| Success Story: Latino Male in Los Angeles Now Working for Park Services By Leticia Lopez, Westside Center for Independent Living, Los Angeles, CA |
A 40-year-old Latino male diagnosed with Renal Failure enrolled in the Latino Employment Connection in December 2005. He has a wife and one child and he supported his family by cooking and selling Mexican food. Basically he was self-employed. The man was in urgent need of full time employment in order to better provide for himself and family. His English was very limited. The Westside Center for Independent Living’s Latino Employment Connection job developer provided a job lead to him at The Los Angeles Zoo. The Job Developer contacted their Human Resources Division, spoke with the manager and faxed the consumer’s resume. The next day he filled out the application at the Los Angeles Zoo seeking a position in Park Services. Two days later he was called in for an interview. During his interview, the man was asked to fill out a background check form and was sent to a Medical facility for a drug test. Two weeks later the consumer started working for The Los Angeles Zoo as a Park Services Attendant earning $9.50 an hour, full time, with medical benefits after 90 days. Since then the consumer has relocated his residence closer to his employment and is very happy and thankful to the Latino Employment Connection job developer for her assistance. |
