EARN Newsletter: April 2026

Plus: Making America AI ready and a small-business case study.

EARN in Action

National Apprenticeship Week 2026

National Apprenticeship Week is April 26–May 2, 2026! The annual celebration showcases the success and value of Registered Apprenticeship in developing a highly skilled workforce and providing job seekers, including Americans with disabilities, with clear pathways to in-demand careers. EARN offers a range of resources to help employers and other apprenticeship sponsors ensure that their programs are accessible to all job seekers and support the success of apprentices with disabilities once on the job.

Building a Mentally Healthy Workplace: Guidance and Practical Tools for Safety Professionals

EARN is collaborating with the National Safety Council (NSC) on an upcoming webinar, “Building a Mentally Healthy Workplace: Guidance and Practical Tools for Safety Professionals,” scheduled for May 4, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET. The webinar will explore best practices for fostering workplace mental health based on EARN’s “4 As” framework and its intersection with day-to-day safety practices. Resources will also be shared to help safety professionals support worker mental health in their organizations.

Understanding Workplace Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity refers to natural variations in the ways people think, learn, perceive the world, interact, and process information. When we talk about neurodiversity, we are referring to a wide range of conditions, including autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities. EARN’s Neurodiversity in the Workplace guide helps employers understand the organizational benefits of neurodiversity and offers strategies to accommodate and support neurodiverse workers.

In Case You Missed It

HIRE Vets Medallion Award Program

The deadline to apply for the 2026 HIRE Vets Medallion Award is fast approaching! This annual award recognizes employers with exemplary records in recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing veterans, including wounded warriors. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service and was established under the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act, signed by President Trump in 2017. Apply by April 30, 2026!

The Latest

Expanding Opportunities for People with Mental Health Conditions

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy recently announced that Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, New York, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia will participate as “core states” under the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network (NEON). This initiative, established in 2019, works to expand job opportunities and improve financial well-being for Americans with mental health conditions, including those with co-occurring disabilities, by strengthening collaboration among state agencies.

Six Best Practices for FMLA Compliance

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees of covered employers with up to 12 workweeks of leave in a 12-month period for certain qualifying reasons, such as a serious health condition affecting the employee that prevents them from performing their job. The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division offers a range of compliance assistance materials to help employers understand and meet their responsibilities under the law. Learn about six best practices for implementing FMLA on the Department blog.

Making America AI Ready

The U.S. Department of Labor recently launched the “Make America AI Ready” initiative. A key component is an AI-literacy course available free to every American. The one-week course, delivered entirely through text message, takes 10 minutes a day and covers five pillars of AI literacy: understanding AI principles, exploring AI uses, directing AI effectively, evaluating AI outputs, and using AI responsibly. To access the course, text the word “READY” to 20202.

Ask EARN

Spotlight

Small Business Success: Partnering to Build a Skilled Talent Pipeline

National Small Business Week is May 3–9, an annual celebration of America’s entrepreneurial spirit and the contributions small businesses make to America’s communities and economy. One such family-owned small business in New York State, FALA Technologies, partnered with a local nonprofit to develop a pre-apprenticeship program that trains disabled workers for careers in advanced manufacturing. The program ensures that FALA has the skilled workforce it needs to succeed, now and in the future. Watch EARN’s video case study to learn more about this innovative collaboration.

EARN is fully funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy under Cooperative Agreement No. 23475OD000002-01-00 with Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, in the amount of $11,000,000 (five-year total amount).

The content in this newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.