Rachel Wright – Page 5 – Disability Employment Policy

May 19, 2020March 7, 2023

POLICY BRIEF: COVID-19: FEDERAL DISABILITY-SPECIFIC AND OTHER RELATED GUIDANCE

The State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED), an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), assists states in developing effective and inclusive workforce policies that promote disability employment. Recognizing that every state is unique, SEED offers policy options and resources that states can tailor to meet their individual needs and goals. To this end, SEED partners with leading intermediary organizations that serve as trusted sources of information to state and local policymakers.

Updated on June 18th, 2020

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November 21, 2019May 6, 2020

Prohibiting Workplace Discrimination by Employers

By CSG Committee on Suggested State Legislation

Prohibiting Workplace Discrimination by Employers SSL Draft

Summary:
This Act generally makes it unlawful for employers to refuse to hire or fire people, or otherwise discriminate against employees, because of race, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, or domestic or sexual violence victim status. It requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence if those do not cause undue hardship to the operations of the employer. It allows employers to request verification of employees’ continued status within specified time frames. The Act creates a civil remedy for employee-victims denied reasonable accommodations.

October 21, 2019May 6, 2020

Ride-Share Platforms Continue Expansion into Medical Transportation

As of last December, 3.6 million Americans avoid or are unable to leave their homes because of travel-limiting disabilities (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2018). While an increasing number of services, including mental health care and retail delivery, are now available with the push of a button, many people with disabilities have critical needs that must still be met through in-person appointments. These individuals are also less likely to own a vehicle. In 2018, 20% of non-workers and 12% of workers with disabilities between the ages of 18 and 64 lived in households without a vehicle (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2018), while the national percentage of households without a vehicle in 2017 was 7.9% (Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2017).

October 14, 2019March 24, 2023

SEED Initiative Recognized During National Disability Employment Awareness Month

By Jorden Jones, Policy Fellow

Approximately 56.7 million Americans live with a disability and a significant percentage of these individuals continue to have difficulty finding, securing and retaining employment, despite the unemployment rate hovering at a 50-year low. National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) highlights the expertise and skill sets people with disabilities possess and the vital role they play in America’s economy.

September 23, 2019May 6, 2020

State Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Workers with Disabilities

By Sydney Geiger

Fear of losing Medicaid coverage can deter people with disabilities from entering the labor market. Medicaid buy-in programs allow workers with disabilities to purchase Medicaid coverage that enables them to participate in the workforce without losing health care benefits. A large majority of states such as Colorado, Illinois and Ohio, amongst others, are participating in or pursuing these kinds of programs.

September 9, 2019May 6, 2020

Washington Pilot Program Helps Individuals with Disabilities Return to the Workforce

By Trent Patrick

The focus on helping individuals with mid-career disabilities stay in or return to the workforce is emerging in the economic and health sectors of the public policy arena. This focus comes from the drive to retain good employees in the workforce, which benefits state governments, employees and employers.

April 18, 2019May 6, 2020

Uber Expands Paratransit Options for Eight Cities

By Sydney Geiger

Boston, Chicago, D.C., Las Vegas, Toronto, San Francisco and New York City are improving their paratransit options through an Uber initiative. Since Uber’s launch, the company has invested in ensuring that its features and technologies are accessible to all users. In November 2018, Uber, a CSG Associate member, announced plans to widely expand paratransit for individuals using wheelchairs and other motorized mobilization devices.

March 28, 2019March 7, 2023

CSG Webinar Explores Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Strategies

By Shawntaye Hopkins

The Council of State Governments’ recent Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work webinar explored policies that help people in the workforce following disability or injury incurred on or off the job. The webinar also reviewed ways in which policymakers can use the CSG Stay-at-Work/Return-to-Work Toolkit as a resource.

January 23, 2019May 6, 2020

Industry-Led Apprenticeships Emerging as a Pathway to Employment

By Sydney Geiger

Apprenticeships are an avenue of education and training that allow people to receive valuable knowledge and job skills without attaining a college degree.

January 10, 2019July 25, 2022

States Launch Pilot Projects to Retain Workers with Disabilities

By Sydney Geiger

Eight states have launched projects aiming to provide opportunities for people who experience mid-career disabilities to remain in and return to the workforce. After a competitive selection process, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy in partnership with DOL’s Employment and Training Administration and the Social Security Administration awarded eight states with funding for RETAIN Demonstration Projects.