Transcript Document

WIOA Implementation: Employment First Planning Tool –
Jobs for People with Disabilities!
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, President, RespectAbilityUSA
Contact: [email protected]
Donna Meltzer, President, NACDD
Contact: [email protected]
1
Meet Today’s Presenters

Donna Meltzer is CEO of the National Association of Councils on Developmental
Disabilities (NACDD), a national nonprofit organization that supports the nation’s 56
governor-appointed DD Councils that work within state government to promote
independence, productivity, and integration of people with disabilities through systems
change activities. Previously she was the senior director of government relations for the
Epilepsy Foundation, where she worked from 1987-1993. She previously served a threeyear term as chairwoman of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) and is also a
past chairwoman of the National Health Council’s Government Relations Affinity Group.
She is a member of the board of advisors of RespectAbility.

Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi is President and CEO of RespectAbilty, a non-profit organization
working to empower people with disabilities to achieve the American dream. She works
regularly with national, state and local policy leaders, workforce development
professionals, media and employers, as well as with disability and faith-based organizations
in order to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. She has already met with
teams from all 50 states, including 40 governors, on WIOA implementation. She has
published dozens of op-eds on disability issues, including in USA Today, Huffington Post, The
Hill and other publications. Dyslexic herself, she also knows what it means to parent a child
with multiple disabilities.
2
Governors Leading The Way
Gov. Jack Markell (DE), Jennifer Mizrahi & Doc
Sweitzer
Jennifer Mizrahi, Gov. Scott Walker
(WI), Lisa Derx and John Pare
Gov. Dennis Daugaard (SD), Jennifer Mizrahi and other
disability leaders
Gov. Phil Bryant (MS), Jennifer Mizrahi
and other disability leaders
Gov. Terry Branstad
3
Challenges and Opportunities
• 21 million working age Americans with disabilities
• 70% don’t have jobs, most want to work
• WIOA: EVERY STATE must produce a unified strategic plan for providing
training, employment services and vocational education in a coordinated
way.
• Opportunity to break down silos and fund best practices. Need to leave failed
practices in the past.
• Governors prepared through NGA “Better Bottom Line: Employing People
with Disabilities”
• RespectAbility, NACDD, PVA, Best Buddies, NCIL, NOD have prepared a tool
to help by showing best practices. See http://respectabilityusa.com/resources/for-policy-makers
• 503 Rules Create New Opportunities for Inclusive Federal Contractors (7% of
workforce to be people with disabilities), 402 works for veterans.
• ABLE Act
4
WIOA: Breaking Down Silos
EVERY STATE must produce a unified plan for
providing training, employment services and
vocational education in a coordinated way!
Required: From DOL-ETA Notice of Proposed
Rule Making- Docket No. ETA-2015-0001
Governors should bring together silos of
government and workforce needs:
Workforce development
Tax and other incentives
Healthcare
Transportation
Education
Voc. Rehab.
Disability Advocates/Stakeholders
Employers (USBLN etc.)
State can be a model inclusive employer
Can encourage state contractors to be
inclusive
Membership of State Workforce Development
Board as required by the reg’s:
The Governor
Members from the State legislature
Majority of representatives of businesses
Business org’s and trade associations
Small Business representatives
Labor organization representatives
Community-based organizations
5
Young People with Disabilities
 1,200,000 Americans with disabilities
between ages 16 and 20(1).
 Every year, 300,000 will age into what
should be the workforce.
 Whether
they
will
achieve
competitive integrated employment,
or collect and depend on government
benefits, depends largely on your
decisions.
 High
expectations,
eliminating
stigmas, and connecting them to
effective programs and supports can
enable positive outcomes.
(1) 2012 Disability Status Report United States, Cornell University. Pg. 16. Link:
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/StatusReports/2012-PDF/2012StatusReport_US.pdf
Project Search intern Haley McCormick-Thompson lends an
attentive ear to a resident at United Hebrew New Rochelle.
Photo Cred: POSITIVE EXPOSURE
6
1. The majority of Americans with disabilities who are working-age
want to work. They represent a talent pool of 20 million Americans
who can make companies and organizations stronger and better.
2. Hiring people with disabilities
can make companies more
successful. Walgreens, EY, AMC,
IBM, PEPSI, Starbucks, UPS &
others have found this to be true
as employees with disabilities,
when aligned with their talents
and interests, are productive,
loyal and have fewer work place
accidents
than
employees
without disabilities.
3. Hiring Americans with disabilities
can save money for taxpayers. The
U.S. spends billions each year on
benefits to people who, in most
cases, would rather have the respect,
friendships and income that jobs and
careers brings.
7
Benefits for Companies
 Benefits of Hiring PwDs (competitive advantage) (Kalargyrou, 2014; Kalargyrou and Volis, 2014)
 PwD's turnover rates are lower than people without disabilities (Grant, 1991).
 It increases psychological safety and productivity
 Improves innovation, problem solving abilities, ability to compete in all markets, react to
expectations of diverse consumers.
 Establishes positive company image and increasing customer satisfaction
 Positive effects on workforce
 Increases attendance of both people with and without disabilities (Grant, 1991).
 Improves corporate reputation (Grant, 1991).
 Walgreens as a case study:
http://www.kter.org/conference/materials/docs/SafetyManagement.pdf
 2010 Kessler-NOD Survey by Harris Interactive: http://www.nod.org/assets/downloads/012011_Exec_Summary.pdf
 Lowe’s example: http://nod.org/assets/downloads/NOD_Rutgers_Evaluation.pdf
 Challenges
 Stereotyping/skepticism
• New studies (Kuo and Kalargyrou 2014)
 Productivity issues when there is a mismatch between position and abilities
8
Jackie Robinson Strategy
 First African American to play in Major League
Baseball in the modern era, starting in 1947.
 Brooklyn Dodgers ended racial segregation in the
MLB with the full support of the team.
 When they hired Jackie Robinson, the Dodgers
enjoyed more athletic success, sold more tickets,
and gained a larger fan base. WIN-WIN-WIN.
 Jackie’s Athletic Awards:
 Selected for six consecutive All-Star Games (1949 – 1954)
 Won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in
1949
 Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962
9
Superstars with Disabilities
Albert Einstein:
Autism Spectrum
Derrick Coleman:
Deaf
Thomas
Jefferson:
Dyslexia
Lauren Potter:
Down
syndrome
Franklin D.
Roosevelt: Postpolio syndrome
Stephen
Hawking: ALS
Ludwig von
Beethoven:
Deaf
Marlee Matlin:
Deaf
Michael J. Fox:
Parkinson’s
Disease
Amy Purdy: Uses
prosthetic legs
10
Find Your Employer Heroes
Every state needs “ leadership employers. ” EY, Prudential
Financial, Procter & Gamble, IBM, KPMG, Merck & Co., AT&T,
Sodexo, Kaiser Permanente, Comcast, Walgreens, AMC Theaters,
hospitals, senior living among others have found they can “do
good and do well” at the same time.
•
•
http://abcn.ws/1GCPssI
http://nbcnews.to/1D4l0c3
•
The Business Case of Employing People with
Disabilities- Tourism Research & Hospitality
Journal- http://scitechnol.com/business-case-ofemploying-people-with-disabilitiesnl3W.php?article_id=169
•
People with disabilities: A new model of
productive labor-Advances in Hospitalityhttp://www.ahtmm.com/proceedings/2012/2ndaht
mmc_submission_71.pdf
11
Section 503 and Fedspending.org
Example: Contracts Performed in
Wisconsin (FY 2011)
Top 5 Contractor Parent Companies:
•Oshkosh Corporation: $4,720,688,212
•Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance
Corporation: $148,403,532
•General Electric Company: $104,174,979
•National Presto Industries Inc.: $104,079,936
•Kimberly-Clark Corporation: $65,551,668
http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?&fiscal_year=2011&stateCode=WI&sortp=
u&datype=T&reptype=p&database=fpds&detail=0
12
Top Federal Contract Awards Need STEM & Core
Competencies – Partner with Education
FY 2012 Rank
Parent Company Name
Dollars
% of total
1
LOCKHEED MARTIN
CORPORATION
$23,767,800,735
8.50%
2
THE BOEING COMPANY
$17,657,963,624
6.32%
3
GENERAL DYNAMICS
CORPORATION
$10,039,976,456
3.59%
4
RAYTHEON COMPANY
$7,943,958,323
2.84%
5
NORTHROP GRUMMAN
CORPORATION
$7,242,121,652
2.59%
13
You Need Employers/Work Sites
 Look for growing or high turnover employers/work sites that
have at least 50 employees each. They can have an HR person
centralize accommodations, onboard talent and have potential
to hire numerous employees over time.
 Look for employers with diverse jobs (e.g., hospitals, senior
living communities, big hotels) that are stable or expanding.
 Must have market-driven needs for talent. No “make-work” or
“charity” jobs.
 USBLN and The National Employment Team (CSAVR) are great
partners.
 Federal contractors on public transportation routes.
14
“Employment-First” Vision
Line up programs from pre-birth to transition to work to be “Employment
First”:
Prenatal counseling resources when a parent finds out they are having a child
with Down syndrome etc. to let them know there is a job path
Infants and toddler programs: Inspirational resources on career options for
people with disabilities
Supports for community service work so that teens with disabilities can
volunteer to help in the community – they need to see and be seen for having
the ability to contribute (“Summers of Service”)
School IEPs that lead to independence and jobs
Early work opportunities, including supported summer internships for teens
with disabilities.
Disability and job data by state: http://bit.ly/1AqpzdB
South Dakota-Governor Employing People with Disabilities in South Dakota
https://dhs.sd.gov/NewsandAnnouncements/GovColumnEmployingSouthDakot
ansWithDisabilities.html
15
New York State
 73.3% of persons without disabilities aged 18 to 64 are employed.3
 32.2% of PwDs aged 18 to 64 are employed.3
 68,800 persons aged 16 to 20 have a disability.1
 997,500 persons aged 21 to 64 have a disability.1
 2,171,581 civilians with a disability live in the community in NY.3
 The Employment Gap between PwDs and people without disabilities has
decreased 0.7 % pts between 2010 and 2011.3
 601,407 people ages 18-64 received SSDI or SSI benefits in the year 2012.3
 In 2012, NY’s total expenditure on SSDI benefits for PwDs was
$8,018,808,000.3
Gov. Andrew Cuomo
(D)
 Voc. Rehab. received 36,015 general applicants and 1,099 blind applicants
in NY in 2012.3
 Voc. Rehab. obtained 12,386 jobs for PwDs in NY in 2012.3
1. 2012 Disability Status Report: New York, disabilitystatistics.org
2. State Data: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes, 2013
3. Annual Disability Statistics Compendium
16
Prevalence of Disability Among Non-Institutionalized
People Ages 16 to 20 in New York in 2012
(68,800)
68,800* 8,900*
*Total Numbers Reported
7,400*
12,500*
49,500* 11,300*
24,500*
Source: Cornell University
17
States Not Receiving Their Full Federal
Match
State
Agency Type
Award #
Formula Award
Amount
Relinquised in
Rellotment
Received in
Reallotment
MOE Penalty for
Prior Year Deficit
Georgia
Combined
H126A140089
103,487,366
(42,581,367)
0
0
Idaho
General
H126A140016
15,559,926
(736,206)
0
0
Indiana
Combined
H126A140019
74,235,848
(14,500,000)
0
0
Iowa
General
H126A140020
25,355,920
(2,314,114)
0
0
Iowa
Blind
H126A140021
5,947,685
(596,085)
0
0
Kansas
Combined
H126A140022
27,757,480
(7,500,000)
0
0
Kentucky
General
H126A140023
47,125,958
(6,078,400)
0
0
Kentucky
Blind
H126A140024
7,671,668
(1,071,668)
0
0
Louisiana
Combined
H126A140025
53,132,592
(17,583,295)
0
0
Michigan
General
H126A140090
93,023,198
(19,558,448)
0
0
Missouri
General
H126A140036
56,493,391
(2,000,000)
0
(341,192)
Nevada
Combined
H126A140041
23,842,499
(5,200,000)
0
(1,300,761)
Ohio
Combined
H126A140052
127,715,538
(18,215,538)
0
0
Pennsylvania
Combined
H126A140056
125,831,214
(4,086,378)
0
0
Washington
General
H126A140071
45,967,372
(250,000)
0
(473,251)
18
National Governors Association
Jobs for People with Disabilities
Governor Jack Markell of Delaware
Past Chair, National Governors Association
http://bit.ly/1EIZKuz
19
Disability Employment First Planning Tool
Disability Employment First Planning Tool
Download the PDF
Non-profits committed to jobs for PwDs will
stand at your side and help!
20
Disability Employment First Planning Tool
I. Making The Best Of Limited Resources
II. Find And Support Businesses In Their Effect To Employ People With
Disabilities
III. Make Disability Employment Part Of The State Workforce Strategy
IV. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers That Use Their Full
Potential, And Providing Employers With A Pipeline Of Skilled Work
V. Being a Model Employer By Increasing The Number Of PWDs
Working In State Government
21
I. Making The Best Of Limited Resources
 Gathering data regarding your leadership and efforts to address and reduce stigmas and other
barriers to employment in your state and make disability employment a part of the state workforce
strategy.
A. Internal Issue Awareness and Commitment
1.
The Governor and key state leaders have taken the time to understand the issues surrounding
the expansion of competitive integrated employment for PwDs
2.
The Governor has openly pledged their support to the NGA’s Disability Employment initiative.
3.
The State and Governor celebrate and recognize National Disability employment Awareness
Month
4.
The State is reaching out to make the most of opportunities coming from the Federal
government and other partners, and is blending those opportunities for maximum results
B. Raising Public Awareness and Decreasing Stigma
1.
The Governor uses their own time, name and office to reduce stigmas and prejudice against
hiring people with disabilities. This can be done through media opportunities such as personal
statements, appearances, etc. (ex: Conference on inclusive employment of PwDs with Gov. Jack
Markell of DE: http://www.inclusiveworkforcesummit.org/
22
I. Making The Best Of Limited Resources
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
During speeches to business leaders the governor regularly speaks about the positive business
cases of being an inclusive employer.
The Governor uses their own time, name and office to reduce stigmas and prejudice against
hiring PwDs by demonstrating the positive business case aspects of employing PwDs at least
once a month through personal statements, appearances, media events etc.
The Governor visits a successful job site in their state quarterly that employs PwDs. Media is
invited to report about the experience. (ex: Nebraska Governor Site Visit http://bit.ly/1pIolUm)
The Governor is working with public figures/celebrities to do public service announcements or
events throughout the year to convince companies to see the advantage of hiring PwDs.
The state promotes awareness and inclusive hiring by identifying and publicly praising
businesses within the state that are leaders in the inclusion through awards, visibility, or other
incentives.
The Governor hosts disability employment summits, which include businesses that are making
the business-to-business case for inclusive employment to other employers. (ex:
http://bit.ly/1OMtDAE)
23
II. Find And Support Businesses In Their Efforts To Employ
People With Disabilities
A. Communications, Staffing, and Support
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
There is a state-supported centralized agency that distributes
information, resources, integrated employment support and
training for businesses that hire PwDs, and this agency
makes itself known to employers.
The state has enables mechanisms and services which
enable businesses to effectively include PWDs
The state is working to build and sustain the capacity of
front-line staff across systems.
There are expectations on provider organizations to assure
that they are transitioning to market-driven service models
focused on the provision of integrated employment supports
and other home community based services.
The state has created mechanism to enable people with
disabilities, including veterans with disabilities, to navigate
multiple service programs. (Ex: Press release for State of
Iowa hiring for veterans with disabilities on a noncompetitive basis: http://bit.ly/1ENUrc3)
The state has a special focus on supporting Federal
contractors under the mandate from section 503, including
working closely with the United States Business Leadership
Council.
Won Shin, senior manager in transaction advisory services at
EY speaks with coworker Alejandra Preciat and Francis Smith.
Photo Cred: POSITIVE EXPOSURE
Ernst & Young / RespectAbility Webinar- Disabilities to
Diverse Abilities: Changing the Workplace Paradigmhttp://bit.ly/1c3GMnH
Consumers Addressing the importance of work :
http://bit.ly/1DQkATM
24
III. Make Disability Employment Part Of
The Government Workforce Strategy
A. Policy and Legislation
1.
2.
The Governor/state has signed Employment First legislation
and/or issued an Executive Order on Employment First.
(Iowa’s Employment First Information: http://bit.ly/1GXX2Uf
The state is actively working to align policy, practice, and
funding across systems to promote integrated employment
as preferred outcome.
B. Communication and Representation
1.
2.
3.
There is a statewide workforce development board that
reports directly to the Governor
At least one representative of the disability advocacy
community is specifically included in that workforce
development taskforce which reports to the Governor:
http://msrc.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx
There are online ad, which are 508 compliant: to find PwDs
find services to get jobs before people start receiving
benefits. They should also help employers source talented
PwDs
Former Project SEARCH intern Dalila Ochoa works in
government. Photo credit: POSITIVE EXPOSURE.
State Policy Options for Employing People With
Disabilities: http://bit.ly/1DkuuNa
National Funders Collaborate to Support
Groundbreaking Work in Disability and Employment:
http://nyc4a.org/press-release-national-funderscollaborate-to-support-groundbreaking-work
Kessler Foundation Grants $450,000 to Ability Beyond
for PepsiCo Disability Employment Initiative:
http://on.mktw.net/1dIsolm
25
III. Make Disability Employment Part Of
The Government Workforce Strategy
4. The local regional, and statewide workforce
development boards fully support integrated
employment as a winning strategy for
workforce development. (ex: Iowa job honor
awards: http://www.jobhonor.org/)
5. The state has taken steps to market options like
vocational rehab to persons who are
contemplating or who have applied for SSI/DI in
an effort to assist these individuals (Delaware
transition assistance:
http://www.deldhub.com/index.shtml)
EY Employees Mark Richardson, Won Shin and Lori Golden
discuss business in the Time Square Office.
State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies:
http://bit.ly/1AzPlw6
Employment of PwDs Summit with Gov. Terry Branstad of
Iowa: http://www.radioiowa.com/2014/07/25/harkinhosts-forum-with-focus-on-finding-jobs-for-americans-withdisabilities
26
IV. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers That Use
Their Full Potential, And Providing Employers With A Pipeline
Of Skilled Work
 Ensuring that employment of people with PwDs is win- win- win for individuals, businesses, and the
state takes persistence, talent, training, and devoted resources. (portal for employers to enable
business to include PWD's: https://abilitieswork.employflorida.com/vosnet/Default.aspx & Illinois
supports integrated employment as a winning strategy: http://www2.illinoisworknet.com/wioa)
 There must be an expectation of work first rather than an outdated system of benefit reliance.
 Is your state systematically and proactively using best practices to change that outcome and help
youth with disabilities transition into work and meaningful careers. (Delaware DisABILITY Hub
provides transition assistance, including in the area of employment:
http://www.deldhub.com/index.shtml)
A. Parents And Early Education
1.
The state provides accurate and useful tools and resources for expectant mothers. For
example see: http://www.downsyndromediagnosis.org/
2.
The state provides an early infant and toddler program to all who need it within a reasonable
time with an educational component promoting school readiness.
3. The state offers readily available free wrap around services and tools to help parents prepare
their children with disabilities for work.
27
IV. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers That Use
Their Full Potential, And Providing Employers With A Pipeline
Of Skilled Work
B. School To Work Transitions
1. IEPs and ILPs have an expectation of integrated competitive work as a first choice option.
2. The state provides high school degree bound, college, and university students with disabilities
with transition services and access to internships, mentorships and work opportunities.
3. The state facilitates and supports performance-based transition apprenticeships for non-degree
bound students and young adults that offer hands-on career exploration, worksite-based
training and support and placement for people with disabilities coming from school to work.
4. If schools have a gradation requirement of community service hours for students, supports are
offered and provided to students with disabilities so they have equal access to integrated
community service opportunities.
5. Young people with PwDs are made aware that employment is the first option and made aware
of the possibilities that would allow them to avoid long-term dependence.
6. State agencies blend and braid funding with agreements for performance based programs such
as Project SEARCH, or PROMISE as a method of achieving Employment First Objectives.
7. The state is confident that it has partnerships and relationships in place to meet the
employment needs of all young PwDs transitioning from school to work in any given year. (For
assistance in determining the number of student with disabilities in your state who are
transitioning from school to work, go to http://www.respectabilityusa.org)
28
Project SEARCH: Program Description
 One school year or 9 months.
 10 – 12 young adults with a variety
of intellectual and developmental
disabilities.
 Instructor and job coaches.
 Immersed in host business culture.
 Rotations through unpaid
internships with continual
feedback.
 Outcome of employment in the
community.
Project SEARCH intern Anthony Telesford is all smiles while working in the
kitchen at Mountfiore New Rochelle. Photo credit: POSITIVE EXPOSURE
29
Project SEARCH: HUGE $ SAVER!
The Project SEARCH Definition of a
.
Successful
Outcome:
Competitive employment in an
integrated setting.
Year-round work.
16 hours per week or more.
Minimum wage or higher
Project SEARCH: www.projectsearch.us
Contact Erin Riehle at [email protected]
 273 programs in 44 states.
 2500 young people per year.
 60% healthcare, 40% broad mix of
business types.
 68% employment.
 88% employee benefit eligible.
 35% take employee benefits, usually
at 5 years.
 Benefits alone save roughly 1 million
dollars over a lifetime.
 Family involvement curriculum to
drive familial change in attitude.
Upcoming RespectAbility Webinar on Project
SEARCH-May 21st, 2015
Register at http://respectabilityusa.com/events
RSVP here:
https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?course=6
269008
30
IV. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers That Use
Their Full Potential, And Providing Employers With A Pipeline
Of Skilled Work
C. State Commitment To Accommodations, Accessibility, And Training


Successful employees may have been born with a disability or have acquired disabilities through age, accident, or
disease. With reasonable accommodations many can enter and/or remain highly productive in the workforce.
Is your state doing what is needed to keep workers with newly acquired or increasing disabilities in the
workforce?
1.
Assistive Technology training and support. Resource: https://askjan.org/
2.
Universal Accessibility at all of the state’s American Job Centers:
http://www.washington.edu/doit/universal-design-process-principles-and-applications
3.
Staff that has been fully trained to work with clients with disabilities. (Person First Language)
4.
The state VR program is fully matched so that wait lists are reduced or the order of selection does not
exist.
5.
State vocational rehabilitation quickly and appropriately matches consumers with counselors.
6.
State vocational rehabilitation offers technical assistance to the employers about PWDs.
7.
The State has created a Ticket to Work Employment Network .
8.
All individuals who are eligible for Home and Community Based Services (HBCS) waivers are automatically
eligible for employment supports
Digital accessibility in the workplace:
http://bit.ly/1F1yCJk
31
IV. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers That Use
Their Full Potential, And Providing Employers With A Pipeline
Of Skilled Work
D. Self Employment, Small Business
Ownership, And Entrepreneurship
1.
2.
3.
The state ensures that Small Business
Centers are accessible and staff are
trained to include and service small
business owners and self-employed
PwDs.
The state encourages micro-lending
and other lending to PwD owned small
businesses and start-ups.
The state offers readily available and
free services and tools for PwDs who
are entrepreneurs of self-employed.
(ex: Delaware integrates resources for
job-seekers with disabilities:
https://www.delawareworks.com/disa
bled.php)
Tim Harris , a small business owner. He opened his
restaurant Tim’s Place in 2010
Addressing Labor Market Needs and building
productive careers for people with disabilities through
collaborative approaches : http://bit.ly/1dI7ymc
Employer Guide:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/
employing_people_with_disabilities_toolkit_february_
3_2015_v4.pdf
32
V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The Number Of
People With Disabilities In Government


A.
In many states the public sector is the largest employer. However, no matter its size, state government has an
important role to play as a successful leader as an inclusive employer and through the state’s contracted
employers.
This serves to address both the practical concern of employing more PwDs and the perception problem, by
demonstrating best practices and value added to the employer by fostering an inclusive work environment.
State Employment Of People With Disabilities
1.
There is a Governor’s initiative and identified statewide hiring goal in place for PwDs
2.
There are people who self-identify as PwDs, or who have visible disabilities, in senior leadership roles in
administration.
3.
Inclusion of employees with disabilities is a part of the human resources evaluation of managers in
state government.
4.
The administration/state uses the contracting system to promote the hiring, retention and promotion
of PwDs by state contractors. This includes having a state version of Federal Section 503. FAQ’s on
Section 503: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/faqs/503_faq.htm
Webinar: Disability and Employment: Research,
Policy, & Practice: http://bit.ly/1ES6iqL
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V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The Number Of
People With Disabilities In State Government
B. Performance Goals And Metrics
1. The state has specific measurable annual performance goals for inclusive employment,
similar to Executive Order 13548 (http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-0730/pdf/2010-18988.pdf), which requires federal agencies to have performance targets and
numerical goals for employment of individuals with disabilities and sub-goals for
employment of individuals with targeted disabilities including veterans with disabilities.
2.
An official team is responsible for measuring performance metrics against annual
benchmarks, has the budget to do so, and reports their results directly to the Governor,
key stakeholders, and the public.
3.
The state uses an anonymous employee engagement survey to determine if employees
with disabilities feel discriminated against, are self-identifying, and are getting the
accommodations that they need to succeed in their jobs.
Delaware supports job applicants who need
accommodations:
http://www.delawarestatejobs.com/disability/index.shtml
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V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The Number Of
People With Disabilities In State Government
C. Accessibility And Accommodation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
The state provides early tailored supports for
Administration/State employees experiencing the onset of
worsening or challenging conditions to enable them to continue
in the workforce. Resource: http://askjan.org (Delaware supports
job applicants who need accommodations:
http://bit.ly/1AC5XU3)
The states internal and external website is fully accessible ( 508
compliant: http://1.usa.gov/1dKlEDE
The state has an accessible document explaining accommodation
procedures for applicants, employees and supervisors.
The state utilizes accessible electronic record keeping software,
databases, communication, and professional development tools.
The has a centralized fund or other resources for
accommodations and assistive technology for it’s employees
with disabilities.
The state has a process for employees to confidentially selfidentify as having a disability.
The state has an accessible emergency policy or procedure in
place, inclusive of persons with disabilities
The state has and disseminates Self-Identification of Disability
forms
The state reviews proposed termination to ensure reasonable
accommodations were properly considered.
Examples of Web Accessibility: http://bit.ly/1naemrX
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V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The Number Of
People With Disabilities In Government
D. Marketing Of Employment, Efforts, And Services
1.
There is a statewide written statement of diversity and inclusion, which directly refers to
disability that is not an anti-discrimination policy.
2.
The states disability policy, including reasonable accommodation policy, is posted on the
states website and is easy for employees and the public to find.
3.
The states has an officially recognized disability employee resource group (ERG) or affinity
group. (Ex: http://bit.ly/1FMRRVJ)
4.
The state distributes diversity awareness information, which includes disability, as part of new
hire training.
5.
The state annually distributes a memorandum to human resource directors providing
guidance on effective use of the Self-Identification of Disability Forms during the on-boarding
process.
6.
The state has developed and implemented an external communication and marketing plans,
including social media, career fairs, and job announcements that the state is encouraging
qualified applicants with disabilities to apply.
Federal Sector ERG: http://bit.ly/1R6fi0x
Webinar on creating linkages for effective recruitment of
candidates with disabilities: https://youtu.be/sD1Xl-91b-I
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Resources
 State Data: The National Report on Employment Services and Outcomes, 2013
 2012 Disability Status Report United States, Cornell University, 2012:
www.disabilitystatistics.org
 Federal Contract Lists for Every State-Fedspending: www.fedspending.org
 Successful School to Work Transitions-Project SEARCH: www.projectsearch.us
 US Business Leadership Network: http://usbln.org/
 Job Accommodation Network: https://askjan.org/
 Talent Acquisition Portal-Access to Qualified PWDs: https://tapability.org/
 State VR Agencies:
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_cd=SVR
 Data on Employment & PWDs: http://respectabilityusa.com/resources/for-policy-makers/
 2012-2016 State Workforce Investment Act:
http://www.doleta.gov/performance/results/AnnualReports/annual_report.cfm
 State Workforce Investment Board, Key Workforce Priorities and Fast Facts:
http://workforceinvestmentworks.com/workforce_board_info.asp?st=DC
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Upcoming Webinar: “Introduction to Web
Accessibility: Tips and Tricks”
May 21th, 2015, 1:30pm Eastern Time / 12:30pm
Central Time / 11:30am Mountain Time / 10:30am
Pacific Time
Register at http://respectabilityusa.com/events
RSVP here:
https://secure.confertel.net/tsregister.asp?course=6
269008
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Let Us Know If We Can Help!
We have many resources for policy makers and employers on our website and are
ready to help!
RespectAbilityUSA
4340 East-West Hwy, Suite 1100
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.RespectAbilityUSA.org
Cell: (202) 365 – 0787
Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi
President
[email protected]
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