LANSING, Mich. — The pandemic forced many companies to come up with ways to make remote work possible. Alicia Nieves introduces us to one woman who says the change has her working for the first time in more than 15 years.
While many of people lost their job over the past few months. For some people, the pandemic caused a scenario. That made it easier for them to find work. Lashaunda Garner is one of those people.
“In my situation I was out of work for 16 years.”
After nearly two decades Garner found a work-from-home job. At the start of the pandemic. “As soon as I got the job I was like oh my gosh I can do something past my disability.”
Garner suffers from severe PTSD and anxiety, that makes it difficult to work in a traditional work environment. “In my case there are certain sounds, certain smells, and things that trigger your depression and when I am at home I can limit those things.”
While previously work-from-home options were limited.
During forced-business closures, and stay at home orders... the U.S. saw a surge in work from home jobs, especially call centers positions.
Alan Hubbard is with the National Telecommuting Institute, which helps people with disabilities work from home. He stated that “The pandemic struck, and all of the call centers had to send their agents home. This was worldwide. This was something that never happened before. Some of the agents that were sent home in India, the Philippines and China didn’t have the physical infrastructure in order to do those jobs.”
“Lashonda is actually one of many people with disabilities who have been able to find work from home jobs and thrive in that environment over the past few months. The company that helped her, NTI, has actually been able to place nearly 200 people in the last six weeks, when typically, it places about 50 people a month.”
“That is what the pandemic has done it has opened up this opportunity for these folks.”
Hubbard is working with a dozen companies looking to hire another 240 people. Lashaunda, is thriving in her current role... and hoping her story inspires not just other people with disabilities’ but the millions looking for work right now.
“Do the best you can and fight for what you want. It may take you, hopefully not 16 years... but you will end up getting it.”
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