October 31, 2016
In this Issue
WHAT'S NEW
NDEAM in the Blogosphere
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a series of blog posts featuring diverse voices in the disability employment arena. Several people affiliated with EARN contributed, including John Kemp, President and CEO of The Viscardi Center, which manages EARN under a cooperative agreement with DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy; Brett Sheats, EARN’s National Project Director; and Jill Houghton, President and CEO of the U.S. Business Leadership Network, an EARN partner. Read the blog posts by Kemp, Sheats or Houghton.
Disability Equality Index
The deadline to register to participate in the next Disability Equality Index (DEI) is January 13, 2017. Sponsored by the American Association of People with Disabilities and EARN partner U.S. Business Leadership Network, this benchmarking tool offers businesses an opportunity to receive an objective score, on a scale of zero to 100, on their disability inclusion policies and practices. The first annual DEI was launched in 2014 and open to Fortune 1000 companies only. For 2017, private companies with 500 or more full-time employees can also participate. Learn more about the survey.
Disability Employment Tracker
Open enrollment for year four of the Disability Employment Tracker™ is now underway. Sponsored by the National Organization on Disability (NOD), this tool provides companies a confidential assessment of their disability and veteran employment policies and practices, providing tailored reports in four areas. Completion of the Tracker is required to be considered for DiversityInc’s annual list of Top 10 Companies for People with Disabilities, and as of last year, top scorers have the opportunity to earn an NOD Disability Employer Seal of Approval. Learn more about the Disability Employment Tracker.
ASKEARN.ORG SPOTLIGHT
Disability Diversity in the Higher Education Workforce
An archived version of EARN’s Oct. 13 webinar, Disability Diversity in the Higher Education Workforce, is now available for anyone unable to participate in the live event, which addressed disability as an important component of college and university workforce diversity plans. Speakers included Nancy Aebersold, Executive Director, Higher Education Recruitment Consortium; Carol Boyer, Senior Policy Advisor, Office of Disability Employment Policy; Randy Boose, Director of Human Resources, Washington State University; and William Myhill, Project Director, Syracuse University.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
November 4, 2016, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. ET
Webinar: nTIDE Lunch & Learn
This monthly series shares the results of the latest nTIDE findings, which are compiled based on the monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report. Each installment also provides updates on timely topics and trends in disability employment and allows participants to ask questions of panelists, which this month will include Michael Gamel-McCormick of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and Taryn Williams of the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Register for the nTIDE Lunch & Learn webinar.
November 17, 2016, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Webinar: Tapping the Talents of Veterans with Disabilities: Steps to Success
Ask any employer the skills they seek and any veteran what they learned in the military, and you’ll likely hear the same things – the ability to adapt, learn quickly and get the job done. But, when it comes to recruiting and onboarding veterans, including disabled veterans, not all businesses know where to start. This webinar will lay a path, addressing proactive steps employers can take to attract veterans with disabilities and how to facilitate their success once on the job. Register for the November 17 webinar.
November 17, 2016, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Webinar: PEAT Talks: Fostering a Culture of Inclusion and Accessibility in the Workplace
Join the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology for a webinar featuring Jenny Lay-Flurrie, the Chief Accessibility Officer of Microsoft, where she leads many initiatives to empower people with disabilities. During the presentation, Lay-Flurrie will share her insights on how to foster a workplace culture centered on inclusion, including through accessible information and communication technology. Register for the PEAT webinar.
EMPLOYER SPOTLIGHT
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
In a recent personal message, Jim Sinocchi, JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Head of the Office of Disability Inclusion, shared his insights on what he calls a “new era of disability inclusion.” In the message, Sinocchi highlighted the “four A’s” that JPMorgan Chase & Co. values – Attitude, Accommodations, Accessibility and Assimilation – and encouraged other employers to follow its example of looking at the “whole employee” when hiring new talent. Read more about JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s commitment to inclusion.
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.
