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Employing People with Disabilities

The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy's (ODEP) recently announced its new PITCH Campaign - Proving Individuals with Talent Can Help. The campaign's spokesman, Jim Abbott, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Along with ODEP, Jim is helping to spread the word about the value that people with disabilities can bring to the workplace. Learn more about PITCH, and get answers to your questions about hiring people with disabilities and how parents can help put their children on the path to future employment.

Registration is now open for this year's conference which will take place from December 10-12, 2008 in Bethesda, MD. Perspectives offers a unique opportunity to learn about recruiting, hiring and retaining qualified federal employees with disabilities.

Membership organization whose mission is to improve and expand integrated employment opportunities, services and outcomes for persons experiencing disabilities.

Information from the Cornell University Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research about workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities.

Funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the AgrAbility Project provides information to farmers or farmworkers, their families and caregivers on assistive technology and farm site modifications that enable people with disabilities to remain involved in production agriculture.

Ensures that all USDA employees have safe and equal access to electronic and information technology by assessing, educating and advocating for the integration of assistive technology and worksite accommodations.

Information from the U.S. Department of Justice includes contact numbers and Web sites of federal agencies and other organizations that provide information about the ADA.

Second in a series of portfolios on customized employment--a process for individualizing the employment relationship between an employee and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both. Vol. I is available through this link.

Strategies and case studies related to assessing assistive technology needs at the workplace. Areas addressed include communication, mobility, environmental modifications and software and hardware options.

Report from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) highlights the best practices of four states - Florida, Maryland, Vermont and Washington - that promote the hiring, retention and advancement of individuals with disabilities in state government jobs.

A guide on best practices and programs for mentoring young people with disabilities, as well as information on how mentoring programs can benefit youth with disabilities.

Report that highlights noteworthy business practices by which employers are complying with their equal employment opportunity obligations and diversity objectives.

Provides a variety of information and links useful to business in recruiting individuals with disabilities.

Fact sheet from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) addresses questions related to the rights of workers who are blind or visually impaired.

Information on local chapters, conferences and other information from business owners on best practices in hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities.

Fact sheet describes three tax incentives available to help employers cover accommodation costs for employees and/or customers with disabilities, making their businesses accessible for everyone.

Identify job-ready workers with the right skills, locate public workforce services and much more.

The U.S. Department of Education's Vocational Rehabilitation Employer and Business Development Network offers a nationwide network of vocational rehabilitation employment specialists to help employers seeking to hire qualified individuals with disabilities.

Provides an avenue to employment for any job seeker who feels that traditional job search methods do not meet their needs.

Article describing customized employment, and how employers can use it as a strategy to recruit and retain workers of all abilities.

Fact sheet from the U.S Department of Labor describing ways to individualize or customize the relationship between a job seeker or employee and an employer in ways that meet the needs of both.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) regarding JAN, a free service for employers looking to hire qualified individuals with disabilities.

The U.S. Department of Labor has made available to employers nationwide a free database of 1,769 new job candidates with disabilities seeking work in a wide variety of fields.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) fact sheet on the application of the ADA to job applicants and employees who are deaf or who have hearing impairments.

Article discusses the definition of disability under the ADA and how it applies to employment.

The USDA/FFAS disability information website.

Information on training and placement of workers through employment services, tax credits and other hiring incentives and grants available from ETA.

Provides workers and employers a way to get consistent, accurate information and assistance on labor issues.

Provides information, training and technical assistance to America's business leaders, organized labor, rehabilitation and service providers, advocacy organizations, families and individuals with disabilities.

Information from VA's Office of Human Resources and Administration on recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities.

National employment resource designed to provide trained, educated and experienced disabled veterans in line with employers' human resources requirements.

Information from the U.S. Department of Labor concerning the establishment of prevailing and commensurate wages as they pertain to the employment of workers with disabilities at special minimum wages under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Document is in .pdf format.

This question-and-answer document from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) explains how the ADA's employment provisions apply to people with diabetes.

Links to regional centers that work closely with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation and other professional networks to provide Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) information and technical assistance relating to employment, public services, public accommodations and communications.

Describes how individuals with disabilities who are members of minority groups are disproportionately represented among the unemployed and provides suggestions for reversing these outcomes.

Fact sheet from the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) answers commonly asked questions about disability and employment issues.

Information from the National Library Service explores myths and misconceptions about people with disabilities to foster greater sensitivity and understanding.

A review of significant cases in the area of disability rights that the U.S. Department of the Interior Office of Civil Rights offers as guidance to help managers understand issues related to employment of individuals with disabilities.

Guidelines for dealing with disability issues in the pre-employment process.

Guide from the U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, designed to acquaint business leaders with programs and resources that can assist them in hiring people with disabilities.

Brochure for small- and medium-sized businesses interested in increasing their hiring pool by recruiting well-qualified employees with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format. This brochure is also available in text form.

Practical advice and information on disability etiquette.

Shortcuts to information and services the U.S. Department of Labor offers concerning disability issues.

Fact sheet from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provides information on the IRS' disability-related provisions of particular interest to businesses as well as people with disabilities.

Home page of the organization that is the official voice of America's service-connected disabled veterans, their families and survivors.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) explores how businesses can enhance their competitive edge by hiring people with disabilities.

Information regarding how your company can support diversity, including employees with disabilities.

Provides free services to help employers recruit and hire qualified workers, as well as employment service providers and jobseekers with disabilities.

Employers who sign up for this free service can post and edit their job announcements and professionals working with job seekers with disabilities that are signed up with EARN can search job postings by occupation type and location.

Links to a variety of resources on hiring and managing employees with disabilities.

A September 2007 report on the needs and challenges of American businesses in employing people with disabilities.

Links to extensive information for employers on hiring people with disabilities.

Guide from the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) explains the basics of workplace accommodations and how employers can work with their employees with disabilities to provide the accommodations they may need.

Fact sheet provides information on the rights of people with disabilities under the ADA in relation to employment.

The U.S. Department of Labor has made available to employers nationwide a free database of approximately 2,000 new job candidates with disabilities seeking work in a wide variety of fields.

Extensive summary of employer attitudes and strategies for employing individuals with disabilities.

Fact sheet provides information for employers on workplace accommodations effective with individuals with a psychiatric disability.

Information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) about employing people with disabilities, including background on the Americans with Disabilities Act, tax incentives, referral services and helpful links to the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy.

Employing People with Disabilities

Practical suggestions regarding hiring people with disabilities.

Provides information on employment incentives for businesses including tax credits, business loans and grants, vocational rehabilitation services, assistive technology information and other financial advantages to encourage businesses to employ people with disabilities.

Fact sheet from the National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult discusses issues faced by people with mental illness related to employment and outlines tactics shown to be effective in helping people with mental illness to get jobs.

Fact sheet provides information regarding the federal laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment and the job application process.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides information for employers regarding employment laws related to people with disabilities.

Information and resources from the Cornell University Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research about interviewing, hiring and training employees with disabilities.

Employers and job seekers can find information on service providers that are relevant to employment and training.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor provides general information concerning the application of Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Document is in .pdf format.

Nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people with disabilities find employment and live independently. Includes a video describing the organization's work and the importance of addressing the unemployment rate among people with disabilities.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding epilepsy in the workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Information from the U.S. Department of Labor concerning the establishment of prevailing wages and commensurate wages as they pertain to the employment of workers with disabilities at special minimum wages. Document is in .pdf format.

The Captioned Telephone is a new technology that allows people to receive word-for-word captions of their telephone conversations.

An interagency partnership that works to expand Federal employment of people with disabilities through improved recruiting, hiring, retention and advancement, especially of individuals with targeted or more severe disabilities.

Gateway to extensive information on hiring people with disabilities in the federal government.

Federal RCC uses the same high-quality steno captioners that provide closed captioning for live television, news, sports and weather to deliver live, real-time text streamed to an Internet-connected computer anywhere in the world.

A federal government service which allows federal employees who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf/blind and or have speech disabilities to have equal communication access.

FRSO is an internet relay service which allows the user to make telecommunications relay calls from the desktop/laptop.

Information and resources from the National Organization on Disability regarding how to find qualified employees with disabilities.

Fact sheet provides information on using Personal Assistant Services (PSA) in the workplace as a reasonable job accommodation.

Information for employers in ensuring maximum benefit from an interview when the person being interviewed happens to have a disability.

A project of the Institute for Community Inclusion, ForEmployers.com uses technology and flexible design strategies (or universal design) to bridge the needs of the business community and the employment needs of people with disabilities.

A comprehensive career Web site for hiring veterans of America's military.

Training program for Human Resource managers and trainers about successfully employing persons with disabilities.

Publication from the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations addresses issues such as why to hire people with disabilities, management concerns and how to implement the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

List of organizations that provide a variety of direct services to persons who are blind and visually impaired, including advocacy and advisory services, information and referral, counseling and employment programs, assistive devices and publications in special format.

List of national organizations which serve as information clearinghouses, referral agencies and legislative advocates for people with physical disabilities, their families and the professionals who work with them.

An association of businesses, rehabilitation service providers, schools and universities, trade unions and associations who are placing people with disabilities into employment using a model of partnership with community business and employers.

Publication from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center suggests ways to promote effective communication between people with and without disabilities.

Answers to questions employers may have regarding reasonable accommodations for individuals with a disability in the workplace.

Free service that facilitates the employment and retention of workers with disabilities by providing guidance on job accommodations, self-employment and small business opportunities and related subjects.

Basic information on job accommodations from the National Center on Workforce and Disability.

Information and resources about disability and employment from the Cornell University Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research for human resource professionals and businesses

The Foundation developed Bridges from school to work, a program that matches the interests and abilities of young people with the workforce needs of employers, creating and supporting strong employment relationships that work to the benefit of all.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides information regarding the rights of employees who are injured or disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Offers instruction for employers, veterans, workforce and rehabilitation professionals, educators and parents of persons with disabilities.

Fact sheet from the National Center on Workforce and Disability/Adult addresses some common myths related to mental illness.

Comprehensive technical assistance resource on the employment of people with disabilities which highlights best practices.

Publication for staff in One-Stop centers and youth and adult service providers who interact with individuals with disabilities. Designed to help clarify what can and cannot be asked about someone's disability.

An educational/job-matching organization that brings together employers, advanced communications technology and vocational rehabilitation agencies to enable people with disabilities to train for and work online.

The ODEP Alliance Initiative is a cooperative program which enables organizations committed to improving disability workplace practices to work with the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to develop policies, initiatives and strategies that increase recruiting, hiring, advancing and retaining workers with disabilities.

Fact sheet from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) describes the kinds of questions employers may ask current employees about their medical conditions in order to update or implement an emergency evacuation plan.

Information from OPM about disability descrimination and requirements under the law that federal agencies provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees with disabilties.

One More Way is the newest program within the Sierra's Group's Workplace Foundation. The initiative is being launched in order to maximize national connections with businesses, agencies, government and veterans with disabilities in order to stimulate employment.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides information on recruiting employees with disabilities.

Resources and information from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) related to the employment of people with mental illness.

Fact sheet from the Department of Labor provides guidelines to ensure that persons with disabilities are afforded a fair and equitable opportunity to present their job qualifications during a job interview.

Free job matching service for persons with disabilities seeking employment and employers looking to hire people with disabilities. Employers can post jobs and disabled individuals can post their resumes at no cost.

Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides tips on recruiting people with disabilities.

Publication highlights guidelines and strategies to help organizations make their meetings accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format.

Helps educate employers about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and provide a basic guideline on how to start accessing this uptapped labor pool. Document is in .pdf format.

A list of organizations assisting those interested in hiring people with disabilities.

Report from the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University regarding employers attitudes about people with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format.

Brochure describing the Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award. This award is given annually to small businesses, corporations, non-profits and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment and workplace environment for workers with disabilities. A .pdf version of this brochure may be downloaded by clicking here and going to "Other Publications."

Fact sheet from the Department of Justice answers commonly asked questions about the use of service animals by people with disabilities in places of business.

Explains the requirements of ADA regarding animals that accompany and provide services for people with disabilities.

Clarifies the rights and responsibilities of employers and individuals with disabilities regarding reasonable accommodation and undue hardship under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Contains a broad range of resources related to employment of people with disabilities.

State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies assist individuals with disabilities to become employed and provide employers with qualified job candidates with disabilities. Click on a state below to connect to the person in a given state whose job it is to build and maintain employer relationships.

Training manual assists supported employment customers, service providers and employers in the implementation of supported employment programs.

The Supported Employment Toolkit from the National Mental Health Information Center provides information on how to help people with mental illnesses and other disabilities find and keep competitive employment within their communities.

Fact sheet outlines how employers, workforce professionals and others can work to identify support needs of individuals with autism in order to create successful employment outcomes.

Fact sheet from the Department of Labor about tax incentives available to help employers cover the cost of accommodations for employees with disabilities and to make their places of business accessible.

Information from the U.S. Department of Labor on technology-related assistance and federal laws regarding accessibility.

Website for three telework projects funded by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The website includes information about the Telework Initiative, an overview of ODEP's projects, information about telework, resources, success stories and a link to a Resume Bank.

Includes articles, checklists, a glossary, and links to useful disability resources to help human resource (HR) professionals better understand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), job accommodations and the employment process as it relates to people with disabilities.

U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao called upon nonprofit organizations, small businesses, corporations and individuals to submit entries for the 2008 Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award. The deadline for receipt of nominations was May 30, 2008. Information on eligibility criteria and application procedures may be downloaded here.

Fact sheet from the National Mental Health Information Center provides information about and addresses common issues related to employment of people with serious mental illness who are homeless.

Fact sheet from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) provides information on work at home and telework, which can expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Provides information and addresses misconceptions regarding hiring people recovering from substance abuse.

Coordinated by the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Defense, the WRP is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers with highly motivated postsecondary students with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.

Links to wide range of workforce development resources for employers.

Fact sheet from the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides information on the workplace accommodations process under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Employment focused guide on how employers and service providers can utilize assistive technology to make workplaces and service centers accessible to people with disabilities. Contains illustrations of many different types of assistive technologies including descriptive text on the use of these technologies. Document is in .pdf format.

Online information and guidance for job seekers, career counselors, job developers and prospective employers about what works best for a range of disability employment issues.

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Information on TBI, including ideas for accommodating people with TBI's in the workplace.
Medical & Disability-Related Leave
Fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) provides information regarding the rights of employees who are injured or disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Employment Laws - Disability & Discrimination
Fact sheet provides information regarding the federal laws that protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination in employment and the job application process.
Epilepsy in the Workplace: Frequently Asked Questions
Fact sheet from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding epilepsy in the workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Disability Employment 101 for Your Business
Brochure for small- and medium-sized businesses interested in increasing their hiring pool by recruiting well-qualified employees with disabilities. Document is in .pdf format. This brochure is also available in text form.
Social Security Administration Office of Employment Support Programs (OESP) Forms & Publications
Contains a broad range of resources related to employment of people with disabilities.