“Do Ask, Do Tell” Webinar Recap An archived version of EARN’s highly attended Feb. 18 webinar, “Do Ask, Do Tell: Tapping the Power of Disability Diversity and Self-Identification,” is now available for anyone unable to participate in the live event, which featured presentations by national thought leaders on the topic. In addition, EARN posted responses to questions asked during the webinar that were unable to be answered due to time constraints, and its National Project Director, Brett Sheats, wrote a blog post summarizing key takeaways.
Accessible Online Job Applications: More Than a Best Practice Two recent blog posts highlight the compelling business case for making online job applications accessible to all qualified candidates, including those with disabilities. In the first, Deputy Secretary of Labor Christopher P. Lu recounts the recent International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference and introduces TalentWorks, a new resource to help employers ensure eRecruiting tools are accessible. In the second, small business digital accessibility leader Sassy Outwater discusses her experiences job searching in the digital age as a person who is blind.
The Foundation for Inclusion What’s the foundation for disability inclusion in the workplace? The reasonable accommodation process. And what’s the foundation for that? The interactive process, says Lou Orslene, Co-Director of the Job Accommodation Network. In a recent guest blog post for Disability.gov, Orslene stressed the need for a blueprint for providing reasonable accommodations that clearly outlines what all involved – from recruiters to supervisors to human resource professionals – need to know and do when someone needs an accommodation or adjustment at work.
EEOC Fact Sheet for Small Businesses The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued a fact sheet to help small business owners better understand their responsibilities under the federal employment anti-discrimination laws it enforces, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. “Preventing Discrimination is Good Business” provides a broad overview of the laws as well as information about EEOC resources available to help small business owners comply with them. To assist the increasing number of small businesses owned by people whose first language is not English, it is available in multiple languages.
Reaffirming the Commitment: Understanding the Proposed Changes to Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act
April 14, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. EDT
WEBINAR
This webinar, hosted by EARN, will address key highlights the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking recently issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in efforts to update, clarify and centralize the standards that it uses to review and approve federal executive branch agencies’ plans for complying with Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act. Participation is free, but registration is required. So reserve your spot today!
ADA In Focus Series, The Digital Accessibility Maturity Model: Enabling Accessibility Options
April 20, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET
WEBINAR
In this webinar, Part 2 of a series hosted by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center, Bill Curtis-Davidson, Senior Director of Policy and Program Services, SSB BART Group, will discuss the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model and how it can help companies design, manage and improve their digital accessibility operations. Those who did not participate in Part 1 of the series, which took place on April 6, can access it online from the registration page.
Building Accessible Online Recruiting and Hiring Systems
April 21, 2016, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
SPEAKER SERIES
This virtual talk, one in a monthly series sponsored by the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT), will feature Denis Boudreau, senior web accessibility consultant for Deque, who will talk about the bottom line argument for accessible eRecruiting tools and the simple steps that web developers and designers can take to ensure that job seekers with disabilities are not excluded from employment opportunities.
Four years ago, entrepreneurs Rajesh Anandan and Art Schectman launched an initiative to hire people with autism to work with their software testing company. Today, they run a highly successful New York-based business, Ultra Testing, in which three-quarters of their employees are on the autism spectrum. In support of National Autism Awareness Month, Ultra Testing created a website, Different Better, through which some of their employees, both neurodiverse and neurotypical, share their stories.
In February, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination in employment of people with disabilities by federal agencies. In addition to combining and clarifying existing requirements, the proposed changes address set representation rates and the provision of personal assistance services. This EARN policy brief summarizes the NPRM in order to assist stakeholders in submitting comments, which are due by April 25.
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) is a resource for employers seeking to recruit, hire, retain and advance qualified employees with disabilities. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy under a cooperative agreement with The Viscardi Center. For more information, visit AskEARN.org
Preparation of this material was funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Grant No. [OD-26451-14-75-4-36]. This document does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, nor does the mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
