Ready One Industries is known specifically for hiring those in the Borderland with disabilities.

Now, a family turns to KFOX14 because their disabled daughter is a Ready One employee but has been out of work for three months. They were told the company doesn't have the materials necessary for her to work.

Michael Pride's daughter, Mona Imani-Safa enjoyed her job in the sewing department making uniforms for the federal government.

"I like the sewing machine, I like working with sewing machines and automatics. I like doing all the work they give me and I like everybody at Ready One," said Imani-Safa.

Imani-Safa worked at Ready One for a year and a half until November, when she was told the company didn't have the materials for her job function in the sewing department.

"I was so sad and I start shaking and I was crying a lot," said Imani-Safa.

Pride said he was told Mona could return once they received the materials. Each week they were told Mona could return in one week. The weeks have come and gone and she still has not returned to work.

"We've tried to contact Ready One through human resources. I've even tried to contact the director, Mr. Ahmann, but to no avail. They never return your phone calls. It's like they're being very evasive on any questions that you ask them and their excuse is that they are waiting on material to come in from the contractor," said Pride.

"I miss my work and I miss my friends. I miss everybody," said Imani-Safa.

Pride said the experience has taken a toll on his daughter.

"It's been very emotional for Mona because every time this happens, it's physically and mentally demoralizing for her. She enjoys her job, she loves to get up and go to work every morning. She does not want to sit home and collect a check. She wants to go out and work," said Pride.

The CEO and president of Ready One, Tom Ahmann, tells KFOX14 it's just a case of old-fashioned supply and demand. Ready One mainly produces uniforms for the United States government and the apparel business is very delicate. Sometimes an entire operation can hinge on something as small as a button.

"There could be changes in the designs; we have to stop until we get those all in place. We can't purchase something without a specific order," said Ahmann.
"This isn't an unusual thing. It happens all year long," Ahmann added.

In the apparel industry it is called "line balancing."

Without the materials and supplies for products, Ahmann doesn't have work for his employees, many of whom have very specialized roles within the company and therefore cannot be moved to other departments.

"When you are dealing with certain people with certain disabilities, it could very well be that they can do one operation and that is the only thing they can do. So if there isn't a similar operation that is open that is producing a similar product there is no place to move them to," said Ahmann.

Ahmann said when the company has a need for more workers, the employees will be brought back.

"We just can't have them on the floor with nothing to do," said Ahmann.

Pride believes there is more to it.

"There are more kids that have been out a lot longer than Mona has," said Pride.

He wants answers from the company.

"I think it is a total disservice for disabled people and I think Ready One is using this as an excuse to basically lay people off or not provide them jobs," said Pride.

Ahmann said that is simply not the case.

"We don't ever like to lay anybody off or put them on a line balance. It's not personal, we don't like to do it to the families or the people. Secondly, when we don't have something to produce then we are not generating revenue, and if were not generating revenue we are not paying anybody," said Ahmann.

Ahmann told KFOX14 Ready One made a reduction in workforce in areas and jobs that were redundant. He said when the reductions were made they did not lay off anyone with disabilities.

"It's frustrating and its like a false sense of security for not only the employees but the public because they are making it seem like they're this big organization that helps disabled people and they are treating her like this," said Pride.

Imani-Safa said she has other friends waiting to go back to work as well.
"There are more families, more disabled people that are out three months, six months, a year, possibly even more. They are probably just sitting there waiting for that phone call," said Pride.

While it may be business as usual, the experience has been anything but normal for Imani-Safa and her family.She'shoping she will get the call that she can head back to work at Ready One soon.

"Now I just feel so bad because I actually want to go back to work as soon as possible. I am so interested going back to work. I just want to say, if I go back to Ready One, I don't want them to ever send me home again, not even once a year," she said. "I actually want to go back tomorrow," Imani-Safa added.

Ahmann said 75 percent of Ready One's employees are blind or have some type of disability which gives them Ability One Status.

However, they are not receiving any grants or special funding from the government.

"We do not get help from the government to supply jobs for people. We have to actually get contracts and by purchasing those contracts the government pays us for the work we do. The reason we get some of the contracts we do is because some contracts are set aside for companies like us, but we have to compete for those contracts," said Ahmann.

It's a competitive business and even though she's been out of work for three months, Ready One still has a very loyal employee in Mona Imani-Safa.
"I really love my job and just to let you know, I'm never going to quit," said Imani-Safa.