What is employment? This may seem like a silly question, as almost everyone has had a job at some point. Employment primarily means being hired or employed by a company or employer in exchange for pay. While income is a huge factor for employment, working is also crucial in living a meaningful life. I asked the Restoring Hope WORKS participants what working means to them, and here are a few of their responses:
"Having a job means I will show everyone that I am able to do hard things."
"It will be my first job, and I want to try and save money to be able to go on vacation. I have never had a job before, and I want to see how I will do. When I get a job, I will try my best and work hard."
"Working really isn't about the money because it helps me communicate and get friends. I have learned a lot because of working."
"I want to work because it will be fun, and I will have extra money for things I want."
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a time to celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities in the workforce and promote inclusive hiring practices. NDEAM encourages organizations to reflect on the importance of creating accessible, equitable workplaces for all employees, regardless of ability. This October's theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month is "Access to Good Jobs for All." Good jobs change lives, and all workers—including disabled workers—deserve the opportunity to prepare for, obtain, and succeed in them. Today I want to highlight what has allowed many to obtain successful employment and how we can continue advocating.
History
The history of NDEAM traces back to 1945 when Congress declared the first week of October "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." Congress removed "Physically" in 1962 to include people with all types of disabilities. In 1988, the federal legislature expanded the week to a month and changed the name to NDEAM.
There are several pivotal moments in history that have allowed advancement for employees and employers. One of the primary laws is The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The law provides various civil rights protections for people with disabilities, including prohibitions against employment discrimination and mandates to make public accommodations accessible. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 expanded the definition of "disability," extending the law's protection to more people. While barriers and discrimination continue to exist, the ADA has had a profound impact on the ability of people with disabilities to participate in public life and employment.
Current Legislation
During the 2022 and 2023 legislative sessions, lawmakers nationwide took essential steps toward advancing employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Some key trends emerged, including incentivizing hiring and competitive, integrated employment for those with disabilities and addressing mental health concerns in the workforce. States have evaluated how to promote competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities in the private sector. Under section 14(c) of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, workers with disabilities can be paid a subminimum wage if their disability reduces their production capacity. In most states, this remains the case, with over 67,000 workers with disabilities making a subminimum wage as of July 2022. However, states are increasingly shifting toward competitive integrated employment.
Currently, 31 states have passed Employment First Legislation, 16 states have Employment First Executive Orders, and 32 states have State Agency Administrative policies/regulations in place—all in support of Employment First. Missouri's Employment First policy states that community-integrated employment services and supports are the first service option and that individual-integrated employment is the preferred option for everyone. Employment First's goal is for anyone interested in working to have the tools to work a job with competitive wages.
How to Support and Advocate for their rights and why it is important
National Disability Employment Awareness Month does not have to stop after October. One way Restoring Hope advocates every year is by attending Disability Rights Legislative Day at the state capitol. For nearly 20 years, disability advocates from around Missouri have traveled to the State Capitol to participate in Disability Rights Legislative Day and have their voices heard. On this day, there will be a rally and opportunities to speak with your legislator about what matters most to you. If employment is meaningful to you, I encourage you to attend this event but there are also many other ways we can advocate.
Here are a few things you can do all year:
Use NDEAM to Kick off an Ongoing Disability Awareness Initiative
NDEAM is a fitting time to formally launch disability employment awareness activities — and set the pace for 11 more months of activities designed to promote disability inclusion. Kickoff events can range from large-scale, multi-day celebrations to small brown bag lunches about disability issues. Whatever approach you choose, there are tools to assist you in your efforts. You can use the new NDEAM theme each year to frame your kickoff event and influence year-round activities.
Host a Disability Mentoring Day
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) promotes career development for youth with disabilities through hands-on programs, job shadowing, and ongoing mentoring. The nationwide observance is the third Wednesday of each October, but employers may choose to host events any day of the year. The American Association of People with Disabilities offers way to implement this idea. Take advantage of this easy way to connect with great talent while providing young people with disabilities valuable career experience.
Provide Volunteer Opportunities to Your Employees
Smart employers know the benefits of employee volunteerism, which include strong team engagement, leadership development and more. In the spirit of NDEAM, why not sponsor opportunities for your staff to volunteer at local organizations that prepare people with disabilities for work? In communities nationwide, there are often opportunities to volunteer your time reviewing resumes, staging mock interviews, and providing guidance on how to dress for success. Connecting your employees to these opportunities is a great way to give back and raise awareness. And these activities might help you source talented job candidates with disabilities for your organization.
Display Posters Promoting Disability Inclusion
NDEAM is a great time to freshen up walls and bulletin boards in your lobby, break rooms, and common areas with disability employment posters – but there's no reason to take them down when October ends! Start by launching the current year's NDEAM poster, available soon in English and Spanish. Additional display materials include the Campaign for Disability Employment's poster series. You might also consider highlighting specific disability recognition months such as Heart Health Month, Epilepsy Awareness Month and Brain Injury Awareness Month to keep the pace going throughout the year. With numerous free posters, you can keep your displays fresh and dynamic throughout the year. Thebenefit of this practice? Employees consistently reminded that their organization is disability-friendly may be more likely to refer job-seeking friends with disabilities to your HR department. In addition, those with disabilities themselves may be more likely to self-identify as such.
Offer American Sign Language Training Classes to Your Employees
If your company offers employee development and training opportunities, consider adding American Sign Language (ASL) classes to your catalog of offerings. Such classes aren't just fun; they teach employees new skills while reinforcing relationships between hearing employees and those who are deaf. On-site classes can be taught by representatives from local or national sign language organizations, while external classes are often available at local colleges and universities. This professional development practice can strengthen internal communications for your employees who are deaf while bolstering your ability to recruit talented job candidates who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Interview Students with Disabilities During Campus Recruiting Trips
If your company holds recruiting visits to college campuses, have your recruiters contact each institution's Career Services Office and Disability Services Office to give them a heads-up. Let them know you're interested in interviewing job candidates with disabilities and brief them on the types of positions available. Regularly meeting with juniors and seniors with disabilities during on-campus recruiting trips is a great way to build a pipeline of talented job candidates for your organization.
Host a Disability 101 Event for Employees
One of the best educational events you can provide your employees during NDEAM or any time of the year is a "Disability Employment 101" primer. And thanks to the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), such events are easy to coordinate. JAN offers a series of free trainings on a variety of disability-related topics. The series "Just in Time" can be used to educate your staff members about hiring and managerial responsibilities regarding issues related to applicants and employees with disabilities.
Incorporate Disability into Your Onboarding Processes
A formal onboarding process helps new employees acquire the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they need to become effective members of your organization. As such, it's also a perfect opportunity to educate new employees on your company's policies and practices related to disability inclusion – from reasonable accommodation procedures to your commitment to equal employment opportunity. Such practices will help new employees feel good about their current organization and may encourage self-identification among people with hidden disabilities. Moreover, it may make them more likely to refer their job-seeking friends with disabilities to your organization.
Access to Good Jobs for All means something different to everyone, so remember if your company or organization supports everyone's goals. If you would like to discuss additional Disability Employment Awareness topics or how to create an inclusive workplace, please contact Katelyn Hellmer, at katelynhellmer@werestorehope.com
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