Office of Disability Employment Policy

April 2009 Disability Employment Statistics Released

In April 2009, the percent of people with disabilities in the labor force was 22.8 compared with 70.9 for persons with no disability. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities was 12.9 percent, compared with 8.4 percent for persons with no disability, not seasonally adjusted

Read about the April Disability Employment Statistics
Read Commonly Used Terms in BLS Employment Statistics

Resources for Employers and the Visually Impaired

HR Magazine’s April issue featured an article of interest to ODEP’s stakeholders: An Underestimated Talent Pool – Able, eager people who are blind or visually impaired want to work; now it’s up to employers. ODEP thanks the Society for Human Resource Management for making the article available to the general public.

Additionally, ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers Accommodations Ideas for Vision Impairment, a compilation of fact sheets and other resources for you.

Job Accommodation Network Releases Pandemic Flu Fact Sheet

ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has just released a new fact sheet, Considering the Needs of Employees with Disabilities During a Pandemic Flu Outbreak. Covering Critical Questions, Telework, and General Considerations, it also offers links to valuable resources you can use today. The fact sheet is available in Spanish.

Because this is a developing story, the fact sheet will offer timely updates. We suggest you bookmark JAN’s What’s New page and join JAN on a social network to stay current.

Read the Fact Sheet.

ODEP Releases Roadmaps II for Enhancing Employment of Persons with Disabilities Through Accessible Technology

Roadmaps II is a report that looks at the issue of AT and employment from the perspective of AT service providers and disability stakeholders who work directly to assist individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II is a result of the work of the AT Collaborative – a group of national organizations funded by ODEP and CESSI to address AT issues and provide policy recommendations related to the employment of individuals with disabilities. Roadmaps II follows the January 2008 release of Roadmaps I, which is a report on the consensus Roadmaps developed by participants in the 2007 Business Dialogue on Accessible Technology and Disability Employment for how best to enhance the hiring, retention, and advancement of persons with disabilities and others through accessible technology.

Read more about the Roadmaps here

New Disability Employment Resource for Employers Released

To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable, and easy to understand guide for employers who are looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, ODEP just released its new Four-Step Reference Guide. The online version of this valuable resource, which covers topics such as Incentives & ROI, Recruiting, Interviewing & Hiring, and much more, also provides a wealth of links and other resources.

The print version of Diversifying Your Workforce, A Four-Step Reference Guide to Recruiting, Hiring & Retaining Employees with Disabilities will be available later this year. In the meantime, the PDF and Word versions are available.

Disability Awareness Segment Now on NBC’s The More You Know

During the Spring/Summer of 2008, ODEP staff worked with the producers of NBC’s The More You Know public service campaign to develop a script for the disability awareness segment of the campaign. NBC secured Meredith Vieira to be the spokeswoman and launched the disability piece this spring.

Click here for The More You Know

JAN Extends Invitation to Social Networking Venues

ODEP’s free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), recently entered the social networking space. Social networks are those online communities that work together to share and disseminate information.

Read more about JAN and Social Networking

ODEP’s Activities and Resources Highlighted in SHRM Article

Today, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) published Can Hiring One Employee with a Disability Make a Difference? The article covers a wide range of disability employment interests including ODEP’s policy activity, EARN, WRP, and more.

Read the article

Just Released: Database of More Than 1,900 Job Candidates with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Labor released to employers nationwide a free database of more than 1,900 pre-screened college students with disabilities who are seeking summer and regular employment opportunities. Candidates in this database are pursuing degrees in fields ranging from math and business to IT and law.

“Historically, people with disabilities consistently have experienced difficulties finding employment regardless of the economic climate,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. “Providing an internship or first job to someone with a disability can provide a real jumpstart in launching a successful career. The Workforce Recruitment Program offers top talent while enabling college students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain invaluable work experience.”

Federal employers can tap into this ongoing recruitment resource online through the Workforce Recruitment Program, and private sector, other government and nonprofit employers can request unlimited searches by calling the Labor Department's Employer Assistance and Resource Network at 866-327-6669.

View a brief introduction to WRP in .wmv or .mov format.

Read more about the Workforce Recruitment Program and the database

Read the Press Release

Ground-Breaking Survey of Employer Actions/Attitudes Released The Survey of Employer Perspectives on the Employment of People with Disabilities is the first of its magnitude, with responses representing more than 2.4 Million companies nationwide. The survey reveals that a majority of large businesses hiring people with disabilities are discovering that costs for accommodations differ very little from those of the general employee population. Additionally, the survey showed that once an employer hires someone with a disability, they are much more likely to hire other people with disabilities.

Robust & Comprehensive Business Case Now Available   ODEP’s revised Business Case for Hiring People with Disabilities, including returning disabled veterans, features video clips, research and anecdotal information from businesses and industry leaders on how hiring people with disabilities improves an organization's bottom line across six themes: Return on Investment, Human Capital, Innovation, Marketing, Diversity, and Social Responsibility.

Job Accommodation Network
Offers ADA Amendments Act of 2008 Resources

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 became effective on January 1, 2009. Although the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has not yet completed the regulations for the new legislation, ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has developed both a publication and a resource page regarding the Act.

The new publication is JAN's Accommodation and Compliance Series: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (http://www.jan.wvu.edu/bulletins/adaaa1.htm) and will be periodically updated as additional information is made public.

You can find complementary resources at:
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/LINKS/adalinks.htm