La Crosse business taking part in governor’s ‘Better Bottom Line’ initiative

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — An initiative giving people with disabilities an opportunity to find employment makes its way to La Crosse.

Wisconsin’s Deputy Secretary of Workforce Development met with the owner of Great Harvest Bread company in La Crosse Tuesday to discuss their efforts in hiring workers with disabilities. The initiative is part of Governor Scott Walker’s plan called “A Better Bottom Line.”

The plan includes working with employers to give those with disabilities on-the-job training and experience for applying for future jobs. “It’s huge, it’s phenomenal. It gives them the opportunity to be in a work place, see what the culture is like, to understand the expectations in a zero risk environment,” said Jennifer Williamson, owner of the Great Harvest Bread Company in La Crosse.

So far, the Deputy Secretary says the initiative has helped employ more than 17,000 people with disabilites across the state.