Sunday, February 28, 2010

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

JAN is a free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities by: (1) providing individualized worksite accommodations solutions; (2) providing technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation; and (3) educating callers about self-employment options.

The Job Accommodation Network is a service provided by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). JAN is one of several ODEP projects. JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing employers, employment providers, people with disabilities, their family members and other interested parties with information on job accommodations, entrepreneurship, and related subjects. JAN's efforts are in support of the employment, including self-employment and small business ownership, of people with disabilities. JAN represents the most comprehensive resource for job accommodations available. JAN's work has greatly enhanced the job opportunities of people with disabilities by providing information on job accommodations since 1983. In 1991 JAN expanded to provide information on the Americans with Disabilities Act. JAN consultants have obtained at least one Master's degree in their specialized fields, ranging from rehabilitation counseling to education and engineering. The development of the JAN system has been achieved through the collaborative efforts of the U.S. DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy, the International Center for Disability Information at West Virginia University, and private industry throughout North America.

>> Learn more about the JAN staff.

JAN's work helps:

Employers
Hire, retain, and promote qualified employees with disabilities;
Provide information on accommodation options and practical solutions;
Become educated about their responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act;
Reduce workers' compensation and other insurance costs; and
Address issues pertaining to accessibility.

People with Disabilities
Become educated about their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act;
Acquire accommodation options; and
Learn about other government and placement agencies.

Rehabilitation Professionals
Facilitate placement of clients through accommodation assistance;
Brainstorm accommodation options; and
Find local resources for workplace assessment and discover resources for device fabrication and modification.

People Affected by Disability
Discover local, regional, and national organizations, resources, and support groups; and
Obtain helpful accommodation and legislative information.

You can contact JAN and request consultation or information services by using the following methods. JAN's office hours are 9 am to 6 pm Eastern, Monday through Friday. Please see below for tips on what information JAN needs to help you in a timely manner.

By Telephone

> (800)526-7234 (V) in the United States
> (800)ADA-WORK [(800)232-9675] (V) in the United States
> (877)781-9403 (TTY) in the United States
> (304)293-7186 (V) locally and outside the United States

By E-Mail

> JAN on Demand for JAN questions that are related to accommodation, ADA, and workplace issues.
> subscribe@jan.wvu.edu for JAN updates and newsletters.
> training@jan.wvu.edu for Webcast inquiries.
> webmaster@jan.wvu.edu for Web comments and link requests.
> jan@jan.wvu.edu for all other requests.

By Social Networks

> Have you had success using the Job Accommodation Network? Do you want to share this important resource with others? JAN’s new five minute, fully accessible YouTube video provides colleagues, friends, and other the opportunity to “Step inside the JAN office, meet staff, and learn more about job accommodations.” Visit the entire JAN YouTube Channel.

> Blog: Post to JAN's Blog and enjoy a community space to discuss employer success, JAN experiences, and current legislative and accommodation issues surrounding the employment of people with disabilities. Start blogging!


> Twitter: Catch up on JAN's tweets with JAN's Twitter page.

> GovLoop: Connect with over 11,500 Federal, state, local, academics, and good contractors via the premier social network for Government 2.0, including JAN.


By Postal Mail

Job Accommodation Network
PO Box 6080
Morgantown, WV 26506-6080

By FAX

> 304-293-5407

TIPS FOR YOUR CONTACT:

For employers or rehabilitation professionals:
1) What is the disability or limitation involved?
2) Do you want to know your responsibilities under the ADA?
3) Does your question pertain to accessibility issues or accommodation ideas?

For individuals or their advocates:
1) What is your disability or limitation?
2) Are you currently employed or seeking information about employment or self-employment?
3) Do you feel that you are being discriminated against because of your disability?
4) Do you want to know your rights under the ADA and how to file a complaint?

Your questions are routed to one of JAN's professional consultants experienced in the field of rehabilitation.

After working hours, calls are received by an answering machine and will be responded to by the next business day. If you are accessing JAN services after regular business hours, please leave your name, the purpose of your call, and an e-mail address or phone number (including area code).

Workforce Recruitment Program- WRP

The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. Co-sponsored by the Department of Labor (ODEP) and the Department of Defense with the participation of about 20 other federal agencies, the WRP has provided employment opportunities for over 5,000 students since 1995.

In 2009, 75 recruiters from 17 federal agencies visited about 250 college campuses nationwide, resulting in a database containing application information on nearly 2000 students with disabilities. The students represent all majors, and range from college freshmen to graduate students and law students. Over 450 students were reported as being hired, the majority in summer jobs, in 20 different agencies.

Employers
Employers in the federal government can request a password to gain access to the WRP database.

Schools
The WRP is run on an annual basis and requires student applicants to have an interview with one of our recruiters during an on-campus recruitment visit. The interviews take place during January and February of each year. To be eligible for the WRP, students must be current, full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a disability, or have graduated within one year of the release of the database each March. For the 2010 WRP, a student who graduated the Spring semester of 2009 or later would still be eligible. Students must also be US citizens.

Schools that would like to participate in the WRP must be accredited by one of the accrediting agencies recognized by the US Department of Education, and must provide a one-day schedule of at least eight eligible students for our recruiter to interview. We do not work directly with individual students, but rather work through points of contact at the schools. If your school is interested in participating in the WRP please send an email with your contact information to the WRP Coordinator at wrp@dol.gov. Information is sent out each year in August to register for our recruitment schedule for the following January and February.

Students
To be eligible for the WRP, students must be current, full-time undergraduate or graduate students with a disability, or have graduated within one year of the release of the database each March. For the 2010 WRP, a student who graduated the Spring semester of 2009 or later would still be eligible. Students must also be U.S. citizens. If you are an eligible student, share this information with your school's disability services or career services coordinator, and ask him or her to contact the WRP Coordinator at wrp@dol.gov. Please understand that we work directly with college coordinators, and cannot respond to inquiries from individual students.

Resources
Please click here to view available resources regarding employment of people with disabilities. Check back on a regular basis for additional links and resources.

Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities (LEAD) Resources from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://archive.eeoc.gov/initiatives/lead/resources.html

Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP): http://www.dol.gov/odep/

Disability.gov website: http://www.disability.gov/

Monday, February 1, 2010

AMERICAN INDIANS WITH DISABILITIES PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN NEW PODCAST SHOW

AMERICAN INDIANS WITH DISABILITIES PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
NEW PODCAST SHOW
from the DISABILITY LAW LOWDOWN
January 13, 2010 – The Disability Law Lowdown podcast just posted a podcast called American Indians with Disabilities Public Awareness Campaign --a technology adoption model for individuals with disabilities from minority populations, with our guest, Andy Winnegar. This podcast features a discussion of assistive technology awareness and outreach “best practice” utilizing Andy Winnegar’s work with Everett Rogers and his diffusion model. Although his model is well documented, the application for people with disabilities, including those from minority populations, has not been.
Mr. Winnegar has been Deputy Director for Program Development and Support, New Mexico Division of Vocational Rehabilitation since 1991. He is the Director of the New Mexico Technology Assistance Program. He has authored successful federal proposals including working directly with Dr. Everett Rogers (Diffusion of Innovations Model) on the American Indian Public Awareness Campaign on Assistive Technology. Andy was co-principal investigator for the Consumer Funded Technology Transfer Network that developed interactions between consumers and NIDRR funded rehabilitation engineer centers, fifty state assistive technology programs and seven hundred federal laboratories. This project was acknowledged as a best practice by the National Center for Dissemination and Disability Research and also received the non-government recognition award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer.
The Disability Law Lowdown podcast is available at www.DisabilityLawLowdown.com, as well as on iTunes. People can listen to the podcast directing from a computer or can download it to an MP3 player, like an iPod.
The Disability Law Lowdown provides the latest information about disability rights and obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and other disability-related topics. Subscription is free.
The Disability Law Lowdown is provided by the National network of ten ADA Centers across the country, offering technical assistance and training in the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability-related laws. The Disability Law Lowdown is available in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language.
To subscribe or find out more, visit www.DisabilityLawLowdown.com.