Companies Work At Home Policy Opens Doors

Jim Mullaney's daily commute consists of hopping out of bed. In fact, every employee for Mullaney, owner of Fairfield-based Edoc Marketing, works from home. "The original idea behind the business is we would create an environment where people can work at home and establish a career, and at the same time serve the business community," Mullaney said. "I saw a real need for that, and that has been the foundation."

Because of that convenience, many handicap people work for Mullaney, and that has garnered Edoc Marketing recognition. The Clovernook Center for the Visually Impaired named Edoc the 2007 Employer of the Year and Miami Valley Placement Network recognized Mullaney as a leader in employing the handicapped.

"We don't hire people because they are handicapped, we hire them because they can do the job," Mullaney said. "We're only interested in people who have outgoing personalities and can converse on the phone."

Edco is a business to business telemarketing firm that generates business leads for clients. Mullaney's "Red Zone" system identifies the potential return on investment for clients. Edco's marketing sales division business was up 70 percent September 2006 at the end of September. The goal is to have $3.5 million in sales in three to five years. This year, it's projected to be $400,000.

Being able to work from home was a main reason why Lelia Jo Cordell, of Springfield, wanted to work for Edoc. She had been looking for two years for a job, but she said no one would hire her because she is legally blind.. "The fact that they were not only willing but eager to hire a visually impaired person, and equip me to do the job and do it, well, that means an awful lot to me," Cordell said.

Linda Larbes, Cordell's marketing team manager, has been with Edoc for 2-1/2 years. She is confined to a wheelchair due to a neurological disorder. She was a licensed social worker for 20 years, but the commute to Cincinnati with a young son and a handicapped husband took a toll: She said she couldn't handle the pace and consequently became ill in 1999.

"I think this is a place where folks with and without disabilities can compete and do a really good job," Larbes said. "The job has enabled me to be in a supervisory position, which I haven't done before."