and a whole lot more to the workplace. When he isn’t at Athene, Henry also works on the weekends at Hy-Vee.

So far, there have been three classes of employees in the Athene@Work program.

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