2010 Board Meeting Schedule

• March 5 from 10-1 at The Citadel in Charleston

• May 16 from 1-3 PM at the HR Conference site in Wild Dunes in Palms 3 at the Sweetgrass Conference Center 

• July 13 from 10-12 at Presbyterian College in conjunction with Business Week (Board members will assist Business Week participants by conducting interviews to hone their job-seeking skills) 

• September 10 from 10-1 at the SC Chamber board room in Columbia 

• October 26 Annual Diversity Awards Banquet at the Embassy Suites in Columbia 

• November 12 from 10-1 at AnMed in Anderson

Diversity Council Acknowledged in SCBiz magazine - Click here to read more.

GROUND-BREAKING SURVEY OF EMPLOYER ACTIONS/ATTITUDES RELEASED
Survey of Employer Perspectives on the Employment of People with Disabilities is the first of its magnitude, with responses representing more than 2.4 Million companies nationwide. The survey reveals that a majority of large businesses hiring people with disabilities are discovering that costs for accommodations differ very little from those of the general employee population. Additionally, the survey showed that once an employer hires someone with a disability, they are much more likely to hire other people with disabilities.
ODEP’s revised Business Case for Hiring People with Disabilities, including returning disabled veterans, features video clips, research and anecdotal information from businesses and industry leaders on how hiring people with disabilities improves an organizations bottom line across six themes: Return on Investment, Human Capital, Innovation, Marketing, Diversity, and Social Responsibility.
Both are now available.  

The 2008 Excellence in Workplace Diversity Award
The South Carolina Diversity Council's annual Excellence in Workplace Diversity Dinner was held on October 28. The winners were - in the small employer category - US Engine Valve, in the medium employer category - Wackenhut Services Inc, and in the large employer category - Verizon Wireless. View our slide show By Clicking Here.

Federal Contracts Required to Use E-verify System:  
On June 6, President George W. Bush issued an executive order requiring all federal government contractors to use E-Verify to verify the work authorization of all new hires and existing personnel assigned to perform work on future federal contracts. The amended Executive Order 12989 states: "Adherence to the general policy of contracting only with providers that do not knowingly employ unauthorized alien workers and that have agreed to utilize an electronic employment verification system designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security to confirm the employment eligibility of their workforce will promote economy and efficiency in Federal procurement."
The executive order doesn't address whether subcontractors also will be required to use E-Verify, but it grants rulemaking authority to the Department of Homeland Security. The order comes at a time of increasing criticism of E-Verify and congressional hearings on finding a substitute. Text of the executive order is available at the White House website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080609-2.html

2009 Officers (Click Here) and Board members (Click Here)

View the Council's session on affirmative action in the electronic age presentation - Click Here for Video Session.

Visit our diversity resource page by clicking here.

Per action of the Board, membership are now on an individual annual basis, expiring twelve months from initiation of the membership. Click here to download a membership application if your company is not already a member of the Council.