June 2020 Newsletter
Indiana’s “Work to Include” Coalition
Advancing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities
We are glad to have you onboard!
We are excited to update you on what local planning teams are doing and to let you know about additional resources and ways you can provide your voice in during the month of June.
#INCLUSIONWORKS
Employer Toolkit Update
One of the project's Work to Include is working on is producing a toolkit for Employers on hiring and supporting people with disabilities. We have identified a series of factsheets that are presently in development. Topics include Finding Candidates, Blowing up the Myths with Facts, Establishing Career Paths for Youth with Disabilities, Accommodations, and the Positive Impact of Hiring on Business. The most exciting news is that this information will be shared with employers during a statewide public awareness campaign later this year. We hope to coincide the campaign with Disability Employment Awareness month in October for the first ever effort to engage and inform business.
We hope to share our progress here and get you excited about helping spread the word. As a result, we are rebuilding our website to provide more information and to be easier to access. Thanks for any ideas of what you would like to see there!
COVID-19 Resources
The Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI), at the University of Massachusetts Boston, has recently released a series of products and resources to support and guide individuals with disabilities, families, and professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. A major focus of these products is on supporting individuals in employment services and related supports, including the provision of services remotely, use of technology for remote services, supporting individuals who are working during the pandemic, providing services to job seekers remotely, informed choice regarding employment, dealing with the financial impact of the pandemic, and program management.
Additional products will be released in the near future, focused on such topics as Community Life Engagement, and products specifically toward individuals and families.
Back to Work
In the rush to open, employers may not be aware of the considerations and accommodations those with disabilities vulnerable to the virus may need to return to work and their obligation to provide them. In early May, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) established guidelines focusing on employer responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws during the pandemic.
According to the EEOC’s updated technical assistance publication, employers must use caution before refusing to return employees in the high-risk categories or implementing accommodations before requested. The EEOC’s publication provides several examples of changes that might be viewed as reasonable accommodations.
THE EXAMPLES INCLUDE
Providing additional or enhanced protective gowns, masks, gloves, or other personal protective equipment (PPE)
Crafting additional or enhanced protective measures, such as erecting barriers between the employee with a disability and others, or increasing the distance between co-workers
Eliminating non-essential job functions
Temporarily modifying work schedules to reduce exposure to others.
The complete publication can be downloaded by clicking the button below.
Looking for Employment
Which companies are still hiring during the coronavirus pandemic? LinkedIn Editors have been compiling a list of some of the companies with the biggest talent needs, including big retailers and health care companies. Check out the full list in this article, which will be updated over the coming days and weeks.
To see more or post about job opportunities, use the hashtag #HiringNow.
COVID-19 and Education of Students with Disabilities
As K-12 schools have moved to virtual learning now and in the near future, there has been a significant negative impact on many students with disabilities and their families. Despite the phenomenal efforts of special education teachers, therapists, and other school personnel, online learning and the use of work packets are not accessible nor effective for many students who receive special education services. The number of hours and type of instruction has been significantly limited, resulting in learning losses among students. In addition, many families lack internet access and devices for virtual learning. Parents are challenged to both work in their jobs and provide the instruction and support of their child with a disability, while students are missing their peers and other aspects of school.
See The National Disability Rights Network for information and resources related to the education of students with disabilities during the pandemic:
CHECK US OUT…
Please help get the word out! Go to our Facebook and LinkedIN pages and share them widely. We hope you enjoy the access to employment-related content and are sure others will, too. Thanks!
HAVE AN EMPLOYMENT SUCCESS STORY YOU ARE WANTING TO SHARE?EMAIL SRINNE60@GMAIL.COM. SHORT, SWEET AND A PICTURE WOULD BE WONDERFUL!
Thank you!
For more information please contact our Co-Directors,
Pat Rogan, Professor, IUPUI School of Education at progan@iupui.edu
or
Susan Rinne, MPA at srinne60@gmail.com
