| Written by Jenny Levet | |
| Wednesday, 01 August 2012 14:56 | |
NGA News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2012
Contacts: Jodi Omear, 703-474-2668/ Krista Zaharias, 847-217-3209
NEW NGA CHAIR ANNOUNCES YEAR-LONG INITIATIVE
Delaware Governor Markell Takes Reins of Association; Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin Becomes Vice Chair
WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA—Delaware Gov. Jack Markell officially became chair of the National Governors Association (NGA) today during the closing session of the NGA Annual Meeting. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin was named vice chair.
Gov. Markell announced his chair's initiative, A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities<http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/CI1213BETTERBOTTOMLINE.PDF>; which aims to increase employment among individuals with disabilities. Specifically, the initiative will focus on the employment challenges that affect individuals with intellectual and other significant disabilities and the role that both state government and business can play in facilitating and advancing opportunities for these individuals to be gainfully employed in the competitive labor market.
"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," Gov. Markell said. "More companies are recognizing that creating greater economic opportunity for these workers improves their own bottom line as well. It doesn't matter whether you were born with additional challenges to face or – in the case of our wounded veterans for example – acquired them later in life. What matters is what you have to offer."
Successfully achieving this goal will require not only attention to appropriate training, job placement and work-based support, but also advancing best practices and meaningful engagement of the business community. This includes informing the business community about how productive, loyal and valuable these individuals can be to both the company's culture and its bottom line.
A major emphasis of the initiative will be on people who have significant intellectual and developmental disabilities and may require supports like job coaches and personal attendants in order to live and work in the community. The chair plans to convene governors, businesses, disability leaders and other thought leaders throughout the year to share ideas and move forward with support for this population.
"It's inspiring to see how many leaders from the public and private sectors are committing themselves to this cause and pledging to work together on something that builds both economic and social capital. There are major employers in every state who recognize the value of creating opportunity," Gov. Markell said. "Let's bring the attention of the public and private sectors to bear this year to create meaningful opportunities for these future employees and the companies that will grow from their efforts."
In addition to providing governors and other state policymakers with better policy options to assess the environment in their state and strategies designed to support this population, the initiative will:
* Create a blueprint for businesses and states that identifies best practices and outlines steps that can be put in place to increase employment of people with disabilities; and
* Heighten awareness and launch a campaign to help governors put in place the practices that fit best in their states' efforts to increase employment for people with disabilities.
The goals behind A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities <http://www.nga.org/files/live/sites/NGA/files/pdf/CI1213BETTERBOTTOMLINE.PDF>; will draw support from several sources.
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Monday, August 27, 2012
A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
U.S. Access Board Seeks Information on Bus Ramps in Update of Vehicle Guidelines
The Access Board is reopening the comment period on proposed updates to its ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Transportation Vehicles to collect additional information on bus ramps. As part of this effort, the Board will hold public meetings in September and October to discuss the usability and impacts of certain bus ramp designs that have been implemented more recently. This information will be used to finalize proposed updates to sections of the guidelines covering buses and vans.
In 2010, the Board released for public comment a proposal to update sections of the vehicle guidelines covering buses and vans. The proposed rule included revisions to technical specifications for vehicle ramps, onboard circulation routes, wheelchair spaces, and securement systems. To improve accessibility, the Board proposed reducing the maximum slope of vehicle ramps.
The Board, which is finalizing the updated guidelines according to the public comments received, recently has been made aware of a specific bus ramp design that is responsive to the proposed slope reduction but that may impact usability. This design allows a portion of deployed ramps to remain inside the vehicle to minimize their exterior projection. Questions have arisen about this type of design, including grade breaks that occur on ramp runs, reduced maneuvering space at the top of ramps, and access to fare collection devices. This information and correspondence received by the Board have been placed in the rulemaking docket which is available online at regulations.gov.
To further examine this ramp design and to collect additional information and feedback from the public, the Board is re-opening the docket, as indicated in a published notice. The Board will hold a public meeting on the subject on September 19 from 9:30 to 1:30 at its conference center at 1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 800 in Washington, D.C. The Board plans to hold a second meeting the first week of October at the annual meeting of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) in Seattle and will release further details at a later date. Bus and ramp manufacturers, transit operators, disability organizations, researchers, and interested individuals are encouraged to attend these meetings and to submit comment. Written comments will be accepted until October 31 and can be submitted through the regulations.gov website.
For further information, visit the Board’s website or contact Scott Windley at windley@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0025 (voice), or (202) 272-0028 (TTY).
Public Meetings on Bus Ramps and
Updates to the ADA Vehicle Guidelines
September 19, 9:30 – 1:30
Access Board Conference Center
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC
A second meeting is planned for early
October at the APTA annual meeting in Seattle
The ADA Covers Psychiatric Disabilities
Employers and employees should be aware that the American Disabilities Act covers psychiatric disabilities as well as physical disabilities. Therefore there should be no discrimination in the workplace against anyone with a psychiatric disability. Employers should make accommodations to help those with psychiatric disabilities to perform their jobs.
Human Resource Executive Online advises:
The National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Md., estimates that one in five people will experience a psychiatric disability in their lifetime, and one in four Americans currently knows someone who has a psychiatric disability. In addition, most employers have at least one employee with a psychiatric disability.
Melissa Fleischer, president and founder of HR Learning Center in Rye, N.Y., says HR managers should understand their legal obligations regarding such employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as their state fair-employment laws, which includes providing reasonable accommodations for an employee’s particular psychiatric disability.
Such accommodations can include an extended leave of absence — even above the 12-week leave of absence provided under the Family and Medical Leave Act, modifications to the employee’s work schedule or modifications to the employer’s work policies, Fleischer says. For example, workers may need to work separately from others and away from customers, or have access to water fountains or water bottles when it’s time to take their medication.
If job applicants or employees have the qualifications to do a job, they cannot be eliminated from the hiring or promotion pool of applicants just because they may need certain accommodations to do the job well. If a psychiatric disability is interfering with an employee’s ability to do his or her job. the employer’s first response should be to discuss this with the person and make referrals for the employee to get the support, counseling, or medical treatment needed to get back on track with the job. If the employee refuses to get the recommended help, and accommodations are still not helping him or her to do the job in a satisfactory manner, it may be a reason for dismissal. But only after these steps have been tried.
Be aware that state laws may come into play in this type of situation as well. HR departments must keep up with all the legal requirements of the ADA and their local labor laws.
The Right To Vote
With the upcoming election, it is important for people with disabilities to plan to vote. Elected officials have a huge impact on policies concerning disability rights and services available to the disabled.
Those who have disabilities have the right to vote and the right to have accessible places to vote. However, even after laws such as the American Disabilities Act, the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, and the Help America Vote Act, there are still many polling places which have no ramps, too steep ramps, too narrow doorways for wheelchairs, or too narrow polling booths.
If everyone with a disability voted, this would be a sizable voting block that could strongly influence elections. But when people anticipate difficulties at the polls, they often will just stay home and not even try to go out to vote. They also may not have had an opportunity to register to vote. Voter registration often takes place when getting a driver’s license or registering a car for a license plate. If a disabled person does not drive, he or she may not have been asked to register to vote.
Accessiblesociety.org has an interesting article on this subject:
People with Disabilities and Voting
What if you wanted to vote but the polling place was locked? For many of the 33.7 million Americans with disabilities of voting age, this situation is all too real. Not because polling officials are deliberately blocking disabled people from entering, but because so many polling places are inaccessible. In fact, the Federal Election Commission reports that, in violation of state and federal laws, more than 20,000 polling places across the nation are inaccessible, depriving people with disabilities of their fundamental right to vote.
…. Polling booths are set in church basements or in upstairs meeting halls where there is no ramp or elevator. Or there is no disabled parking, or doorways are too narrow. All this means problems not just for people who use wheelchairs, but for people using canes or walkers too. And in most states people who are blind don’t have the right to a Braille ballot; they have to bring someone along to vote for them, and might well wonder if that person is really following their instructions. It appears that a person requires sight to have the right to a secret ballot.
Studies show that people with disabilities are interested in government and public affairs and want to participate in the democratic process. But because they are often locked out of the polling booth they stay home on election day.
Read more at http://www.accessiblesociety.org/topics/voting/
The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act requires access to polling places used in Federal elections. The law also requires States to make available registration and voting aids, such as instructions in large type. If a State or political subdivision does not comply with this act, the U.S. Attorney General or the person affected by the noncompliance may bring action for relief in the appropriate district court. Complaints under this law can be filed with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Emergency Management and Preparedness - Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities Webinar Series
National state, and local entities and communities are increasingly planning emergency management and preparedness to handle disasters. Emergencies and disasters can be particularly concerning for people with disabilities. Successful outcomes for people with disabilities in disasters will depend on the how inclusive the plans are. These free webinars will focus on key strategies and approaches at various levels (federal, state, and local) toward emergency management and preparedness and the inclusion of people with disabilities.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Apply for DOL Job Opportunities- Work Available!
It is easy to find and apply for a job at the U.S. Department of Labor. Find out how to apply for our many career opportunities. Good jobs for everyone.
Apply for DOL Job Opportunities
- Job Application Guide — DOORS to Employment
- How to Submit an Updated Resume After Initial Application (PDF)
- Sample Resume Format for Uploaded Resumes (PDF)
- How to Apply Detailed Instructions (PDF)
- How to Submit Supplemental Documentation (PDF)
- Frequently Asked Questions
Get Help With the Application Process
- Contact the Point of Contact (POC) listed on the float box on the right
- Contact DOORS@dol.gov for Technical Issues with the application
- View USAJOBS for tutorials and guides
- Job Search
- Job Opportunity Announcements
- My Account
- Resumes
- Saved Documents
- Saved Searches
Find Other Job-Related Information
- About DOL
- Occupations
- Accommodations
- College Student Guide
- DOL Benefits — DOL offers a great benefits package to eligible employees including health benefits, supplemental dental and vision plans, flexible spending accounts, 13 days paid sick leave per year, 10 paid holidays per year, and a family-friendly work environment.
- DOL Veterans' Opportunities
- Pay & Benefits
- USAJOBS — The official job site for U.S. Federal Government.
- Vacancy Information
Find Internship Opportunities
Work Incentive Seminar Event Information
Click HERE for Registration website
| Meeting Date: | 08/22/2012 | Host Organization: | |
| Meeting Time: | 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Eastern | Contact Name: | Ticket to Work Call Center |
| Meeting Name: | National WISE Webinar 08/22/12 | Contact Phone: | 1-866-968-7842 (V) |
| Meeting Location: | Contact Email: | support@chooseworkttw.net |
Friday, August 3, 2012
19 Percent of US People Suffer a Disability, Census Reports
"About 56.7 million people living in the U.S. -- 19% percent of the total population - reported having a disability in 2010, with more than half of them calling the disability severe, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 1830, the Census Bureau first asked Americans if they had any difficulty hearing, seeing or speaking. Today, the federal government's definition of "disability" covers a wide range of physical or mental impairments that substantially limits one or more "major life activities," such as hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, learning or working."
Notice of Public Forum
To promote the
independent living philosophy for all Idahoans with disabilities: choice,
self-determination, and access for all.
Notice of Public Forum
The Idaho State Independent Living Council
(SILC) is conducting a series of public forums.
This is your opportunity to tell the SILC what you want included in the
State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL).
The SPIL governs how federal and state independent living funds are
spent.
When: August 15th Moscow 2:30 –
4:30
Where: Idaho Department of H&W
1350 Troy Road
Limited transportation is available.
Please call Disability Action Center at
208-883-0523 – Ask for Nancy Hoobler
Go to Plans and Reports
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