>> This week on "nj business beat."

>> New Jersey is attract Toiv businesses and now it's attract Toiv lgbt owned businesses.

>> We mark pride month with a discussion on the challenges lgbtq people face in the workplace and potential challenges.

>> They're scared they'll have to move.

>> Lawmakers push for tax breaks for seniors.

Why the governor is not on board with the plan.

And -- >> It's the little things that matter.

>> We highlight workers with disabilities.

The challenges they face in getting and keeping employment and the groups that are supporting them in the workplace.

That's all ahead on "nj business beat."

♪ >> This is "nj Business Beat."

>> Hello, thanks for joining me.

June marks pride month when the lgbtq community honors its past and raises its collective voice for an equitable future.

In the business world, lgbtq people contribute as workers and business owners but according to advocates they stale face major challenges when it comes to employment and pay.

Census beu crow statistics show lgbtq workers are more likely to be employed and nonlgbtq people with 2/3's saying they have worked in the last seven days but we are making less than their co-workers.

They earn on average $900 per week compared to $1,000 per week for norvetion lgbtq workers.

According to the human rights campaign 22% of lgbtq people live in poverty.

Far better view of the labor landscape for the lgbtq community, we sat down with Gus Panoranda with the New Jersey chamber of commerce.

Tell me about the certification process and what are the advantages for business owners?

What are the advantages of being lgbtq+ certify and why should businesses do it?

>> Certification went live in march.

What it does it now allows businesses that are 50% lgbt owned to certify with the state, which puts them right next to women-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, etc.

And that puts these companies into what is called the savvy list.

That is the state directory.

So any municipality in New Jersey, of which there are over 520 of them, or any state contracts that send out proposal they will now use that list to, you know, send out the information and hopefully get back, you know prork posals from companies, especially lgbtq owned businesses that were never able to do that before and hopefully gain some more business and in the long run expand their businesses and of course hire more employees.

>> What is the business climate for lgbtq+ here in New Jersey?

>> New Jersey is attract Toiv businesses and now it's attract Toiv lgbt-owned businesses or even entrepreneurs within the state that want to start their own business here and keep the talent within the state.

So it's a positive move forward, a lot of the fortune 500 companies that call New Jersey home are onboard and support this.

I'll give you some example, Verizon -- horizon blue Closs/blue shield, New Jersey transit, Bristol-Myers Squibb.

We thinks this two steps forward in a climate right now that is sort of anti-lgbt but we think once the executive order is codified, made into law and New Jersey becomes the first state in the country with such a law, we'll see an increase once the data is brought in in about a year or two after it's signed into law.

>> It seems like there's a lot of support in New Jersey and a lot of steps forward to make sure that the lgbtq+ business community is included but we know across the country that's not the same story.

In fact we have seen sponsorship just totally really be hit hard by those who don't support the lgbtq+ community.

I'm talking of course, we think about target.

And we think about Annheuser-busch.

And bud lite.

So I guess my question to you is, are we seeing nif oaz -- any of those issue here's in New Jersey and do you think we could see that happen here?

>> There are parts of New Jersey that we do have similar situations but not to the extreme and it doesn't mainstream media or even social media.

So this will eventually pass and then they're going to move on to something else against the lgbt community, whether it be transgender rights or bathroom rights or whatever.

But because we're in the month of June and everyone is focused on pride month this becomes news worthy.

>> Seems like you still, the lgbtq plus community here in New Jersey has a lot of support and the certification process couldn't come at a better time in pride month.

Thank you for joining us.

>> Thanks for having me.

>> There's a nush Trenton to give tax rebates to seniors.

This week lawmakers introduced stay New Jersey, a bill to give a 50% credit on seen years property tax bills, up to $10,000.

The program would start in 2025.

However, governor Murphy has signaled he won't support the plan because of the cost.

With revenue projections drop, the governor argues now is not the right time to create tax cuts that could threaten other vital government services.

Advocates say this plan is crucial to helping seniors afford where they have lived for years.

>> It is a bold approach to addressing the property tax burden for older New Jersey residents.

And it will make a real difference in people's lives and make New Jersey a better place to grow up and grow old.

>> Monroe township residents ages 65 and older should not have to sell their homes and leave town because they can't afford the property taxes here in the state.

>> Newark took a major step this week to solve its growing affordable housing crisis.

The city council passed an ordinance that caps rent increases at 5% per year for all new buildings that were not previously covered by rent control laws.

Mayor baraka and those who support the plan say it will protect renters from what they call unconscionable rent increases.

Opponents argue the rent restrictions will stunt new construction as developers look for more landlord friendly policies in other cities.

According to city leaders, tenants have faced rent increases ranging from $450 in the west ward to close to $1,000 in the east ward.

>> I see this as essential to keep people who have lived here their whole lives, to continue to live in this city.

What you have is landlords seeing what they're getting in shack towers, $2,000 for a studio apartment.

They're saying why am I only going to get $00 or $600, let me Jack up my rent, so they're Jacking them up.

>> 1% or 2% sun conscionable for residents who live here.

If you think about it, if you do the math if they do it if they give you 1% over a five-year period, you are paying 5% increase.

Again, gentrifying the folks that are on fixed incomes and they don't make more than $4,000 a year.

>> Agriculture someone of the most important industries in New Jersey and now our state's junior Senator is working to support the smallest farms in the garden state and around the country.

This week Senator Cory booker introduced the office of small farms establishment act which would create the new office inside the U.S. department of agriculture.

The goal of the new team would be to work with farms that have fewer than 180 acres on federal grant, loans and technical assistance.

According to Booker, these small farms account for 70% of all farms in the U.S. but only receive about 12% of federal payments made to farms.

The bill would allocate $25 million for the creation of the office and to set up grants for small farms.

New Jersey is home to a number of PGA sponsored events and has hosted major championships, but the next time the state hosts a tournament, the golf landscape may be dramatically changed.

This week the PGA I nownsed it would mernlg with the L I V. After years fighting liv in court, the PGA reversed course leave manage players frustrated after they turned down lucrative deals with liv to stay with the PGA.

The PGA events will be owned and controlled tbid the company but the rest will be merged with the new company.

As companies struggle to find staffing for the summer season, we want to highlight a group of workers who are often overlook and face challenges in getting and maintaining work.

More and more workers with disabilities are entering the labor force with the shift from remote work giving them more accessible opportunities.

A large majority of the population remains unemployed.

This week, we're putting workers with disabilities in focus and talking to advocates who say this group can help propel New Jersey's economy.

According to the bureau of labor statistics, there are nearly seven million workers with disabilities in the U.S. That accounts for 21% of the population with disabilities, up from 19% in 2021, showing more people entering the work force.

And the largest companies are hiring them.

With a 15% increase in employment at fortune 500 companies.

According to the disability equality index.

But people with disabilities are still more likely to be unemployed.

With the unemployment rate at 7.5% compared to just 3.5% for those without disabilities.

We wanted to learn more about the challenges workers with disabilities face and what they can offer to wide variety of employers.

I spoke with Jill howten -- Houten, the President and C.E.O.

of a company that works to achieve disability inclusion.

Jill, I love how passionate you are about your work.

25 years dedicated to doing it.

Tell me about the history and mission of working to build an economy that enables people with disables to participate fully and meaningfully.

>> We are a global nonprofit that empowers business to achieve disability inclusion and equality and the reality is, is that we are a movement that grew out of the Americans with disabilities act because business has the power to change the world.

>> Jill, let's talk about how hiring those with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities helps companies with disability inclusion and equity.

>> So I think it's really important for people to know that disability crosses every area of diversity and we are a part of diversity that people can join at any time, right?

So 70% of us have disabilities that you can't see.

It's people like me with dyslexia or people with anxiety, etc., and so businesses have a real opportunity to drive innovation by being inclusive.

>> You know, Jill, I read that bayer is one of the companies that supports this mission.

Tell me about some New Jersey companies that are also working to support those with disabilities, and kind of what you would like to see.

>> So at disability in, we have a tool called the disability equality index, a benchmarking tool.

There are so many companies from New Jersey that are actively engaged on their disability inclusion journey.

So it's companies like Merck.

Like American Water.

T D Bank.

And the list goes on.

What we really want to see is disability being included and these companies engaging with their work force around this issue.

>> Right.

I mean, when we think about the bigger picture, do you think the Federal Government should push for more disability inclusion in business?

Or should it really be up to the business community?

>> I think that business has the power to lead and through studies that we have done in partnership with Accenture called getting to equal -- the disability inclusion advantage, what we've found is businesses prioritizing disability inclusion and advancing on their journey have greater total shareholder returns and economic profit margins.

So business has the opportunity to lead.

>> Ultimately, what is economic impact of hiring people with disabilities, for those who are watching, especially employers?

>> So, one of the things that the study found is that companies that are advancing on their journey actually have four times greater total shareholder returns.

>> What I love most about our interview is that you use yourself as an example.

You are living proof as to why companies can become richer by hiring and giving those with disabilities opportunities.

Thank you for joining me on "Bus Beat" to discuss this important topic.

>> Thank you.

>> Getting a job can give persons with intellectual and physical disabilities a new confidence as they learn new skills and succeed at using them.

One New Jersey mom made it her mission to give these opportunities to this community including her beloved son.

Ethan and the Bean in little fall a nonprofit cafe, was founded with the mission of increasing employment for persons with disability.

Pamela's inspiration was her son Ethan.

I spoke to her at the cafe about how this little cafe is changing so many lives.

Pamela, many of us when we think about work, we may think about working for money or for power or for position.

But what we take for granted is purpose.

And where we're sitting here what you've done here, has given a loft people purpose.

Specifically, your son.

And I want to talk about how Ethan and the Bean hasn't just changed your life but given on the so many others.

>> Taking the opportunity to give someone employment or be able to train them and get them job ready for employment that person or that individual has a purpose in getting up every morning and every day.

Is absolutely changing their life.

And with that, coming to work, having to be able to mingle in with society, is another purpose and you're seen.

>> Let's talk a little bit about Ethan and kind of how his life has changed and kind of the passion behind the coffee shop.

>> Having opened the coffee shop gives him not only just purpose but a place of being, a place of welcome, a place of just belonging.

In society, with his peers, and being able to come to work and being able to socialize, being able to have skills that could give him meaningful purpose, whether he is employed full time or part time, it's not -- that's not the meaning.

It's the entire purpose of being here, being a part of a community, being part of a working community.

What our, you know, our society deems normal is having a job.

And having that job could be as small as filling sugar containers for the day.

But it's still a job.

It's a purpose.

It's meaningful.

It gives self-confidence.

It gives self-esteem.

And that person feels like they're connected and he does feel like when he's here, he is in a connected environment.

Supported environment.

>> This is actually very personal to me my uncle Jimmy has an intellectual disability and so I know how important, not just having an opportunity to have a purpose when he wakes up but also training.

I wanted to talk about that.

Because that's something else that is a big part of.

This you're also training those to have a normal working environment and to teach them skills.

Not just social.

But also different jobs.

And different responsibilities.

>> We launched C.C.U.

and it's a pilot program that we are -- that we launched with the dareon school at the moment.

It's bringing individuals from that transition to adult life like ages 18 to 21, and just teaching them job readiness skills.

Job readiness and prevocational train, whether that's setting the table, whether that's measuring and baking.

Whether that's hospitality.

But not only to work with Ethan and the Bean at a future date, maybe it's to work in their local cafe.

>> Let's talk about Ethan.

Give us some background on what has been most challenging in his life as you watch as a parent and what you're incorporating and training and expanding programs like this.

>> Ethan requires a lot of support.

Pretty much 24/7.

Not as high functioning as most so it's a challenge.

I think the unknown when you do go in for job sampling while you're in school, the fear of the unknown by the employer or the individual that might be small business that might be offering these opportunities, their fearfulness is basically their lack of knowledge.

And that is something that we would like to change.

>> What needs to change from a business point of view, from an acceptance point of view, I know you're doing your part, but more people need to do their part in order for this to work.

>> That we have local community partners that would come in, that are in like-minded businesses, and come in and be willing to participate in our training process in the supporting environment and be able to accept if we offered them support in their environment, with some of our individuals coming out of our programs, to support them and show staff how to support them.

That they would be more willing and open to examine this work force and tap into it.

>> The perfect role model for so many who are looking for purpose, want hope, and are scared to take that first step.

Pamela, thank you so much for joining me.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> Cheers.

>> Accessibility is key for persons with disabilities both in the workplace and everyday life.

One Newark restaurant makes accessibility its mission catering specifically to deaf New Jerseyans who rarely have a place to go for food, entertainment, and fun.

Deaf's Delight opened in 2021 and has served many of the 850,000 New Jerseyans who suffer if hearing loss.

I sat down with Tyson hay lee, a deaf translator and advocate for the community to learn more about the progress made for accessibility in New Jersey.

>> Tyson, thank you for joining us.

>> Thank you for having me.

>> I'm so excited about this segment because we are focusing on a community that is overlooked a lot, and that's the Deaf community.

So we're going to make sure they're included in this segment.

>> Yes, they're going to be included.

>> So let's start there.

I feel like it is kind of a hidden disability.

>> Yes, I agree with you.

You don't see it.

Like other people.

For example, visually impaired people.

They tend to have a cane.

Or disabled with crutches or a wheelchair.

Ours are hearing -- ours are hidden.

Without hearing aids or with hearing aids, it's totally different.

>> Tell me a little bit about the challenges that you have faced, which in turn has made you such a big advocate for the Deaf community.

>> Being born hearing, playing around, 2-year-old boy.

Get hit with meningitis, really took a toll.

To be able to walk, not be able to walk.

Be able to move, not be able to move.

Be able to speak, not be able to speak.

Just imagine as a parent discovering this moment as a child, your baby, lifeless, like, gone.

Like can't even play with his toy.

How my mom discovered that I was deaf, you know, being in the hospital for 21 days, the bedpan back in the 1980's, they were metal.

It would drop on the floor and you'd hear that rattle.

But when you drop you feel like a flinch.

She noticed I didn't flinch.

She did it again and she called the doctors and nurses and they discovered that I was do deaf -- I was deaf.

Through faith and prayer, that changes our whole life.

Growing up, in school, learning how to talk all over again.

Walk all over again.

Move all over again.

It's changing, life-changing.

>> Tell me a little bit about strides that have been made and how businesses are including the Deaf community and what they still need to work on.

>> We visit everything like a hearing person.

One of the big resources here in the city of Norton, New Jersey.

The great mayor, his leadership team, they made a shift in the last few years with inclusion.

With Deaf victims going into places -- Deaf individuals going into places of business.

Knowing a little sign.

It's not much but it's something.

It makes them feel, like, I can go in there.

That person knows I'm Deaf.

Can communicate.

I work here at the library, at the public library.

Some of my colleagues, they know sign language.

If I'm not here, they know, you need help?

You need a book?

And we write it down.

I want to help you.

Come walk with me.

I'm going to show you.

And that matters to me.

>> I got to visit the Deaf cafe, Deaf Delights.

Can we talk about that.

Should there be more?

>> Yes, there should be more establishments.

I'm grateful for the only Deaf business in the world.

They have Deaf workers.

Do your business hire Deaf workers?

We're amazing workers.

We're the best workers you can imagine.

>> Tell me about what you -- what you want to see.

>> What I want to see is inclusion.

Bring us in to the table.

Hear our stories.

Hire us.

Allow us to participate in many different pathways.

We sure can do it.

Just give us a try.

>> Because there's a lot of great talent.

>> Yes.

>> And future employees.

If you don't give them a chance.

>> Agreed.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you.

>> That does it for us this week.

Remember to subscribe to our nj Spotlight News youtube channel.

Next week we highlight the contributions of veterans to the business community and organizations supporting them.

I'm Raven Santana.

Thanks for watching, we'll see you next weekend.