October 2019
In this Issue: NDEAM 2019: “The Right Talent, Right Now”
EARN IN ACTION
NDEAM 2019: “The Right Talent, Right Now”
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual campaign that celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents. Reflecting the role that people with disabilities play in America’s economic success, especially in an era when historically low unemployment and global competition are creating a high demand for skilled talent, this year’s theme is “The Right Talent, Right Now.” To encourage employers to participate, EARN compiled a list of resources that can help in planning events and activities. Read more about NDEAM.
Late last month, members of the EARN team travelled to the International Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) national conference in St. Louis, where they had the opportunity to talk to attendees in the exhibit hall about the important intersection between employee assistance and disability inclusion, especially related to helping employees stay at or return to work after injury or illness. Participation in the conference is just one of several activities conducted in coordination with EAPA as part of its participation in EARN’s Inclusion@Work Network of intermediary organizations. Learn more about EAPA.
Mentoring as an Inclusion Strategy
Mentoring, whether formal or informal in nature, is increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for increasing workplace success, and it may be particularly beneficial for employees with disabilities. To help employers understand this dimension of mentoring, EARN developed the Workplace Mentoring Playbook in partnership with the National Disability Mentoring Coalition, which is part of EARN’s Inclusion@Work Network. The Playbook offers strategies, tips and tools to assist in gathering support for and implementing successful mentoring programs as part of an overall disability inclusion strategy. Access the Playbook.
DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT IN THE NEWS
NDEAM Recognized by White House, Labor Department
President Trump issued a proclamation declaring October National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and summarizing recent administration efforts to increase the workforce participation of Americans with disabilities. U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Secretary Eugene Scalia also issued a statement in honor of NDEAM, in which he said that people with disabilities “offer not just needed skills, but also creative ways of thinking about how to solve problems and achieve business success.” Read the Presidential Proclamation or DOL press release.
“Right Talent, Right Now” Photo-Sharing Campaign
Say cheese! The Campaign for Disability Employment recently launched a photo-sharing campaign to celebrate this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) theme, “The Right Talent, Right Now.” To participate, workers with disabilities and their colleagues are invited to share a photo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram illustrating “The Right Talent, Right Now” at work, using the hashtag #RightTalentRightNow. The CDE website offers graphics participants can use, if desired. Learn more about the photo-sharing campaign.
The #DisabilityAdvantage
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN – an EARN partner – penned a post for the Campaign for Disability Employment blog. In the post, Houghton explores the notion of the #DisabilityAdvantage and her organization’s efforts to increase it through a variety of efforts, including data collection via the annual Disability Equality Index. “Our goal is disability inclusion and equality, and we are pleased to help businesses continuously improve in this regard,” she wrote. Read the blog post.
JAN’s Monthly Webcast Series
The Job Accommodation Network’s (JAN) 2019-2020 monthly webcast schedule has been released. In addition to accommodations for specific conditions, topics to be addressed include mental health solutions for the workplace; assistive technology basics; complex accommodation needs; Americans with Disabilities Act information requests; return-to-work and stay-at-work programs; workplace flexibility; and more. Participation in JAN webcasts is free. However, registration is required, and space is limited. Learn more or register for a webcast.
Q: I work in HR and have been hearing a lot about “workplace neurodiversity” lately. What does it mean?
Great question! Neurodiversity is defined by Dictionary.com as, “the variation and differences in neurological structure and function that exist among human beings, especially when viewed as being normal and natural rather than pathological.” Although often associated with people on the autism spectrum, neurodiversity actually encompasses a range of conditions. To help employers learn more about it, EARN developed a web resource addressing how neurodiversity can be an asset in the workplace and common accommodations for neurodiverse employees. Visit the Neurodiversity in the Workplace webpage.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
November 1, 2019
Deadline: Excellence in Disability Inclusion Award Submissions
The deadline to apply for the Labor Department’s Excellence in Disability Inclusion Awards is November 1. Employers who have already submitted an application may also update it up until this date. Sponsored by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Office of Disability Employment Policy, these awards will honor federal contractors for exemplary disability inclusion efforts. Learn more about the awards.
November 1, 2019, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET
Webinar: Understanding Disability Disclosure
Sponsored by Partners for Youth with Disabilities, this webinar will present research on reasons why individuals choose not to disclose, along with strategies and best practices for organizations to create a culture that supports disclosure. As part of this, several organization’s self-identification campaigns will be highlighted. Register for the November 1 webinar.
EMPLOYER SPOTLIGHT
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Leadership at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is acutely aware of the stress that working at the facility can place on employees, who care for and interact with children experiencing significant illness and trauma and their families on a daily basis. As a result, it has committed to ensuring the compassion it provides its patients is also extended to its staff, with a special emphasis on their mental health needs.
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 item was fully funded by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy in the amount of $9,241,750 (five year total grant amount) under Cooperative Agreement No. OD26451-14-75-4-36. 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.