The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and Women’s Bureau are hosting “USDOL’s Efforts to Advance Racial & Social Equity in Employment for People with Disabilities National Online Dialogue” on April 12-26. The public is invited to join the dialogue to share ideas on ensuring racial and social equity in employment policies and programs for people with disabilities from historically underserved communities.
Emerging Technology in the Workplace
The Job Accommodation Network and the Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology are hosting a webcast on “Accessibility & Accommodations: How Employers & HR Professionals Can Prepare for Emerging Tech in the Workplace.” The webinar will be held on Global Accessibility Awareness Day, May 20, from 1:00-1:45 p.m. ET. It will introduce the potential impact of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual and augmented reality (XR), on accommodations for employees with disabilities. Participants will learn how employers and Human Resources professionals can help plan for an accessible workplace of the future, including the procurement of accessible technologies. PEAT will interview technology leaders to find out how AI and XR will change the way we work and what these technologies could mean for the employment of people with disabilities.
Women with Disabilities Spotlight
To recognize the 100th anniversary of the Women’s Bureau, the Office of Disability Employment Policy prepared a “Spotlight on Women with Disabilities” brief to examine the state of women with disabilities in the current labor market. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey, the brief explores disability prevalence, education levels, employment and related characteristics, poverty, health insurance coverage and the impact of COVID-19 on the employment of women with disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning
CAPE-Youth published “Inclusive Community College Career Pathways: Universal Design for Learning,” the third blog in its series focusing on two Office of Disability Employment Policy community college grantees. The blog discusses the colleges’ implementation of universal design for learning principles to create accessible instruction and services, including training faculty and staff on UDL principles and adopting campus-wide UDL policies.
Checklist for Mentally Healthy Workplaces
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion released the “Checklist for Mentally Healthy Workplaces,” which offers strategies for employers to foster a mental health-friendly workplace. These strategies align to the “4 A’s of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace” framework developed by EARN and the Office of Disability Employment Policy. The framework distills leading workplace wellness practices into four pillars to help employers build “awareness” and a supportive culture, provide “accommodations” to employees, offer employee “assistance,” and ensure “access” to treatment.
- Read “Checklist for Mentally Healthy Workplaces” [PDF]
- Read “4 A’s of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace”
Transportation to Increase Access to Vaccinations
In collaboration with the State Exchange on Employment & Disability, the Council of State Governments published a blog on “States Offer Transportation to Increase Access to Vaccinations.” The blog describes the importance of public transit as part of the nation’s efforts to increase vaccination rates, particularly among the most vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities. It features actions states have taken to reduce transportation barriers to getting vaccinations, including mobile health clinics, ambulance services, ride sharing apps and patient transport services.
