July EARN Newsletter

 INFORMATION YOU CAN USE:

NEW PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHED TO IMPROVE EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

The Kessler Foundation and the Heldrich Center are proud to launch a new series of publications designed to highlight research findings of national interest. The series will focus on disseminating information to practitioners, public policymakers, employers, and advocates about emerging service delivery system trends, promising transitions to work models designed to improve the employment and economic independence of individuals with disabilities. The first two publications in the series are:

Social Enterprise Businesses: A Strategy for Creating Good Jobs for People with Disabilities, which describes how social enterprise businesses may be an innovative way to create new work opportunities for people with disabilities by pursuing both profitability and a social impact.

Creating a Pathway to a Better Financial Future: Developing State Strategies for Asset Development and Wealth Creation for People with Disabilities, which explores wealth creation strategies to enable individuals with disabilities to build an asset base.

For further Information, visit www.heldrich.rutgers.edu

WEB REGISTRATION OPENS FOR THE ADD US IN NATIONAL DIVERSITY FORUM

The Department of Labor’s ADD US IN NATIONAL DIVERSITY FORUM is a public event taking place on August 4, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC. The meeting will initiate a national discussion around how efforts like ADD US IN can look at the intersection of business, diversity and disability in order to bring benefit to individuals with disabilities, small businesses, targeted communities and the economy as a whole. Space is limited — early registration is encouraged.

FIRST EVER WORLD REPORT ON DISABILITY

In the first World Report on Disability from the World Health Organization and the World Bank, it is suggested that more than a billion people experience some form of disability. The report outlines issues facing people with disabilities, such as poorer health, lower education achievement, and fewer economic opportunities. By providing the best available evidence and concrete recommendations, this report can be an asset in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and shaping legislative decisions in the future.

Read more at http://www.who.int/disabilities/world_report/2011/en/index.html

    DID YOU KNOW?…

WALGREENS HAS UNIQUE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

Since launching a program to employ people with disabilities at one of its distribution centers, Walgreens has seen a drop in turnover and absenteeism.  Workers with disabilities constitute 40 percent of the workforce at their Anderson distribution center, performing the same tasks as their able-bodied co-workers.

“We found that [employees with disabilities] cost less, and have lower turnover and absenteeism than other workers”, said Randy Lewis, senior vice president of distribution and logistics for Walgreens.  Employees with disabilities also were far more flexible than managers had envisioned.

To read more, click here.

THE GROWING VIRTUAL WORKFORCE: DMEC THINK TANK OFFERS BEST PRACTICES FOR LARGE AND MID-SIZE COMPANIES

The Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) on June 27 released its 2011 Think Tank report, “Virtual Workforce: The Changing Face of Absence and Productivity in the Technological Age.” This timely report addresses the opportunities and challenges faced by employers attempting to cut costs and attract skilled employees through the creative use of remote work.

To read more, click here.

U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT RESTORES AND UPDATES FUNCTIONAL AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM PROCESS FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has released a new directive to outline the process by which federal supply and service contractors can apply for Functional Affirmative Action Program agreements, which can be viewed at http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/directives/dir296.htm.

FREE WEBINAR SEPTEMBER 15: ONLINE EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS AND WEBSITE ACCESSIBILITY

Nearly all employers require candidates to submit their job applications online. But many online application processes are inaccessible to people with disabilities. Attend this free webinar on September 15 from 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. EDT to learn how to make your online applications fully accessible. Deadline to register is September 14.

For more information and to register, click here.

THE DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SITUATION:

JUNE 2011*

Employment rate of persons ages 16-64 with disabilities: 26.7%
Employment rate of persons ages 16-64 without disabilities: 70.2%
Employment Gap: 43.4%   
Commonly Used Terms

*In June 2011, the employment rate of people 16-64 years of age was 26.7% for persons with disabilities compared with 70.2% for persons without a disability. The gap between the employment rate of persons of 16-64 years of age with and without disabilities was 43.4%, not seasonally adjusted.

EEOC LOOKS AT DISPARATE TREATMENT IN 21ST CENTURY HIRING DECISIONS

On Wednesday June 22, 2011, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a meeting on “Disparate Treatment in 21st Century Hiring Decisions” in Washington, D.C.  The meeting looked at how discrimination during the hiring process affects minorities, including people with disabilities.  Nine witnesses were called to provide evidence and discuss the impacts of disparate hiring practices.

To read more about this meeting, click here.

WHEN GOOD FAITH EFFORTS AREN’T ENOUGH

Patricia A. Shiu, Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs of the United States Department of Labor, reflects on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and how the U.S. Department of Labor is doing more for those living with disabilities in her article “Good Faith” on the White House Blog.

To read more, click here.

FINDING TALENT IS NO. 1 GLOBAL ISSUE

Over 1200 business leaders from 69 countries were surveyed as part of PricewaterhouseCooper’s 14th annual global CEO survey.  The survey report, entitled “Growth Reimagined: The Talent Race is Back On,” finds that strategies for managing talent are the No. 1 concern for the CEOs over the next year. In recent years, with the global recession, profit and investment were top priorities, but that is changing.

Three pools of talent—women, older workers and younger workers—are particularly vital in thinner talent markets where skills are scarcer.

To read more about this survey, click here.

ARCHIVED JUNE 30TH WEBINAR NOW AVAILABLE: LEADING CORPORATE DISABILITY INCLUSION PRACTICES

Did you miss the June 30th webinar, “Leading Corporate Disability Inclusion Practices”? The archived presentation and materials can now be accessed at your convenience by clicking http://www.askearn.org/m-archive.cfm.

The webinar featured business leaders who provided valuable insights on the successes their companies have realized through the inclusion of people with disabilities, including wounded warriors, in all aspects of their corporate enterprise.

For information on other web events and more, visit www.AskEarn.org.