Target Audiences
ODEP works to ensure meaningful access to employment and training programs and services for a wide range of audiences. In addition to ODEP's work regarding adults with disabilities, the agency has targeted additional audiences, including, but not limited to, mature workers, veterans, youth, chronically homeless, and the Olmstead population.
Mature Workers
Many of ODEP's customized employment strategies and the mandate to provide reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities can also be applied to older workers who may require flexible or customized employment policies in the workplace, use to choosing a work-balance lifestyle or disabling conditions. ODEP participates in key policy areas regarding the issues involving the mature workforce.
Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers: Considerations for Employers
The National Center on Workforce Development/Adult (NCWD/A), funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), undertook a one-year project that examined practices and strategies implemented by U.S. companies seeking to recruit and retain older workers. This brief presents themes that emerged from phone conversations with employees at 18 companies in 13 states.
Recruitment and Retention of Older Workers: Application to People with Disabilities
This brief, based on the National Center on Workforce Development/Adult's (NCWD/A) one-year project described above, identifies strategies that can benefit both older workers and workers with disabilities. It describes each strategy that companies discussed in relation to older workers and makes a case for its effectiveness in employing workers with disabilities, offering action steps employers can take. The brief ends with recommendations for the disability community to better support businesses to employ people with disabilities. Including these practices in business operations will position employers to become more reflective of their diverse communities and the customers they strive to serve.
In recognition of the employment challenges, such as potential labor and skill shortages, with the "graying" of the American people, the U.S. Department of Labor convened an interagency taskforce to address these issues in 2005. This effort is a direct response to a recommendation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2003.
Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao's Letter on the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce
The Report of the Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce was cleared by the Office of Management and Budget and provided to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging on February 11, 2008 by the lead Taskforce agency, DOL's Employment and Training Administration.
ODEP played an essential role on this Taskforce. ODEP staff, with some Taskforce members, prepared two issues briefs on mature workers.
Perceptions of Older Workers - This document was developed in 2006 by the Work Group of the Interagency Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce, from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Flexibility of the Workplace and Customized Employment - This document was developed in 2006 by the Work Group of the Interagency Taskforce on the Aging of the American Workforce, from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Highlights of a GAO Forum: Engaging and Retaining Older Workers [PDF] [Text] (Feb. 28, 2007)
Forum participants discussed obstacles, best practices, and lessons learned from programs to help those older workers who want to work longer and to better prepare for retirement. Participants also considered strategies for encouraging organizations to implement practices that will result in more opportunities for older workers.
Some Best Practices and Strategies for Engaging and Retaining Older Workers [PDF] [Text]
Testimony before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging that highlights issues discussed at the February 28, 2007 GAO Forum on Engaging and Retaining Older Workers, as well as prior GAO work.
Private- and Non-Profit Sector Mature Worker Resources
SmartBrief, founded in 1999, publishes 55 co-branded, customized e-mail newsletters in partnership with leading trade associations, professional societies and corporations. More than 1 million professionals in 18 industries rely on SmartBrief every day to save them time and keep them informed with essential industry news and more.
AARP's Workforce Assessment Tool
This online tool helps employers gauge the impact of the aging workforce on their business. It is a free, confidential resource that can help an employer assess current and future workforce needs, anticipate skill shortages, and build on company strengths to attract and retain experienced workers. The tool asks a series of questions about a company's workforce composition, practices, and benefits. Once the assessment is completed, an individualized report will automatically be generated based on the answers provided. This report provides:
1) An overview of how the aging of the workforce will affect an organization
2) A map of a company's current employment practices and areas for improvement
3) Recommendations on how to create an "age-friendly" workplace that appeals to all workers
4) An inventory of the workplace's strengths that can enhance the company's brand
Staying Ahead of the Curve: The AARP Working in Retirement Study (2003)
A nationwide telephone survey conducted with 2,001 workers between the ages of 50 and 70 to explore their vision of retirement and to better understand the types of jobs that workers who plan to work in retirement imagine holding and the types of jobs currently held by today's working retirees.
Northrop Grumman Takes Steps to Retain/Motivate Mature Workers(U.S. News & World Report, July 17, 2008)
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman is among the companies taking steps to retain older workers. Chief Human Resources Officer Ian Ziskin said the company expects 50 percent of the company's workforce to retire over the next five to 10 years. He said the company continues to look for ways to motivate and challenge senior employees. Northrop is also asking experienced employees to train and mentor new workers, he said.
Northrop Grumman Corporation was an ODEP New Freedom Initiative Awardee in 2007. ODEP's New Freedom Initiative Award, established by Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao in 2002, encourages the use of public-private partnerships to develop and implement strategies that enhance employment opportunities and career advancement for individuals with disabilities. Such strategies include increasing access to assistive technologies and utilizing innovative training, hiring, and retention strategies.
Veterans
ODEP is working closely with the Departments of Defense and Veterans' Affairs, as well as the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training (VETS) office to address the provision of personal recovery and employment assistance to our nation’s disabled service members, including those coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. Information about this initiative, REALifelines, and various benefits are provided below.
REALifelines
The Recovery & Employment Assistance Lifelines (REALifelines) program is a collaborative initiative that represents a new national effort to provide personal recovery and employment assistance to our nation’s disabled service members (and their families) upon their return from duty in the Global War on Terrorism. The intent of the program is to see that these individuals receive timely, professional and compassionate assistance to assure recovery, an opportunity to return to their previous job, or to consider a new career path, and, if necessary, learn about what types of job accommodations might be needed due to a war wound or injury.
Military Severely Injured Center (MSIC)
The REALifelines program is closely affiliated with the new MSIC located in Arlington, Virginia. The MSIC provides personalized assistance tailored to meet the individualized needs of severely wounded or injured service members and their families. The service is available 24/7 at no cost to service members or their families at 888-774-1361.
Transition Training Academy (TTA)
TTA, a pilot project for disabled veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, is designed to hone their information technology skills and provide them with marketable credentials. The TTA project is a public-private collaboration of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy and its Job Accommodation Network, the Labor Department's Veterans Employment and Training Service, the Naval Medical Center at San Diego, California Employment Development, Inverness Technologies and Cisco.
Customized Self-Employment, Part I and Customized Self-Employment, Part II are two power point presentations introduced by Rich Toscano at the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans and Employment Training Services Competitive Grantees' Conference in Denver, Colorado in August 2007. These presentations examine options and supports for self-employment for job seekers with barriers to employment and show examples of veterans obtaining employment through customized self employment.
Note: These documents were developed by Rich Toscano with his work for the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, Inc. and funded through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) grant number E-9-4-2-0114. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Other Federal Veterans' Resources
This EEOC guide briefly explains how protections for veterans with service-connected disabilities differ under USERRA and the ADA, and then describes how the ADA in particular applies to recruiting, hiring, and accommodating veterans with service-connected disabilities.
U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs
Provides information about veterans’ benefits related to burial, health, education, compensation, vocational rehabilitation, home loans, life insurance and appeals.
Veterans' Service Organizations
A list of veterans’ service organizations that have been chartered by Congress and/or recognized by the VA for claim representation.
U.S. Department of Labor--Veterans’ Employment & Training Service (VETS)
This website provides a great deal of information for veterans, including, but not limited to, employment and reemployment rights of members of the armed forces, information about veterans’ preference, and the Transition Assistance Program.
Fact Sheet on Psychosocial Rehabilitation Programs Impact on Veterans' Pension and Compensation Benefits (May 2006)
This fact sheet, issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR), Office of Mental Health Services, provides information on several of the VA's supports to utilize work-based individualized rehabilitation treatment to maximize a veteran's potential based on skills, abilities, and rehabilitation needs.
e-VETS Resource Advisor
This resource assists veterans preparing to enter the job market. It has a tremendous amount of important information such as employment openings, career assessment and special services available to veterans.
Youth
Based on an extensive literature review of research, demonstration projects, and effective practices covering a wide range of programs and services, including youth development, quality education, and workforce development programs—ODEP, in collaboration with the National Collaborative on Workforce Disability for Youth, has identified Guideposts for Success.
Chronically Homeless
ODEP funds two different initiatives on chronic homelessness for individuals with disabilities:
Ending Chronic Homelessness through Employment and Housing Cooperative Agreements
These cooperative agreements among ODEP and its partners within the U.S. Department of Labor (Veterans and Training Service [VETS], and the Employment and Training Administration [ETA]), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) were designed to increase and improve employment opportunities for chronically homeless individuals with disabilities through a local partnership with HUD housing providers. The goal of these cooperative agreements was to enable persons who are chronically homeless to achieve employment and self-sufficiency, often utilizing Customized Employment strategies, thus preventing unnecessary institutional placements.
Chronic Homelessness and Employment Technical Assistance (CHETA)
CHETA provides technical assistance and training to five ODEP/Housing and Urban Development grantees by serving people who are chronically homeless in finding employment. CHETA also provides policy analysis recommendations to the U.S. Department of Labor regarding serving people who are chronically homeless in employment programs.
Olmstead
ODEP funded many initiatives addressing the Olmstead Decision and the Olmstead Executive Order (#13217) entitled:
These six grants addressed the capability of individuals transitioning from segregated environments, such as nursing homes and institutions, to successfully participate in community employment through the utilization of customized strategies. These grants built capacity within the workforce system and provided effective community implementation for transitioning from institutions to employment.
Training and Technical Assistance for Providers (T-TAP)
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in partnership with the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, was awarded a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). This project implements a national technical assistance and training effort designed to increase the capacity of community rehabilitation providers (CRPs) and other community-based service providers that currently operate programs that result in segregated work outcomes and non-work options for people with disabilities in the “Special Minimum Wage” program established under 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to utilize customized employment strategies. The goal of this technical assistance and training effort is to work with providers using 14 (c) certificates. The project developed a Customized Employment Q and A: Funding of Community-Integrated Employment Outcomes that provides information on how to use a diversified array of funding resources to support community-integrated employment outcomes.
