Success Is In The Mail
Shannon Wilder is the consummate career woman. She
has worked
in her chosen field for more than five years, earning top ratings from her
employers. Wilder has a developmental disability and receives services from
Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD).
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. APD is taking the
opportunity to highlight Floridians like Wilder who are working in their
communities and leading fulfilling lives.
Wilder works as a mail support clerk for EDS, an HP company. EDS is the fiscal
agent and information technology provider for 22 state Medicaid programs,
including Florida's. Wilder works in the mailroom that serves the company's
Tallahassee employees, which number more than 450.
"Shannon opens the mail, sorts it into the different claim types that we
service, and puts them in batches which are then given to the scanning
department," said Mailroom Supervisor Frank Maxwell, Wilder's supervisor.
Wilder rates high among her 19 co-workers in the mailroom. Maxwell counts her
among the top three employees for quality of work.
"We hold quality inspections every month," Maxwell said. "And to find a mistake
in her work is very rare."
Although Wilder has worked for EDS for four months, she has a track record that
goes back five years, when she worked in the mailroom of another company.
"I knew her there, and that's why I hired her to work for us," said Maxwell.
"She has a very positive attitude toward her work, and that is well reflected
in the sweet smile that she greets everyone with."
Wilder has no trouble smiling because she enjoys working so much.
"I love EDS and my friends are good to me and they are doing fine with me and
I'm doing fine with my work, too," Wilder said. "It's my favorite job I've ever
had. I like working better than staying home with Mom and Dad."
According to Maxwell, there is no reason why employers shouldn't consider
hiring people with disabilities.
"They are very focused, very dependable," said Maxwell. "In Shannon's case,
she
picks it up extremely fast. Shannon takes a lot of pride in her work, and she
won't settle for less than the best, for herself or for the company. Also, she
gets along well with everybody. She hasn't met anybody that she hasn't called a
friend."
APD supports people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, and work in their communities. For more information about the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, visit www.apdcares.org or call toll-free 1- 866-APD-CARES (1-866-273-2273).
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