PRESS RELEASE Oct. 8, 2015 – Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. (D-District 12, Branford, North Branford) was joined in Bloomfield today by Dr. Mark Boxer, Cigna's Global Chief Information Officer (CIO) and numerous advocates for people with disabilities to kick off the 70th annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month by drawing attention to the important impact of people with disabilities on Connecticut's workforce.

"Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities has been a lifelong pursuit of mine, as it is an issue that hits very close to home," said Senator Kennedy. "I have challenged employers around Connecticut to integrate people with disabilities into their workforce, and I am happy to be here with Cigna, a business that has done an admirable job achieving that goal. Employers around Connecticut have overwhelmingly reported positive experiences with their employees who have disabilities. It is my hope that on this important anniversary we can renew our efforts as a state to give people with disabilities more opportunities in the Connecticut workforce."

"As we recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it is important to note the many contributions that those who happen to have a disability have made to the sciences, art, literature and even health care," said Cigna CIO, Dr. Mark Boxer. "There is a tremendous opportunity to tap into the talent that exists in the disability community. I remind my friends and colleagues that with a job comes possibilities. At Cigna we believe that the disability community represents a source of untapped capability to help us make our mission real and better serve our clients and customers."

"Cigna stands forward in the United States as a beacon of hope for Americans with disabilities to gain employment, and to have a great civil rights leader like Ted Kennedy speaking up for us is absolutely justice for all," said Joyce Bender, the CEO and founder of Bender Consulting Services, a company that focuses on the employment of people with disabilities.

Senator Kennedy called for Connecticut employers to follow Cigna's lead in increasing their focus on hiring employees with disabilities. Several Cigna employees with disabilities were on hand today to talk about their work, including:

Ewa Oka, Cigna International Quality Review & Audit Specialist

At age two, Ewa emigrated from Poland so she could receive treatment for arthrogryposis, a congenital muscle development disorder.  Eleven surgeries later, Ewa gets around with the assistance of a wheelchair and works at Cigna as a team leader for international negotiations with healthcare providers. In two weeks Ewa will complete her Ph.D.

Cathy Murdock, RN, Cigna Disability Case Management

Cathy has an invisible disability: a neurocognitive disorder commonly referred to as ADHD. She went undiagnosed until age 50. Joining Cigna seven years ago, she uses the characteristics of her condition to view individuals holistically in analyzing how they qualify for benefits.

Usman Ul Haque, Cigna Information Management & Analytics

Usman was born with short arms and legs; he uses a powered wheelchair and special equipment for his car. His career path has progressed from unemployed, to under-utilized, to an intellectually challenging career at Cigna.

The state of Connecticut, through the Department of Labor and other state agencies, provides employers with resources to promote awareness of their job openings and hire qualified people with disabilities. Job placement programs for people with disabilities have been very successful for state businesses as well as the employees they hire.

Employers have reported that employees with disabilities have higher job retention rates. This helps build an experienced workforce and reduces the high cost of turnover. Additionally, 73% of employers have reported that their employees with disabilities required accommodation at all, and of those that did report a need for accommodations, 50% said the accommodations were made at no cost.

National Disability Awareness Month is held each October to celebrate the contributions of American workers with disabilities. This important occasion allows American employers to increase awareness about the important ways that companies have grown and improved thanks to the work of people with disabilities.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a comprehensive civil rights landmark signed into law in 1990 as a result of work a national coalition of advocates, including Ted Kennedy, Jr. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees them the same opportunities as every other person living in the United States.