Employees often refrain from disclosing disabilities

"Employees with nonvisible disabilities often wonder whether to disclose their condition when applying for a job or working for an organization, because they fear negative repercussions will arise if they do so.

Yet people with disabilities are the largest and fastest growing minority group in the world, representing more than 750 million individuals, according to a recent webinar. In the United States, there are more than 54 million people with disabilities. However, people with disabilities are employed at less than half the rate of their nondisabled counterparts.

A number of factors, including people with disabilities’ own fears about applying for jobs, workplaces that are unsupportive or unaccommodating for people with disabilities and workplace harassment and bullying, are preventing many of these people from finding employment.

In a webinar titled “Strategies for Increasing Self-Identification for Candidates and Employees with Disabilities,” experts discussed various ways to create work environments that allow applicants and employees to disclose their disabilities.

The webinar, conducted by the Employer Assistance and Research Network (EARN), included two speakers who provided insights into ways organizations can accurately represent their workforce composition and consider various methods for accommodating employees with disabilities."

JULY 16, 2012 | BY EYTAN HIRSCH

(See full story HERE)

CEOs, Major Companies and Government Officials Launch Public-Private Initiative to Remove Obstacles to Employing People with Disabilities

Initiative Follows First-Ever CEO Summit on Benefits of Disability Employment

WINDSOR, Conn., Jun 18, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Top-level executives from more than a dozen major U.S. companies joined with government officials to launch a nationwide public-private sector initiative to advance employment of people with disabilities. The companies and officials plan to work together to achieve common goals, including to identify and resolve employment barriers facing people with disabilities, share experience and best practices, raise visibility around the effort and awareness of the significant benefits, and expand participation.

The initiative arose from the first-ever CEO Summit focused on employment of people with disabilities on June 4, 2012, hosted by Walgreens at the company's Windsor, Conn., distribution center. The summit was held at the Walgreens facility to provide participants a first-hand look at the company's robust effort to employ people with disabilities. About 50 percent of the workforce at the distribution center has a disability but all employees work as equals with the same responsibilities and performance standards.

Summit participants included government officials led by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa, U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions of Texas, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, and Delaware Governor Jack Markell, vice chairman of the National Governors Association. Participating companies included Amerigroup, Ascend Performance Materials, Best Buy, Clarks Companies, Ernst & Young LLP, GE Lighting, IBM, Lowe's Home Improvement, Lundbeck, McLane Company, Merck, OfficeMax, SAP AG, Procter & Gamble, UPS, Walgreens, and Walmart.

Following the summit, the officials and companies made a commitment to schedule additional activities with expanded participation, starting with meetings at the U.S. Business Leadership Network conference in Orlando, Fla., in October of this year; summits in Dallas and Washington, D.C.; a website to share information and best practices; and, future activities to expand and promote the employment of people with disabilities and address barriers.

"One thing we've learned from the Walgreens experience is that if companies set big goals and put themselves out there, and work with the right partners to help them build a talent pipeline of eager, productive, and loyal workers with disabilities, the results of such efforts are stronger and more productive companies and a loyal productive workforce," said Senator Harkin, the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and a lead Senate sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"The Walgreens facility is powerful proof that people with disabilities are valuable assets to our workforce," Senator Blumenthal said. "I appreciate the leadership of these companies on this important issue and I'm very eager to work with them to employ more people with disabilities in Connecticut and across the nation. All people with disabilities deserve the dignity of work and we should continue to find ways to help make this possible."

"As the father of a young man with Down syndrome, I understand firsthand the importance of providing individuals with disabilities opportunities in the workplace," Congressman Sessions said. "I am encouraged by all of the companies reaffirming their commitment to employing individuals with disabilities, as well as expanding their efforts. I look forward to a continued partnership with Senator Harkin, Senator Blumenthal, Governor Markell and participating companies to provide even more opportunities for these eager and talented workers."

"The bottom line is that there are so many people with disabilities who have the time, talent and desire to make meaningful contributions to interested employers. More companies are recognizing that creating greater economic opportunity for these workers improves their own bottom line as well," Governor Markell said. "It's inspiring to see so many leaders from the public and private sectors committing themselves to this cause and pledging to work together on something that builds both economic and social capital."

(READ FULL STORY HERE)

Fewer People With Disabilities Landing Jobs

By SHAUN HEASLEY

July 9, 2012

The unemployment rate for Americans with disabilities inched higher again in June as the economy continued to lag.

Some 13.3 percent of those with disabilities were jobless in June, according to a monthly employment report from the U.S. Department of Labor released late last week.

That’s an increase from 12.9 percent unemployment the previous month.

Meanwhile, the jobless rate for the general population remained flat at 8.2 percent as the economy added 80,000 new jobs, a figure seen by many as disappointing.

The Labor Department began tracking employment among people with disabilities in October 2008. There is not yet enough data compiled to establish seasonal trends among this population, so statistics for this group are not seasonally adjusted.

Data on people with disabilities covers those over the age of 16 who do not live in institutions. The first employment report specific to this population was made available in February 2009. Now, reports are released monthly.

(Disability Scoop has the story)