September 7, 2018
In this Issue: NDEAM Poster, Federal Dispute Resolution Conference and More
WHAT'S NEW
NDEAM Poster Now Available!
October is right around the corner, and that means National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is too! One easy way for employers to show their support for NDEAM is to display this year’s official poster in their workplaces. Available for free in both English and Spanish, the poster is a colorful illustration of this year’s theme, “America’s Workforce: Empowering All” and can be downloaded from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy website or ordered in hard copy. Download or order the NDEAM poster and learn other ideas for how employers and employees can participate in NDEAM.
EARN on the Road
In August, EARN participated in the Federal Dispute Resolution conference in Orlando, FL, where it exhibited as well as joined representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Job Accommodation Network to present a pre-conference workshop on “Disability Inclusion and Reasonable Accommodations at Work.” As part of this, EARN Consultant Derek Shields discussed the Inclusion@Work policy framework in the context of federal employment and encouraged attendees to join the Federal Exchange on Employment and Disability, which EARN manages in collaboration with the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Office of Personnel Management and EEOC. Learn more about FEED.
Back to School Time!
In many places across the country, Labor Day signals the start of a new school year. So, it’s a natural time for schools, colleges and universities, and other educational institutions to refresh their knowledge about workplace accommodations for educators with disabilities. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers a range of resources, including a guide focused on educators with disabilities, to assist employers in complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act by providing appropriate and effective accommodations in school environments. Like EARN, JAN is funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Learn about accommodations for educators with disabilities.
Apprenticeship Works for Tech
Combining classroom instruction with on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs can help companies build a pipeline of future talent for years to come, all within their own company’s processes and culture. This may be especially true in the tech industry given a current scarcity of computer engineers. Now, a new video from the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology (PEAT) explores how apprenticeship programs can help the tech industry meet its workforce needs – and bring diverse and underrepresented populations, including people with disabilities as well as veterans, women and minorities, into its workplaces. View the PEAT apprenticeship video. accommodation tracking tools to consider.
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ASKEARN.ORG SPOTLIGHT
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
September 12, 2018, 2:00 p.m. ETTwitter Chat: Being Tech Savvy: Accessible Information & Communication Technology
Want to ensure your “virtual doors” are open to all? Join EARN for this Twitter chat featuring special guest the Partnership on Employment and Accessible Technology to learn about best practices to help ensure your technology infrastructure is accessible to everyone, including applicants and employees with disabilities. Use #EARNChat to join the conversation! Learn more about the Twitter chat.
September 20, 2018, 2:00 p.m. ET
Webinar: Online Video Accessibility
For online videos to be fully accessible, their audio and visual content must be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing and/or blind or have low vision. This webinar from the ADA National Network will explore online video accessibility concerns and their solutions and share tools, services and strategies for addressing online video accessibility needs, especially in large organizations. Register for the webinar.
October 1, 2018
Deadline: Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards
The Viscardi Center is currently accepting nominations for the 2018 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards. Named for the Center’s founder and a premier disability advocate, Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., these awards honor leaders who carry on his legacy by improving quality of life for people with disabilities, including through employment. Learn more about the awards.
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EMPLOYER SPOTLIGHT
Autism@Work Employer Roundtable
The Autism@Work Employer Roundtable – an initiative of EARN partner Disability:IN – is a collaborative of employers with autism-focused hiring initiatives and want to share their experiences so that other companies may follow suit. Members are cross-industry and include both small and large businesses, from tech giants to local car washes. Included on the initiative’s webpage is a synthesis of several of their program models.
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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.