01 November 2006
Supporting the Search for Employment
President Bush declared October 2006 National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Noting the economic and other contributions made by the nation’s employees with disabilities, the president called upon government officials, labor leaders, employers, and the people to observe the month—and the contributions of disabled Americans—with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. While celebrating those with disabilities who have jobs, it is also valuable to look at the barriers to employment and the resources that help address them.
According to the Employment portal page of the DisabilityInfo.gov Web site, the resource site for the New Freedom Initiative, “Employment is the economic engine of our nation, our communities, and our families. For people with disabilities, employment promotes greater independence and productive, fulfilling lives.” This group has traditionally had a lower employment rate than the general public, so in order to address this gap, a number of resources have been created to help in the search for employment. Some are private, others offered by the various levels of government. The following are two examples of the types of support available.
DisabilityInfo.gov covers a variety of topics related to the employment of people with disabilities, including advice and resources for individuals with disabilities seeking work; help for potential employers; information about employee rights, laws, and regulations; resources for employment programs; and information about job accommodations for people with disabilities. Rubrics include Employer Resources, Federal Contracting, Federal Employment, Job Seeker and Employee Resources, Job Training, Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship, Vocational Rehabilitation, Working Abroad, and Youth. Each of these sites includes specific listings of resources.
Designed specifically to help young people with disabilities find work, the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, funded by a grant administered by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor, offers a collection of resources and publications, an up-to-date listing of events of interest, searchable links to Internet resources, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions), Ask the Experts, and Pro-Bank, an online database of promising programs and practices in the workforce development system that effectively address the needs of youth with disabilities. The URL is http://www.ncwd-youth.info/.
