WIOA Implementation: Employment First Planning Tool

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• WIOA Implementation Employment First Planning
  Tool Jobs for People with Disabilities!
• Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, President,
  RespectAbilityUSA
• Contact JenniferM_at_RespectAbilityUSA.org
• Donna Meltzer, President, NACDD
• Contact  dmeltzer_at_nacdd.org
•   

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Meet Todays Presenters

• Donna Meltzer is CEO of the National Association
  of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
  (NACDD), a national nonprofit organization that
  supports the nations 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 three-year
  term as chairwoman of the Consortium for Citizens
  with Disabilities (CCD) and is also a past
  chairwoman of the National Health Councils
  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.

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Governors Leading The Way
Jennifer Mizrahi, Gov. Scott Walker (WI), Lisa
Derx and John Pare
Gov. Jack Markell (DE), Jennifer Mizrahi Doc
Sweitzer
Gov. Phil Bryant (MS), Jennifer Mizrahi and other
disability leaders
Gov. Terry Branstad
Gov. Dennis Daugaard (SD), Jennifer Mizrahi and
other disability leaders
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Challenges and Opportunities

• 21 million working age Americans with
  disabilities
• 70 dont 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/resour
  ces/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

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WIOA Breaking Down Silos

• EVERY STATE must produce a unified plan for
  providing training, employment services and
  vocational education in a coordinated way!
• 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

• Required From DOL-ETA Notice of Proposed Rule
  Making- Docket No. ETA-2015-0001
• Membership of State Workforce Development Board
  as required by the regs
• The Governor
• Members from the State legislature
• Majority of representatives of businesses
• Business orgs and trade associations
• Small Business representatives
• Labor organization representatives
• Community-based organizations

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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/2012-StatusReport_US.pdf

Project Search intern Haley McCormick-Thompson
lends an attentive ear to a resident at United
Hebrew New Rochelle. Photo Cred POSITIVE
EXPOSURE
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Win-Win-Win
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.
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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/con
  ference/materials/docs/SafetyManagement.pdf
• 2010 Kessler-NOD Survey by Harris Interactive
  http//www.nod.org/assets/downloads/01-2011_Exec_S
  ummary.pdf
• Lowes example  http//nod.org/assets/downloads/N
  OD_Rutgers_Evaluation.pdf
• Challenges
• Stereotyping/skepticism
• New studies (Kuo and Kalargyrou 2014)
• Productivity issues when there is a mismatch
  between position and abilities

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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.
• Jackies 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

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Superstars with Disabilities
Albert Einstein Autism Spectrum
Franklin D. Roosevelt Post-polio syndrome
Thomas Jefferson Dyslexia
Ludwig von Beethoven Deaf
Michael J. Fox Parkinsons Disease
Derrick Coleman Deaf
Amy Purdy Uses prosthetic legs
Lauren Potter Down syndrome
Stephen Hawking ALS
Marlee Matlin Deaf
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Find Your Employer Heroes

• Every state needs leadership employers. EY,
  Prudential Financial, Procter Gamble, IBM,
  KPMG, Merck Co., ATT, 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-of-em
  ploying-people-with-disabilities-nl3W.php?article_
  id169
• People with disabilities A new model of
  productive labor-Advances in Hospitality-
  http//www.ahtmm.com/proceedings/2012/2ndahtmmc_su
  bmission_71.pdf

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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_y
  ear2011stateCodeWIsortpudatypeTreptypepd
  atabasefpdsdetail0

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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
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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.

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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/Ne
  wsandAnnouncements/GovColumnEmployingSouthDakotans
  WithDisabilities.html

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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, NYs total expenditure on SSDI benefits
  for PwDs was 8,018,808,000.3
• 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

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D)

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

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Prevalence of Disability Among Non-Institutionaliz
ed People Ages 16 to 20 in New York in 2012
(68,800)
Total Numbers Reported
Source Cornell University
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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)
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National Governors Association Jobs for People
with Disabilities
    
      
Governor Jack Markell of Delaware Past Chair,
National Governors Association
http//bit.ly/1EIZKuz
           

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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!
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Disability Employment First Planning Tool

1. Making The Best Of Limited Resources
2. Find And Support Businesses In Their Effect To
   Employ People With Disabilities
3. Make Disability Employment Part Of The State
   Workforce Strategy
4. Preparing Youth With Disabilities For Careers
   That Use Their Full Potential, And Providing
   Employers With A Pipeline Of Skilled Work
5. Being a Model Employer By Increasing The Number
   Of PWDs Working In State Government

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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.
• Internal Issue Awareness and Commitment
• The Governor and key state leaders have taken
  the time to understand the issues surrounding the
  expansion of competitive integrated employment
  for PwDs
• The Governor has openly pledged their support to
  the NGAs Disability Employment initiative.
• The State and Governor celebrate and recognize
  National Disability employment Awareness Month
• 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
• 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/

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I. Making The Best Of Limited Resources

• 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)

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II. Find And Support Businesses In Their Efforts
To Employ People With Disabilities

• A. Communications, Staffing, and Support
• 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
  non-competitive 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 Paradigm- http//bit.ly/1c3GMnH
Consumers Addressing the importance of work
http//bit.ly/1DQkATM
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III. Make Disability Employment Part Of The
Government Workforce Strategy

• A. Policy and Legislation
• The Governor/state has signed Employment First
  legislation and/or issued an Executive Order on
  Employment First. (Iowas 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
• 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-funders-co
llaborate-to-support-groundbreaking-work Kessler
Foundation Grants 450,000 to Ability Beyond for
PepsiCo Disability Employment Initiative
http//on.mktw.net/1dIsolm
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III. Make Disability Employment Part Of The
Government Workforce Strategy

1. 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/)
2. 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/harkin-hosts-f
orum-with-focus-on-finding-jobs-for-americans-with
-disabilities
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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/Def
  ault.aspx Illinois supports integrated
  employment as a winning strategy http//www2.illi
  noisworknet.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.s
  html)
• Parents And Early Education
• The state provides accurate and useful tools and
  resources for expectant mothers. For example see
  http//www.downsyndromediagnosis.org/
• 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.
• The state offers readily available free wrap
  around services and tools to help parents prepare
  their children with disabilities for work.

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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
• IEPs and ILPs have an expectation of integrated
  competitive work as a first choice option.
• The state provides high school degree bound,
  college, and university students with
  disabilities with transition services and access
  to internships, mentorships and work
  opportunities.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.respectabili
  tyusa.org)

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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
30
Project SEARCH HUGE SAVER!

• .

• 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.

• 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 Erin.Riehle_at_cchmc.org
• Upcoming RespectAbility Webinar on Project
  SEARCH-May 21st, 2015
• Register at http//respectabilityusa.com/events
• RSVP here https//secure.confertel.net/tsregister
  .asp?course6269008

31
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?
• Assistive Technology training and support.
  Resource https//askjan.org/
• Universal Accessibility at all of the states
  American Job Centers http//www.washington.edu/do
  it/universal-design-process-principles-and-applica
  tions
• Staff that has been fully trained to work with
  clients with disabilities. (Person First
  Language)
• The state VR program is fully matched so that
  wait lists are reduced or the order of selection
  does not exist.
• State vocational rehabilitation quickly and
  appropriately matches consumers with counselors.
• State vocational rehabilitation offers technical
  assistance to the employers about PWDs.
• The State has created a Ticket to Work Employment
  Network .
• 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
32
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
• 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 disabilitieshttps
  //www.delawareworks.com/disabled.php)

Tim Harris , a small business owner. He opened
his restaurant Tims 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/fi
les/docs/employing_people_with_disabilities_toolki
t_february_3_2015_v4.pdf
33
V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The
Number Of People With Disabilities In Government

• 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 states 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
• There is a Governors initiative and identified
  statewide hiring goal in place for PwDs
• There are people who self-identify as PwDs, or
  who have visible disabilities, in senior
  leadership roles in administration.
• Inclusion of employees with disabilities is a
  part of the human resources evaluation of
  managers in state government.
• 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. FAQs 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
34
V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The
Number Of People With Disabilities In State
Government

• B. Performance Goals And Metrics
• The state has specific measurable annual
  performance goals for inclusive employment,
  similar to Executive Order 13548
  (http//www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-07-30/pdf/20
  10-18988.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.
• 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.
• 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/d
isability/index.shtml
35
V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The
Number Of People With Disabilities In State
Government

• C. Accessibility And Accommodation
• 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 accommodationshttp//bit
  .ly/1AC5XU3)
• The states internal and external website is fully
  accessible ( 508 compliant http//1.usa.gov/1dKlE
  DE
• 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 its
  employees with disabilities.
• The state has a process for employees to
  confidentially self-identify 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/1naem
rX
36
V. Being A Model Employer By Increasing The
Number Of People With Disabilities In Government

• D. Marketing Of Employment, Efforts, And Services
• There is a statewide written statement of
  diversity and inclusion, which directly refers to
  disability that is not an anti-discrimination
  policy.
• The states disability policy, including
  reasonable accommodation policy, is posted on the
  states website and is easy for employees and the
  public to find.
• The states has an officially recognized
  disability employee resource group (ERG) or
  affinity group. (Ex http//bit.ly/1FMRRVJ)
• The state distributes diversity awareness
  information, which includes disability, as part
  of new hire training.
• 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.
• 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
37
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/Prog
  rams/EROD/org_list.cfm?category_cdSVR
• Data on Employment PWDs http//respectabilityus
  a.com/resources/for-policy-makers/
• 2012-2016 State Workforce Investment Act
  http//www.doleta.gov/performance/results/AnnualRe
  ports/annual_report.cfm
• State Workforce Investment Board, Key Workforce
  Priorities and Fast Facts http//workforceinvestm
  entworks.com/workforce_board_info.asp?stDC

38
Upcoming Webinar Introduction to Web
Accessibility Tips and Tricks

• May 21th, 2015, 130pm Eastern Time / 1230pm
  Central Time / 1130am Mountain Time / 1030am
  Pacific Time
• Register at http//respectabilityusa.com/events
• RSVP here https//secure.confertel.net/tsregister
  .asp?course6269008

39
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 JenniferM_at_RespectAbilityUSA.org