Mosaic Weighted Blankets Applauds Microsoft for Recruiting Employees With Autism

AUSTIN, Texas - April 24, 2015 - PRLog -- Mosaic Weighted Blankets is commending Microsoft on its new pilot program recruiting people with autism for full-time positions.

As Business Insider reported on April 6, 2015, Microsoft will be partnering with Danish nonprofit Specialisterne -- which focuses on training people with autism spectrum disorders for careers -- for the initiative.

“It's a significant hiring decision and a real win for Microsoft on many levels,” said Laura LeMond, owner of Mosaic Weighted Blankets. LeMond is one of the largest online retailers of weighted blankets in the US, which have been shown to have a calming effect on people with autism spectrum disorders, as well as sensory processing disorder and a variety of sleep disorders.

“This is a talented population of individuals,” LeMond went on to explain. “We see many bright customers with autism who order weighted blankets, since it's a popular therapy tool for kids and adults with autism. And we hear many success stories of these individuals on the spectrum who excel if they are given the right opportunity.”

In a blog post about the program published April 3, Microsoft Corporate VP of Worldwide Operations Mary Ellen Smith, who has a teenage son with autism, wrote that although “each individual is different,” Microsoft is particularly interested in the abilities of some people with autism spectrum disorders to pay attention to detail and excel in coding or math.

LeMond agrees. “It’s difficult to lump people into one category, but overall the autistic population can excel at many things related to the scientific disciplines, including engineering and computer science,” she said.

LeMond also said she hopes other companies will follow Microsoft’s example and make some changes in their hiring decisions.

“Large companies should have a workforce that reflects the makeup of the U.S. population,” she concluded. “It's time to make hiring decisions that include those with special needs as employees. As Temple Grandin says, autistic people are "Different, Not Less.”

About Mosaic Weighted Blankets

Mosaic Weighted Blankets can help with anxiety, stress and insomnia, working as a non-drug therapy. They can provide treatment for a wide range of disorders, including ADD/ADHD, sensory disorders, restless leg syndrome, and more. The blankets are made with 100% non toxic, commercial grade poly pellets. To learn more, visit www.mosaicweightedblankets.com