This month, EARN spotlights EY for the company’s willingness to provide individualized accommodations and support to student interns who have disabilities. EY utilizes inclusive student internship opportunities and uses creative problem solving to address unanticipated accommodation needs if and when they arise.
Spotlight
CASE STUDY: EY’S COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO ACCOMMODATE INTERNS WITH DISABILITIES
Student internships at EY are designed for undergraduate students majoring in accounting and business and serve as a key recruitment strategy. The internships are highly competitive opportunities to work alongside current employees delivering services to clients. Depending on the assigned area of work, interns may assist with internal control reviews on an audit, tax planning, or on various advisory assignments. Students receive a thorough orientation to the company’s business and culture, formal and informal learning, and on-the-job coaching. EY’s goal is to prepare all interns to become future employees at the company following their college graduation…
FINAL REGULATIONS FOR FEDERAL CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS AIM AT INCREASING THE EMPLOYMENT OF VETERANS AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
On August 27, the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) issued a pre-release of the final version of its revised affirmative action regulations for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. There are new processes that contractors will need to set up under the new regulations, and for the first time there will specific data tracking and metrics in contractors’ affirmative action plans for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. The effective date of the new regulations will be 180 days after the regulations are published in the Federal Register—approximately mid-March 2014. Click to read more about the implications of the new rules.
OFCCP DIRECTOR SHIU KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT STATE OF SCIENCE CONFERENCE, OCT. 22-23
Registration is now open for “Innovative Research on Employer Practices: Improving Employment for People with Disabilities,” a state of the science conference on October 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C. The conference is presented by the Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employer Practices related to employment outcomes among individuals with disabilities. Patricia Shiu, director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will be the keynote speaker on Day 1. The event presentations and discussions will include findings on:
Employment discrimination charges filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Analysis of wage and total compensation gaps by disability measure
Influence of employer provided health insurance on job-change patterns among employees with disabilities
Impact of human resource policies and practices, organizational climate, and leadership on employees with disabilities
Absence and disability management practices for an aging workforce
Employer view on organizational challenges and business opportunities
REGISTER NOW: “DECIPHERING THE NEW 503 RULE” WEBINAR, SEPT. 27
Webinar registration is now open for “Deciphering the New 503 Rule,” the first in the USBLN 503 Regulations Webinar Series. Bobby Silverstein, the nation’s leading disability law expert, will present a comprehensive overview of the new nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements in the final Section 503 rule recently issued by OFCCP and how to effectively leverage these rules to drive disability diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Learn more about how to navigate the new rules regarding self-identification of disability, utilization goals, data collection analysis, auditing and record-keeping, outreach and recruitment, accommodation requests, reviews of personnel processes, and audit and reporting systems. The presentation will include slides and comprehensive notes providing guidance regarding the purpose and intent of the new policies. Click here to read more.
DOL “CONVERSATIONS FOR CHANGE” EMPLOYER DIALOGUE SOLICITS IDEAS, COMMENTS
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) held an online dialogue September 9-12 inviting employers to share ideas and opinions to help inform which services should be provided by an employer support center to facilitate the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities. The contents of the dialogue are available for viewing and a summary report highlighting the results of the dialogue will be released shortly.
FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP INCREASES FINANCIAL CAPABILITY FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITES
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) last month announced that they have signed this agreement to work together to strengthen the financial capability of youth and adults with disabilities by expanding access to a wider range of financial education resources, asset-building strategies, and consumer protection information through high-impact public policy initiatives and dissemination of effective practices. The MOA advances the creation, exchange, translation, and use of knowledge that impacts employment and economic advancement of individuals with disabilities, as well as the exchange of other information and services for which cooperation may be mutually beneficial. Click here to read more from CFPB.
GOVERNOR SANDOVAL SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval issued an executive order in August that directs all state agencies to make a concerted effort to include persons with disabilities in the preliminary and final group of candidates considered for employment. The executive order is intended to allow people with disabilities greater opportunity to enter the workplace and to lead the way for businesses and other organizations to do the same. Additionally, under Sandoval’s Executive Order the state will begin to collect and utilize data regarding employees who have disabilities. Click here to read more.
AAPD ANNOUNCES NEW GRANT PROGRAM TO EXPAND WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is proud to announce that Disability Mentoring Day Iowa (DMDIowa) is the first grant recipient of the new Pipelines of Talent Initiative (Pipelines). Pipelines will expand economic opportunity for young Americans with disabilities by elongating the AAPD Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) program into a year-long initiative beginning with select award recipients across the country. DMD is a nationwide annual event held on the third Wednesday of October as a part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and is one of the longest running flagship programs. DMD connects mentors with students and job seekers with disabilities in order to expand employment opportunities and help close the disability unemployment gap.
*In August 2013, the employment rate of people 16-64 years of age was 26.4% for persons with disabilities compared with 71.0% for persons without a disability. The gap between the employment rate of persons of 16-64 years of age with and without disabilities was 44.6%, not seasonally adjusted.
EARN ANNOUNCES NDEAM WEBINARS
EARN will be presenting a free weekly webinar series in October in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The 30-minute webinars start at 2 p.m. ET each Thursday in October. Scheduled dates and topics include:
Oct. 3: Employers Can’t Afford to Ignore Mental Health
Oct. 10: Disability Disclosure and Self-identification: Benefits, Barriers and Implementable Solutions
Oct. 17: Proactive Compliance Strategies for Federal Contractors
Oct. 24: Home Again and Back to Work: The Employment of Veterans with Disabilities
Also join us for a Twitter chat and Q&A with EARN staff and webinar presenters during and after the webinars (2:00-3:00 p.m. ET). Follow @AskEARN on Twitter and use the hashtag #AskEARN to participate.
OFCCP RELEASES NEW FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE MANUAL
The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) is pleased to announce the publication and implementation of the newly revised Federal Contract Compliance Manual (FCCM). The newly revised FCCM provides OFCCP staff the procedural framework for executing quality and timely compliance evaluations and complaint investigations. The revisions help to ensure quality and consistency by creating uniformity in investigative procedures nationwide. The manual provides transparency in the way compliance evaluations and complaint investigations are conducted. It is easy to navigate and provides effective guidance to both OFCCP compliance officers and federal contractors. Click here for more information and to view the manual.
ICI RELEASES BRIEF ON SUPERVISING EMPLOYEES WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) last month released Brief No. 29, “Supervision through Mentorship: Accessible Supervision of Employees with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.” Effective supervision of these employees can be challenging for businesses that may not have experience in hiring people with diverse support requirements. The brief provides successful, concrete strategies for how to mentor and support professional growth of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Click here to read the brief.
JOIN THE FEDERAL DISABILITY WORKFORCE CONSORTIUM “NEWS HOUR” ON SEPT.19
The Federal Disability Workforce Consortium (FDWC) will host its “News Hour” webinar on September 19 from 2:00-3:00 PM EDT. This webinar will focus on Emergency Readiness, and will explore some of the methods the Department of Labor has developed to make sure that everyone — including people with disabilities — can safely evacuate during an emergency. Other topics addressed will be preparedness, emergency evacuation, communication, and some of the new practices being developed by emergency managers and individuals with disabilities. Join the webinar.
GRANTS HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES PURCHASE ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
The U.S. Department of Education announced today the award of $1.9 million in grants to organizations in California, Missouri and Washington to help individuals with disabilities purchase the assistive technology they need. Under the Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program, the funds will be used to help people with disabilities get private financing to buy services and devices. Among the types of products covered would be hearing aids, computers, vehicle modifications and vision aids – but could include other devices, depending upon the person’s disability, needs and goals. Click here to read more.
DISABILITY, CIVIL RIGHTS CONVERGE FOR 50th ANNIVERSARY OF MARCH ON WASHINGTON
The topic of disability was mentioned by a number of speakers at the 50th Anniversary celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic March on Washington, according to Susanne Richard, outreach coordinator at the U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD). Most notably, Fred Maahs, chairman of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), made a plea for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in his speech, in which he introduced himself as “a proud American with a disability.”
WEBCAST SEPT. 30th: HOW TO OVERCOME HIDDEN BIAS IN HIRING PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, Peoplefluent offers some valuable tips to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace. Join James Clinkscale, diversity and inclusion manager and ADA coordinator for the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission and Julia Mendez, Peoplefluent’s Principal Business Consultant for a powerful discussion offering:
Insight into hidden biases and the impact on business decisions
Clarity in current and proposed federal laws
Rewards and risks of hiring persons with disabilities
Actionable tips to help remove barriers and expand opportunities for persons with disabilities.
Student internships at EY are designed for undergraduate students majoring in accounting and business and serve as a key recruitment strategy. The internships are highly competitive opportunities to work alongside current employees delivering services to clients. Depending on the assigned area of work, interns may assist with internal control reviews on an audit, tax planning, or on various advisory assignments. Students receive a thorough orientation to the company’s business and culture, formal and informal learning, and on-the-job coaching. EY’s goal is to prepare all interns to become future employees at the company following their college graduation…
Registration is now open for “Innovative Research on Employer Practices: Improving Employment for People with Disabilities,” a state of the science conference on October 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C. The conference is presented by the Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employer Practices related to employment outcomes among individuals with disabilities. Patricia Shiu, director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will be the keynote speaker on Day 1. The event presentations and discussions will include findings on:
Webinar registration is now open for “Deciphering the New 503 Rule,” the first in the USBLN 503 Regulations Webinar Series. Bobby Silverstein, the nation’s leading disability law expert, will present a comprehensive overview of the new nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements in the final Section 503 rule recently issued by OFCCP and how to effectively leverage these rules to drive disability diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Learn more about how to navigate the new rules regarding self-identification of disability, utilization goals, data collection analysis, auditing and record-keeping, outreach and recruitment, accommodation requests, reviews of personnel processes, and audit and reporting systems. The presentation will include slides and comprehensive notes providing guidance regarding the purpose and intent of the new policies.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) held an online dialogue September 9-12 inviting employers to share ideas and opinions to help inform which services should be provided by an employer support center to facilitate the hiring, retention and advancement of people with disabilities. The contents of the dialogue are available for viewing and a summary report highlighting the results of the dialogue will be released shortly.
The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) last month announced that they have signed this agreement to work together to strengthen the financial capability of youth and adults with disabilities by expanding access to a wider range of financial education resources, asset-building strategies, and consumer protection information through high-impact public policy initiatives and dissemination of effective practices. The MOA advances the creation, exchange, translation, and use of knowledge that impacts employment and economic advancement of individuals with disabilities, as well as the exchange of other information and services for which cooperation may be mutually beneficial.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval issued an executive order in August that directs all state agencies to make a concerted effort to include persons with disabilities in the preliminary and final group of candidates considered for employment. The executive order is intended to allow people with disabilities greater opportunity to enter the workplace and to lead the way for businesses and other organizations to do the same. Additionally, under Sandoval’s Executive Order the state will begin to collect and utilize data regarding employees who have disabilities.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is proud to announce that Disability Mentoring Day Iowa (DMDIowa) is the first grant recipient of the new Pipelines of Talent Initiative (Pipelines). Pipelines will expand economic opportunity for young Americans with disabilities by elongating the AAPD Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) program into a year-long initiative beginning with select award recipients across the country. DMD is a nationwide annual event held on the third Wednesday of October as a part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and is one of the longest running flagship programs. DMD connects mentors with students and job seekers with disabilities in order to expand employment opportunities and help close the disability unemployment gap.
EARN will be presenting a free weekly webinar series in October in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (
The 
The Federal Disability Workforce Consortium (FDWC) will host its “News Hour” webinar on September 19 from 2:00-3:00 PM EDT. This webinar will focus on Emergency Readiness, and will explore some of the methods the Department of Labor has developed to make sure that everyone — including people with disabilities — can safely evacuate during an emergency. Other topics addressed will be preparedness, emergency evacuation, communication, and some of the new practices being developed by emergency managers and individuals with disabilities.
The topic of disability was mentioned by a number of speakers at the 50th Anniversary celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s historic March on Washington, according to 
In honor of National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October, Peoplefluent offers some valuable tips to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workplace. Join James Clinkscale, diversity and inclusion manager and ADA coordinator for the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission and Julia Mendez, Peoplefluent’s Principal Business Consultant for a powerful discussion offering:
