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APRIL 15, 2015
WHAT'S NEW
EMPLOYER SPOTLIGHT
Monthly nTide Report Shows Continued Positive Trend in
Disability Employment
The most recent National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) report
showed that, as the overall economy continued to grow, so did the number
of Americans with disabilities contributing to it through employment. Issued
Microsoft
Earlier this month, Microsoft
since March 2013, the monthly nTIDE report is coordinated by the Kessler
Foundation and the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability
and based on the monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics’ jobs report.
announced a pilot program to
proactively hire people with autism
at its Redmond, Washington
headquarters. In a recent blog post,
Learn more about the most recent nTIDE report.
Mary Ellen Smith, Corporate Vice
President for Worldwide
Operations, shared her thoughts
about the program from both a
The Arc Releases New Public Service Announcement
The Arc of the United States recently released a new public service
announcement (PSA) illustrating the potential for people with intellectual
and developmental disabilities across the lifespan. Among the experiences
they should expect? “Rewarding jobs.” The Arc is the largest national
support and advocacy organization for people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families, and can be a resource for
employers seeking to hire them.
Watch the PSA or learn more about The Arc.
How Employees with Autism Can Benefit Your Bottom Line
April is Autism Awareness Month. In recognition of this year’s theme, “The
Autism Advantage,” the U.N. General Assembly launched an employment
“Call to Action,” inviting businesses to commit to hiring people with autism
and other developmental disabilities. A recent Huffington Post blog post
explored the advantages of doing so to not only society, but also the
bottom line.
personal perspective—as a parent
of a young adult with autism—and
a professional one. “Microsoft is
stronger when we expand
opportunity and we have a diverse
workforce that represents our
customers,” she said. “People with
autism bring strengths that we
need at Microsoft, each individual
is different, some have amazing
ability to retain information, think at
a level of detail and depth or excel
in math or code.”
Read about the program.
ASKEARN.ORG SPOTLIGHT
Read the blog post or learn about workplace accommodations for people
with autism spectrum disorders.
Tips for Being “On the Alert for Accommodation”
A recent Human Resource Executive article explored what constitutes the
interactive process relative to reasonable accommodations, noting that
there may be situations when employees do not need to fill in forms or
provide other written documentation. The article is based on guidance
provided by former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attorney
and current Transportation Security Administration Civil Rights Director Jo
Linda Johnson during a recent Job Accommodation Network webinar.
Read the article.
Tips for Recruiting
Some employers, especially small
business employers, may have
limited experience recruiting
candidates with disabilities and
concerns about doing or saying the
right thing. But they need not worry;
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
FDWC News Hour Webinar: Inclusion Across the
Employment Lifecycle: The Role of Centralized
Accommodation Funds
APRIL 15, 2:00 – 3:30 PM EST
WEBINAR
The second Federal Disability Workforce Consortium (FDWC) News Hour
webinar of 2015 will take place today from 2:00-3:30 pm EST. This webinar
will address how centralized accommodation funds (CAFs) promote
success for federal employees with disabilities across the employment
lifecycle by helping to eliminate misconceptions and foster an environment
in which they feel “safe” asking for the accommodations they need to
optimize their productivity. Participants will learn what CAFs are, how they
help promote disability disclosure, and the steps federal agencies can take
to establish or enhance them.
Register for today’s FDWC News Hour.
JAN Twitter Chat
APRIL 21, 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
TWITTER CHAT
This Twitter chat, hosted by the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), will
focus on personal assistants as workplace accommodations, including job
coaches, personal attendants, job assistants, interpreters, readers and
service animals. Issues addressed will include what personal assistants do,
common legal issues, and real-life situations and solutions. Members of the
public, including employers, are encouraged to participate by tweeting
using the hashtag #eyeonJAN. Like the Employer TA Center/EARN, JAN is
funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment
Policy.
Learn more about JAN.
Accommodating Employees with Mental Health Disabilities
in Higher Education
APRIL 23, 1:00 - 2:00 PM EST
WEBINAR
Featuring speakers John Kemp, Esq., President and CEO of The Viscardi
Center and Dr. Beth Loy, Principal Consultant at the Job Accommodation
Network, this webinar will address accommodations for employees with
mental health disabilities in the higher education setting. It is being
sponsored by the Employer TA Center/EARN in collaboration with the
Higher Education Recruitment Consortium as part of its alliance with the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and is
approved for one HR General recertification credit hour through the HR
Certification Institute.
Register for Accommodating Employees with Mental Health Disabilities in
Higher Education.
Disability and Employment: Research, Policy and Practice
APRIL 28, 2:00 - 3:30 PM EST
WEBINAR
good practices for hiring people
with disabilities are the same as for
hiring all employees—the focus
should be on the fit between the
position and the candidate’s
qualifications. This fact sheet
provides helpful guidance for
employers who want to learn more
about hiring people with disabilities,
including how to respond to
possible pre-employment
accommodation requests.
Read the publication.
This webinar will address two projects currently being conducted by the
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Employment Policy and
Measurement at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability:
1) Distribution of the Returns to Education for People with Early Onset
Disabilities, and 2) Design of the National Employment Survey on the
Status of Americans with Disabilities for the Kessler Foundation.
Presenters include Drs. Andrew J. Houtenville, Vidya Sundar and Debra
Brucker. Participants must register by April 24 at noon.
Register for Disability and Employment: Research, Policy and Practice.
Cultivating Talent for Tomorrow: The Value of Interns with
Disabilities
APRIL 29, 2:00 - 3:30 PM EST
WEBINAR
Internships can help employers evaluate potential future employees.
Moreover, by targeting specific populations—such as people with
disabilities—they can advance workforce diversity goals, including those
related to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. This Employer TA Center
webinar will address these benefits and how employers can use the
Workforce Recruitment Program to source qualified interns with disabilities.
Please note that this webinar was rescheduled from the originally planned
date of March 26; people who registered for that webinar do not need to
register again.
Register for Cultivating Talent: The Value of Interns with Disabilities.
Assessing the Accessibility of Your Workplace
Technology—A TechCheck Walkthrough
APRIL 29, 2:00 - 3:00 PM EST
WEBINAR
This webinar will walk participants through the Partnership on Employment
& Accessible Technology’s (PEAT) TechCheck, a free, interactive tool
employers can use to self-assess their workplace accessibility efforts and
identify tools to assist in making improvements. It will be presented by
PEAT’s Jim Tobias, an expert with more than 30 years’ experience working
to improve the accessibility and usability of technologies. Like the Employer
TA Center, PEAT is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of
Disability Employment Policy.
Register for Assessing the Accessibility of Your Workplace Technology—A
TechCheck Walkthrough.
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) is a resource for employers seeking to recruit, hire, retain and advance qualified
employees with disabilities. It is a service of the National Employer Policy, Research and Technical Assistance Center for Employers on the
Employment of People with Disabilities (Employer TA Center), which 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-26451-1475-4-36]. 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.