News

Take advantage of the early bird registration special for this year's Perspectives conference which will take place from December 9-11, 2009 in Bethesda, MD. Learn the latest information on federal personnel policies and practices, developments in technology, legal updates, and resources that will help your agency achieve its goals. Federal HR and EEO specialists, hiring managers, and others who manage employment matters concerning persons with disabilities should attend.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) has released a report calling on federal, state and local authorities to make sweeping changes in emergency management practices for people with disabilities.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is seeking people with disabilities, individuals representing grassroots organizations and others to help shape disability policies and programs for the next decade. Deadline for submitting application to attend the summit is October 15, 2009.

This year's annual Arc convention provides information on practices and innovation on services, supports and research for people with disabilities. The convention will be held November 11-14 in Pittsburgh, PA.

ATIA is presenting a new conference for users, administrators and educators to be held October 28-31 in Chicago.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Aveva Drug Delivery Systems, Inc. discriminated against an employee with a disability who receives dialysis treatments for End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). The EEOC says the employee, a 50-year-old woman, had a catheter in her arm that was used for dialysis treatment, and that she was fired after an approved leave of absence related to her disability.

The DEC 25th Annual International Conference on Young Children with Special Needs and their Families will take place October 15-18, 2009 in Albuquerque, NM. This conference is a chance to discover how the latest research translates into practice, meet experts in the field, see demonstrations of evidence-based intervention strategies and develop the skills needed to work with young children and their families.

The International Brain Injury Association's World Congress is the largest gathering of international professionals working in the field of brain injury. Delegates include physicians, psychologists and neuropsychologists, therapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury. The conference will take place in Washington, DC from March 10-14, 2010.

On July 30, 2009 the United States became one of 142 other countries that have signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is gathering public input for a study of emerging issues and trends affecting the lives of people with disabilities. Information gathered will be used in the development of NCD's next annual progress report to the President and Congress, National Disability Policy: A Progress Report, which is required by Section 401(b) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Please send your input by September 15, 2009. Comments can be emailed to ncd@ncd.gov. Type "Emerging Trends" in the subject line. This link opens a Word document.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) heard testimony from some of the nation's leading experts on early-onset Alzheimer's disease and related dementias about possible methods for identifying and implementing Compassionate Allowances for people living with early-onset Alzheimer's.

Secretary Solis responds to questions submitted to her by HR Magazine about her goals and priorities for the U.S. Department of Labor, including increasing the employment rate among people with disabilities.

Schwan's Global Supply Chain, Inc., a Kentucky area frozen food distributor, violated federal law by refusing to hire a qualified applicant for a job because of his vision impairment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a disability discrimination lawsuit.

"Disability rights aren't just civil rights to be enforced here at home; they're universal rights to be recognized and promoted around the world. And that's why I'm proud to announce that next week, the United States of America will join 140 other nations in signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities--the first new human rights convention of the 21st century." --President Barack Obama, July 24, 2009

In conjunction with the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. Department of Labor has re-named and re-launched DisabilityInfo.gov as Disability.gov. The site now offers comprehensive information about programs and services to better serve the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities, their family members, veterans, employers, educators, caregivers and anyone interested in disability-related information.

Training event for those committed to helping people who are aging, have a disability, or are in recovery experience the promise of freedom as they craft a meaningful life. The conference takes place from September 21-22, 2009 in Nashville, TN. This link opens a PDF document.

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement regarding the 19th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA): "July 26 marks the 19th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act...the ADA's provisions include the right to seek, obtain, pursue and maintain employment without being hampered by physical or attitudinal barriers. I believe that having a job is a civil right. Those who are qualified for and want to work should not be denied that right because of an inaccessible building or an outdated set of assumptions about what they can or cannot do..."

This year's conference, hosted by the Utah and Wyoming Departments of Education, will take place from October 17-20 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Join the Ready Campaign and its partners Citizen Corps and the Ad Council in spreading the emergency preparedness message this September for the sixth annual National Preparedness Month (NPM).

The National Academy of Social Insurance John Heinz award is given to the best doctoral dissertation in the social insurance field completed between January 1, 2008 and October 1, 2009. Any dissertation addressing topics relevant to the design, planning, implementation or evaluation of social insurance policy is eligible for nomination. The application deadline in October 1, 2009.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that the administration will rescind all or part of three Medicaid regulations that were previously issued and delay the enforcement of a fourth regulation. One of these rules would have eliminated reimbursement for school-based administrative costs and costs of transportation to and from schools.

The DBSA is holding its annual conference September 10-13, 2009 in Indianapolis, IN. The conference is titled "Peer Connections."

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today joined President Obama's commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Olmstead decision by announcing rental assistance to 4,000 non-elderly families with disabilities, including 1,000 vouchers specifically targeted to those transitioning out of nursing homes and other care facilities.

The Federal Transit Administration funds transportation projects to help low-income individuals where existing transit is either unavailable, inappropriate or insufficient.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has voted to revise its regulations to conform to changes made by the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008, which would make it easier for an individual seeking protection under the ADA to establish that he or she has a disability.

President Obama has announced the opening of a new White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic and Youth Sport.

Tune in to podcasts about different disability laws. The topic changes frequently, so check back often. Also available in Spanish.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recently received funding to hire a significant number of employees throughout the country. This hiring initiative offers a unique opportunity for individuals with disabilities who may want to get a job with SSA. These jobs will be at various skill levels including a number of entry-level positions.

News release from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) about a comprehensive plan to jumpstart agency telework programs.

The Campaign for Disability Employment, a collaborative of leading disability organizations funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U.S. Department of Labor, held an online video contest to promote the talent and skills that people with disabilities bring to America's workforce and economy. The contest was held from June 8, 2009 - July 15, 2009.

Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the percent of people with a disability in the labor force during April-May 2009 compared with persons with no disability. Data can be downloaded in PDF format.

Fact sheets and other news releases from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) regarding job accommodations for people with disabilities.

Disability in America: Inalienable Rights for All conference will be held from September 30-October 2, 2009 in Albuquerque, NM. This conference looks at the long-term challenges faced by wounded warriors and how to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities by evaluating disability programs, policies and services. Conference registration deadline is September 1, 2009.

The 2009 Annual Conference, Connecting The Dots: Business Solutions, is for business, community leaders and BLN affiliates that have an interest in hiring, retaining and marketing to people with disabilities. The event will be held September 15-18, 2009 at the National Harbor near Washington, DC.

New resource for secondary school educators from Easter Seals Project ACTION includes a booklet, slide shows, questionnaire and links to additional information to support young adults' needs for public transportation through travel training.

The 2009 Voice Awards ceremony will take place at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA, on October 14, 2009. The event will bring together people from the entertainment industry and mental health consumer and advocacy communities for a night that celebrates increased awareness of mental health issues and the power of recovery. The Voice Awards honor writers and producers who incorporate dignified, respectful and accurate portrayals of individuals with mental health problems into film and television productions.