Fourteen people with disabilities are employed at Minnesota Life with the help of Lifeworks Services, an agency that places people in appropriate jobs and then provides job coaches to keep the program working. Most of Lifeworks' 130 client companies in the Twin Cities contract with the agency rather than hire the people with disabilities directly. Minnesota Life is an exception. Thirteen of the 14 people who were placed by Lifeworks are Minnesota Life employees, with full pay and benefits. Three of those employees told me they could not be more proud.
People are friendly and nice.
They look at me as part of a partnership. Shelly Klinkhammer and Kevin Meyer both have been promoted within the company. Klinkhammer, a duplicating center operator, says the retirement plan and overtime pay are her favorite benefits. To qualify for Lifeworks' services, people must have an IQ of 70 or less, says Pam Woods, who is one of two job coaches at Minnesota Life, or be unable to function without support. They're dependent on the job coach to help manage their day, but they're also responsible and diligent employees.