For the second consecutive year, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) has been named a National Organization on Disability (NOD) Leading Disability Employer™ -- an annual recognition of exemplary employment practices for people with disabilities. Now in its third year, the national award is designed to applaud those organizations that are leading the way in disability hiring and encourage additional companies to tap into the many benefits of hiring talent with disabilities, including strong consumer preference for companies that employ individuals with disabilities and greater employee engagement across the workforce.

“Horizon is passionate about helping employees reach their full potential and is committed to eliminating any barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from unlocking their talents and skills,” said Alison Banks Moore, Chief Diversity Officer for Horizon BCBSNJ. “We’re proud to be recognized by NOD for our inclusive policies and truly enriched by having a workforce that is as diverse as the 3.8 million members we serve,” she said.

“Our success in a global economy depends, now more than ever, on how well we inspire and put to use the talent and energies of every person in this country – every talent, every skill, every ability,” said NOD Chairman Governor Tom Ridge. “For more than 35 years the National Organization on Disability has served as a bridge-builder to the wider world of employment and independence for the 57 million Americans with disabilities.”

The NOD Leading Disability Employer seal is awarded based on data furnished by companies in response to the NOD Disability Employment Tracker™, a free and confidential assessment that benchmarks companies’ disability inclusion programs in the following areas:

• Climate & Culture
• People Practices
• Talent Sourcing
• Workplace & Technology
• Strategy & Metrics

While the Tracker is confidential, organizations may opt to be considered for the NOD Leading Disability Employer seal. Responses are scored, taking into account both disability employment practices and performance. Scoring prioritizes practices that are associated with increased disability employment outcomes over time, and companies receive additional points based on the percentage of people with disabilities in their workforce.

About Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New JerseyHorizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the state's oldest and largest health insurer is a tax-paying, not-for-profit health service corporation, providing a wide array of medical, dental, vision and prescription insurance products and services. Horizon BCBSNJ is leading the transformation of health care in New Jersey by working with doctors and hospitals to deliver innovative, patient-centered programs that reward the quality, not quantity, of care patients receive. Learn more at www.HorizonBlue.com

About NODThe National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, non-profit organization that seeks to increase employment opportunities for the 80 percent of working-age Americans with disabilities who are not employed. To achieve this goal, NOD offers a suite of employment solutions, tailored to meet leading companies’ workforce needs. NOD has helped some of the world’s most recognized brands be more competitive by building or enriching their disability inclusion programs. For more information about NOD and how its professional services, Corporate Leadership Council and Disability Employment Tracker™ can help your business, visit www.NOD.org.

###