Disabilities At Work Newsletter

This newsletter is provided by Disabilities At Work to Human Resource professionals and others as a source of information regarding the issues surrounding employment of qualified people with disabilities. Disabilities At Work produces a weekly Internet radio show that airs each Wednesday at noon Eastern Time on the VoiceAmerica Business Network. Disabilities At Work Internet Radio provides the most thorough and comprehensive discussion of the ideas and programs supporting people with disabilities in the workplace.

GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

A new campaign created by Disabilities at Work (DAW) will give the American consumer a chance to show their support for companies that go above and beyond in their support of people with disabilities.

Launched in the fourth quarter of 2011, this new campaign identifies companies that either go above and “beyond compliance” in their employment recruitment practices of people with disabilities or provide strong philanthropic support for disability issues. DAW encourages friends and families of people with disabilities to patronize these companies. To promote that effort, these companies receive a unique Disabilities At Work logo electronically and on window decals they can display on their websites and their offices.

Companies earn the right to display the logo after being nominated and endorsed by agencies dedicated to helping people with disabilities.

Already, 49 companies have earned the right to display the DAW logo and more are being added the ‘Honor Roll’ each week. Disabilities At Work will announce companies on this “Honor Roll” regularly during 2012 beginning in May.

To become a registered agency, go to www.DisabilitiesAtWork.org. Deserving companies that want to be included on the ‘Honor Roll’ of businesses should contact the agencies they work with and encourage them to register and endorse.

TIME TO DO MORE THAN SAY THANKS

As more and more of our service men and women return from duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, programs to help them find jobs and get re-acclimated to everyday life become critically important.

One such program is “Be a Hero – Hire a Hero” which is sponsoring a Veterans’ Career Expo in Newark, New Jersey on April 23, 2012, at the Hilton Gateway Hotel in Newark. The expo links qualified Veterans, Wounded Warriors, their spouses and their families to employers seeking to hire them. Employers participating include nonprofit organizations and government agencies.

For more information contact Noritza Perito at 845-624-3278 or nperito@hireds.com. To view sponsorship details, visit http://www.beahero-hireahero.com/.

Additionally, if your company is a member of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, you will receive a 10% discount on sponsor packages.

The expo will be hosted by HireDS, LLC in partnership with the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and will also run simultaneously via its online Veterans' Career Expo, with an outreach to military bases worldwide.

HARD LESSONS IN SOFT SKILLS

In February, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy released "Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," a collection of career development exercises and activities designed to help sharpen the communication and other "soft" skills of young workers, including those with disabilities.

The curriculum for this program was developed in response to multiple surveys in which business executives identify “soft skills” as crucial in evaluating and hiring prospective job candidates.

Executives in these surveys say high school graduates are consistently deficient in basic skills such as punctuality, verbal communication and working productively with others.

Topics in the program include communication, networking, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and professionalism.

“For many people, these skills are not intuitive” said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy in a news release. “We hope educators, human resource professionals, job clubs and faith-based organizations will use the curriculum to help our youth build the skills to succeed in the workplace."

Available in English and Spanish, "Skills to Pay the Bills" was field-tested by youth service professionals and students across the country.

Visit ODEP's website at http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/softskills.htm for more information and to download the curriculum in English or Spanish.

ACHIEVING SUPPLIER DIVERSITY GOALS

Is your company seeking diversification of its suppliers? The Disability Supplier Diversity Program (DSDP) can help your organization achieve that goal. The DSDP helps corporations fulfill their supplier diversity goals.

The DSDP offers a rigorous credentialing process through which companies that are 51% owned/operated by people with disabilities are certified as disabled-owned. This allows them to fairly compete with minority- and female-owned businesses and effectively positions them with corporations looking to diversify their supply chains.

For more information, contact Patty Cullinane at patty.cullinane@njchamber.com or 908-975-3211.

In January, the Bureau of Labor statistics reported the following:

Labor Force Participation

People with disabilities: 20.0%

People without disabilities: 68.9%

Unemployment Rate

People with disabilities: 12.9%

People without disabilities: 8.7%

“WHAT CAN YOU DO?”

The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) recently introduced “What Can You Do?” - a contest to promote the talent and skills that people with disabilities bring to the workplace.

The CDE wants contestants to create short videos that inspire, inform and surprise – ones that challenge common perceptions – or misperceptions – about people with disabilities and employment. The videos can be serious or funny.

There are three categories in which to enter videos – General Public, Youth and Employer.

First place winners in each of the categories will receive an Apple® iPad®, with cash awards going to second place winners in the General Public and Youth categories.

Entries must be received by, or postmarked no later than, 5 p.m. Eastern Time on March 30, 2012.

Technical specifics and other details can be found in the Rules at this link. http://whatcanyoudocampaign.org/videocontest/#rules. Questions about the contest can be directed to videocontest@whatcanyoudocampaign.org.

The CDE is a program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. It works on the national level to increase the employment of people with disabilities.