In conjunction with the Department of Labor’s celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has posted a short video entitled Disability Inclusion Starts With You. This public service announcement-style video encourages applicants and employees with disabilities to voluntarily self-identify by explaining the key role that self-identification plays in measuring contractors’ progress toward achieving equal employment opportunity for people with disabilities. The video also explains the Section 503 requirement that contractors invite voluntary self-identification from their applicants and employees, and the strictly confidential nature of any disability information provided.
Contractors may wish to download and post the video on their Intranet or company Web sites to share with their employees and job applicants who may be reluctant to self-identify, or who may not understand why they are being asked to self-identify. Disability organizations and community groups may also wish to share the video with their members to encourage them to voluntarily self-identify when invited to do so by an employer that is a federal contractor.
The Disability Inclusion Starts With You video is available online for viewing or download at http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/SelfIdVideo.html, and can also be accessed from either the OFCCP home page or the OFCCP Section 503 Web page.
Showing posts with label National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Monday, October 21, 2013
NDEAM 2013: Because We Are EQUAL to the Task
by on October 18,
2013
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time each year when we as a nation celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and assess our progress toward building a workforce that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified individuals.
The theme for this year’s observance is “Because We Are EQUAL to the Task,” and its inherent message is one that I, as a person with a disability, was fortunate to receive early and often in my life. Today, helping more people understand it is the crux of my work as head of the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Every day of every month, my dedicated colleagues and I educate folks about workplace policies and practices that promote equality and full access for people with disabilities.
And what are those policies and practices? According to many employers who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in hiring, retaining and advancing people with disabilities, they’re no different than the policies and practices that promote success for all employees.
The key is taking disability off of what I sometimes call the “special shelf” and instead focusing on the fundamental goal of productivity. Like all people, those of us with disabilities need the right tools and work environments to do our jobs. Over the years, I’ve heard many employers express trepidation about these “accommodations”—the perhaps imperfect way they are termed in legal parlance. Some employers assume accommodations are complicated and expensive, but their fears are unfounded.
In fact, a report released recently by the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network revealed that most (58 percent) of job accommodations for employees with disabilities cost nothing, while the typical cost of the rest is only $500—an outlay that most employers report pays for itself multiple-fold in the form of reduced insurance and training costs and increased productivity.
So, in response to employers’ misconceptions, I like to call accommodations “productivity tools,” because that’s really what they are. From technology to flexible work arrangements, accommodations are something most employers already provide employees—with or without disabilities—every day. Just think about it. Those lights you turn on when you enter the room? They increase productivity for a lot of people, but workers like me don’t need them. That chair you use to sit at your desk? Helpful for many, but some folks come with their own chairs. Those smart phones you use to stay in touch while away from your desk? They’re productivity tools (aka “accommodations”) whether you identify as a person with a disability or not.
The key to making the American workforce more inclusive of people with disabilities is making the conversation about disability and employment more inclusive. And that’s the essence of NDEAM. It’s a time to celebrate and educate. It’s also a time to elevate our thinking about whom we include in a disability context, and how we think about disability issues. Because only then can we ensure that more qualified individuals have the chance to demonstrate that they are EQUAL to the task.
Kathy Martinez is the assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a time each year when we as a nation celebrate the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities and assess our progress toward building a workforce that welcomes the skills and talents of all qualified individuals.
The theme for this year’s observance is “Because We Are EQUAL to the Task,” and its inherent message is one that I, as a person with a disability, was fortunate to receive early and often in my life. Today, helping more people understand it is the crux of my work as head of the Office of Disability Employment Policy. Every day of every month, my dedicated colleagues and I educate folks about workplace policies and practices that promote equality and full access for people with disabilities.
And what are those policies and practices? According to many employers who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in hiring, retaining and advancing people with disabilities, they’re no different than the policies and practices that promote success for all employees.
The key is taking disability off of what I sometimes call the “special shelf” and instead focusing on the fundamental goal of productivity. Like all people, those of us with disabilities need the right tools and work environments to do our jobs. Over the years, I’ve heard many employers express trepidation about these “accommodations”—the perhaps imperfect way they are termed in legal parlance. Some employers assume accommodations are complicated and expensive, but their fears are unfounded.
In fact, a report released recently by the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network revealed that most (58 percent) of job accommodations for employees with disabilities cost nothing, while the typical cost of the rest is only $500—an outlay that most employers report pays for itself multiple-fold in the form of reduced insurance and training costs and increased productivity.
So, in response to employers’ misconceptions, I like to call accommodations “productivity tools,” because that’s really what they are. From technology to flexible work arrangements, accommodations are something most employers already provide employees—with or without disabilities—every day. Just think about it. Those lights you turn on when you enter the room? They increase productivity for a lot of people, but workers like me don’t need them. That chair you use to sit at your desk? Helpful for many, but some folks come with their own chairs. Those smart phones you use to stay in touch while away from your desk? They’re productivity tools (aka “accommodations”) whether you identify as a person with a disability or not.
The key to making the American workforce more inclusive of people with disabilities is making the conversation about disability and employment more inclusive. And that’s the essence of NDEAM. It’s a time to celebrate and educate. It’s also a time to elevate our thinking about whom we include in a disability context, and how we think about disability issues. Because only then can we ensure that more qualified individuals have the chance to demonstrate that they are EQUAL to the task.
Kathy Martinez is the assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.
This information is intended to be
educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Source: Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Held annually, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is led by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
The purpose is to educate all employees about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?"Download this year's NDEAM poster from ODEP.
For more information on resources for Individuals with Disabilities, please visit our website
This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
  |
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Held annually, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is led by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
The purpose is to educate all employees about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?"Download this year's NDEAM poster from ODEP.
For more information on resources for Individuals with Disabilities, please visit our website
This information is intended to be educational and should not be considered legal advice on any specific matter.
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