News & Events

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics Releases September Employment Numbers

    The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent last month. Disability employment statistics for September show an unemployment rate of 13.5 percent among people with disabilities, down from 13.9 percent in August. The percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.1 percent, and the percentage of people with no disability in the labor force was 69.3 percent.

    Posted: 10/05/12 to Employment
  2. Disability Rights - Enforcement Highlights from the U.S. Department of Education

    The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) protects the rights of persons with disabilities under two federal laws - Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This report describes OCR's work in enforcing these laws and protecting the rights of students with disabilities. This link opens a PDF document.

    Posted: 10/04/12 to Education
  3. Free Webinars on Work Incentives & Job Interview Tips

    The National Spinal Cord Injury Association will host two free webinars in October in recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  The first webinar, ”Understanding Social Security Work Incentives and Ticket to Work”, will be held on October 11, 2012. A second webinar, “Employment Etiquette: Resume Building and Job Interview Tips” will take place on October 24, 2012.

    Posted: 10/04/12 to Employment
  4. Presidential Proclamation - National Disability Employment Awareness Month, 2012

    Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?" Get NDEAM resources, download or order the NDEAM poster, and learn how you can help raise awareness about the importance of a more inclusive America, one where every person is recognized for his or her abilities.

    Posted: 10/04/12 to Employment
  5. EEOC Sues Bank for Age & Disability Discrimination

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Regions Financial Corporation, doing business as Regions Bank in Memphis, with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the EEOC, the bank fired a 61-year-old bank branch manager after she asked for a reasonable accommodation for her disability, hyperthyroidism. Visit the EEOC’s newsroom for information about other recent legal actions the agency has taken to protect the employment rights of people with disabilities and others.

    Posted: 10/04/12 to Civil Rights
  6. Hiring People with Disabilities: The Employer's Point of View - October 10

    This Work Incentive Seminar Event webinar will be held on October 10, 2012 from 3 - 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The webinar is for people who receive Social Security disability benefits and who want to learn how the Ticket to Work program can help them earn money and become financially independent. You'll also learn about writing a resume, job interview tips, whether or not to discuss your disability with a potential employer and tips for on the job success. Register online or call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

    Posted: 10/03/12 to Employment
  7. Secretary Duncan, White House Officials, Join Disability Stakeholders on Anniversary of Key Civil Rights Law

    Leaders from the disability community joined the Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education and White House officials to celebrate the anniversary of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973."Disability Rights: Enforcement Hightlights" was published to commemorate this anniversary.

    Posted: 10/03/12 to Education
  8. Education Grants Awarded to Improve Training Systems to Help Children with Disabilities

    The U.S. Department of Education has announced the award of $24 million in grants to 22 states to improve training systems to help children with disabilities. This grant program provides funds to help states reform and improve professional development in early intervention, education and transition services. Find information on specific grants and amounts of each reward.

    Posted: 10/03/12 to Education
  9. New Online Toolkit Helps Mental Health Providers Serve Veterans

    The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has developed a new online Community Provider Toolkit to provide support, therapeutic tools and resources for community providers who treat Veterans for mental health issues. The toolkit will improve mental health services for Veterans through increased communication and coordination of care between community providers and VA.

    Posted: 09/30/12 to Health
  10. Labor Department Awards Grant to Establish Technical Assistance Center for Increasing Employment of People with Disabilities

    The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $1,098,573 grant to the National Disability Institute to establish the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD). The LEAD Center will focus on improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It will hold policy and research initiatives on improving employment outcomes, including job retention, for people with disabilities.

    Posted: 09/30/12 to Employment
  11. Labor Department Awards Grant to Establish Accessible Technology Action Center

    The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded a $950,000 grant to the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America to establish the Office of Disability Employment Policy's Accessible Technology Action Center. The Center will be a national resource that will facilitate and promote the use of accessible technology in the hiring, employment, retention and career advancement of people with disabilities. 

    Posted: 09/29/12 to Technology
  12. EEOC Sues Health Center for Failing to Provide Accommodation for Employee with Mental Illness

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Bobby E. Wright Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center, Inc. (BEW Center) in Chicago with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The BEW Center refused to accommodate an employee who requested time off to treat her depression and panic attacks. The EEOC also alleged that the BEW Center fired the employee because of her disability.

    Posted: 09/28/12 to Civil Rights
  13. National Disability Inclusion Leadership Development Institute - December 10 - 11

    The National Disability Inclusion Leadership Development Institute will be held on December 10 - 11, 2012 in Arlington, VA. This event is for new and experienced leaders in the national service field who are looking for state-of-the-art approaches to implement and/or provide basic disability inclusion capacity building. Reduced price for early registration. Register online.

    Posted: 09/28/12 to Community Life
  14. National Council on Disability (NCD) Releases Report on Rights of Parents with Disabilities & Their Children

    The NCD has released, "Rocking the Cradle: Ensuring the Rights of Parents with Disabilities and Their Children,” a report that provides a comprehensive view of the issues and reasons that support and prevent people with disabilities from having families. The report describes the discrimination faced by parents with disabilities and their children in the court and service systems. It also offers state and federal legal recommendations to correct the discrimination faced by American parents.

    Posted: 09/28/12 to Civil Rights
  15. EEOC Sues Construction Products Company for Firing Employee with Bipolar Disorder

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Dayton Superior Corporation with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The employee who worked in the company's Braselton, GA facility had a bad reaction to medication prescribed for her bipolar disorder. Dayton required the employee to take a drug test and suspended her from work pending the results of the test. When the results showed only the medication to treat her disability, she was fired.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  16. EEOC Sues Health Care Company for Taking Back Job Offers to Applicants with Disabilities

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Aurora Health Care, operating in Wisconsin and Illinois, with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The company took back employment offers to two job applicants after it learned that they had disabilities, which they disclosed during a medical exam. The EEOC is requesting the company to change its practice of disability discrimination.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  17. EEOC Sues Two Texas Companies for Failing to Provide Accommodations to Employees

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Luminant Mining and REDC Default Solutions, LLC with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The EEOC alleged that Luminant refused to provide reasonable accommodations for its employee who has a club foot and made the employee stand on a hard surface for too long. REDC refused a request for additional medical leave after an employee had a stroke. Both employees were fired.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  18. EEOC Sues Social Service Agency for Failing to Provide Accommodations for Employee with Multiple Sclerosis & Retaliation

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center of East St. Louis, IL with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The company refused a request by an employee with multiple sclerosis to wear athletic shoes and to get help with paperwork. When she complained to the company about its refusal to give her reasonable accommodations, the company retaliated by firing her.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  19. EEOC Sues Nursing Home for Refusing to Provide Accommodation to Employee with Back Injury

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in New York with disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The company fired an employee after she failed to submit a request for medical leave on Silvercrest's preferred form. The employee's request was not acknowledged and she was fired. The EEOC is requesting a ruling that Silvercrest violated the ADA.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  20. EEOC Sues Medical Center for Refusing Accommodation to Employee with Neuralgia

    The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has charged Audrain Medical Center in Mexico, MO with disability discrimination for refusing to provide a reasonable accommodation and then firing a long-term employee with neuralgia. Refusing to grant a reasonable accommodation to an individual with a disability violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, unless granting that accommodation would create an undue hardship for the employer.

    Posted: 09/27/12 to Civil Rights
  21. University of Kansas Awarded Grant for National Center to Help Students with Disabilities Learn in Inclusive Settings

    The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $4.9 million grant to the University of Kansas to create a national center to help students with disabilities learn in an inclusive center with their peers who do not have disabilities. The Technical Assistance Center for Inclusive School-Wide Reform will share information with educators and other persons on research and practices in educating students with disabilities in regular school classes.

    Posted: 09/26/12 to Education
  22. Vanderbilt University Awarded Grant for New Center on Developing Coursework for Students with Disabilities

    The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a $1.5 million grant to Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN to create a national center to develop coursework and teacher training materials to help students with disabilities. The National Center for Development of Coursework and Training Modules to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities will provide national resources for educators.

    Posted: 09/26/12 to Education
  23. AAPD Hearne Leadership Awards Program - Deadline November 5

    The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) will be awarding two individuals $10,000 each to help them continue their commitment to the disability community and connect their work with AAPD’s national outreach. The winners will meet national disability leaders at the AAPD Leadership Gala in Washington, DC in March 2013. Application deadline is November 5, 2012.

    Posted: 09/25/12 to Community Life
  24. Job Opening for Trainer/Outreach Specialist at New England ADA Center - Apply by October 28

    There is a job opening for an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Trainer/Information and Outreach Specialist for the New England ADA Center. This person will hold trainings on all of the Titles of the ADA, provide ADA technical assistance, capacity building and outreach, and staff trade shows and conferences. Application deadline is October 28, 2012. Read the full job description in Word or PDF format.

    Posted: 09/25/12 to Employment
  25. EARN Holding Free Webinars on Employing People with Disabilities

    The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) will be hosting four weekly webinars during National Disability Employment Awareness Month on Thursdays in October from 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Find descriptions of the webinars, choose those you want to participate in and register online.

    Posted: 09/25/12 to Employment