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National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Empowered to Help Others.

By: Chelsey S., Sr Manager, Communications

McCall T., a Schwab employee based out of Austin, has been living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 26 years, and her lived experience has fueled a passion for making the workplace more inclusive for individuals with disabilities.

Recently, McCall volunteered to participate in a 12-week program with Disability:IN, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing disability inclusion in the workplace. As a corporate partner, Disability:IN collaborates closely with companies, including Schwab, offering tools and resources to foster a more accessible and inclusive environment.

For McCall the Disability:IN program was transformative. One of the key lessons she took away was the idea that owning your disability is owning your story, which leads to empowerment. And it’s this feeling of empowerment that may lead people to disclose their disabilities (when they are ready) to their companies and their colleagues.

“There’s a whole amazing team available to help with accessibility at Schwab,” McCall says, emphasizing that disclosing a disability is not just about acknowledgement, but about unlocking the resources that Schwab has in place to aid employees.

From her own experience, McCall knows that when people feel supported, they are able to thrive, and Schwab makes good faith efforts to provide reasonable accommodations for employees and qualified applicants with disabilities. This may include things like offering skills-based interviews for neurodivergent applicants, or acquiring or modifying work equipment to make it easier for people with disabilities to do their job.

Everyone can create a more inclusive workplace

McCall is eager to continue to create a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing their stories and getting involved. “We can always do more to move the needle forward with accessibility,” she says.

She advocates for an approach similar to Schwab’s “see something, say something” mantra toward identifying red flags to prevent financial crimes. “I tell my colleagues that if something isn’t working for you or for one of your colleagues, let Schwab know so they can help,” she says.

The 12-week program concluded with an in-person capstone learning session and graduation at the 2024 Disability:IN global conference in Las Vegas, that for McCall was a deeply meaningful experience. “It was the only conference where I felt like I truly belonged,” she recalls.

Surrounded by people with disabilities and advocates from companies committed to inclusion, McCall found herself part of a community united by a common goal: pushing the conversation forward and taking concrete steps toward greater accessibility for those living with disabilities.

Since the conclusion of the program, McCall has taken on the role of Digital Accessibility Champion for her business unit, Workplace Plan & Consultant Marketing. Armed with the knowledge and tools she gained from Disability:IN, she’s eager to continue broader discussions at Schwab, and to explore new ways to support employees with disabilities. She wants people to know that she’s available to talk to as someone who has “been there” and “done that,” and she’s confident that this work will help others succeed in their career journeys, just as it helped her shape her own meaningful career at Schwab.

(1024-V5SZ)