About EARN
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) offers information and resources to help employers recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities; build inclusive workplace cultures; and meet diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA) goals.

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EARN Partners
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EARN Staff
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FAQs
Who We Are
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User Agreement
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Accessibility Statement
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Privacy
User Information
Getting Started
Start here to learn how to recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities; why workplace inclusion of people with disabilities matters; and how EARN’s resources can help.

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Recruit
Build a pipeline of talent that includes people with disabilities.
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Hire
Identify people who have the skills and attributes for the job.
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Retain
Keep talented employees with disabilities, including those who acquire them on the job.
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Advance
Ensure that employees with disabilities have equal opportunities for advancement.
Phases of Employment
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Federal Government Employment
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Resource Library
A listing of EARN resources by topic.
Not an Employer?
Additional Resources
Dinah Cohen Learning Center
EARN’s Learning Center offers a wide range of training resources, including self-paced online courses.

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Additional EARN Resources
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Other ODEP Funded Centers
Other Tools
News & Events
EARN makes it easy to stay up-to-date on disability employment news and information. Start by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and eblasts, which will connect you to upcoming events, developing news and promising practices in the world of disability diversity and inclusion. And don’t forget to follow EARN on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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What's New on AskEARN
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Newsletters
EARN News
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Navigating Mental Health in Skilled Trade and Industrial Occupations
May 17, 2023 — 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. ET
Webinar Explore ways to support the mental health of skilled trade and industrial professionals at work. -
See All Webinars
A list of all webinars.
Upcoming Events
Person First and Identity First Language
Learn more about the use of person first and identity first language when communicating about people with disabilities.
Person first language emphasizes the person before the disability, for example “person who is blind” or “people with spinal cord injuries.” Identity first language puts the disability first in the description, e.g., “disabled” or “autistic." Person first or identify first language is equally appropriate depending on personal preference. When in doubt, ask the person which they prefer.
It is important to note that while person first language is often used in more formal writing, many people with disabilities, particularly younger people, are choosing to use identity first language. How a person chooses to self-identify is up to them, and they should not be corrected or admonished if they choose not to use person first language.
Affirmative Phrases | Negative Phrases |
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Person with an intellectual, cognitive, developmental disability | Retarded, Mentally defective |
Person who is blind, Person who is visually impaired | The blind |
Person with a disability | The disabled, Handicapped |
Person who is deaf | The deaf, Deaf and dumb |
Person who is hard of hearing | Suffers a hearing loss |
Person who has multiple sclerosis | Afflicted by MS |
Person with cerebral palsy | CP victim |
Person with epilepsy, Person with a seizure disorder | Epileptic |
Person who uses a wheelchair | Wheelchair bound, Confined to a wheelchair |
Person who has muscular dystrophy | Stricken by MD |
Person with a physical disability | Crippled, Lame, Deformed |
Person who is unable to speak, Person who uses synthetic speech | Dumb, Mute |
Person with a psychiatric disability | Crazy, Nuts |
Person who is successful, productive | Has overcome his/her disability, Is courageous (when it implies the person has courage because of having a disability) |
Person who is in recovery from a substance use disorder | Addict |