DISABILITY NEWS YOU NEED TO KNOW
MARCH 2023
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Women’s History Month: Honoring the Intersections of Disability and Diversity
With diverse experiences throughout my career, a common thread runs through all: advancing opportunities for people who, due to systemic barriers, have not had equitable access to pursue and achieve their employment aspirations. Today, I do this as executive director of the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity, a national membership organization of professionals who lead, direct and manage affirmative action, equal opportunity, diversity and human resource programs to create a more equitable, inclusive American workforce.
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Pictured above are Tammy Duckworth and Jillian Mercado |
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Inspiring Women With Disabilities Who Made History
Women have been making history for centuries; for some, this was the only choice they had. For women with disabilities in particular, it was either live the way others expected them to or fight for the lives they knew they (and all people with disabilities) deserved.
Anyone with a disability can tell you they’ve faced discrimination at least once in their lives. Whether it’s trying to figure out how to get into a building without adequate mobility accommodations or getting ignored on Tinder after someone finds out about your disability, there are countless systemic ways that work to make things difficult for people with disabilities and deny them the opportunities to share their talents and insights with the world. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we took a look at the lives and work of a number of disabled women who left a mark on our culture as a reminder of the thanks we owe to people of all disabilities and backgrounds.
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Pictured above is Rosa May Billinghurst a British suffragette and women's rights activist. She was known popularly as the "cripple suffragette" as she campaigned in a tricycle. |
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Part One: Bad*** Disabled Women from History You Should Know About
by Laura Elliott, Disabled freelance journalist and copywriter.
International Women’s Month is the perfect time to draw attention to the many women who have been overlooked throughout history in favour of their more privileged male counterparts. But one demographic who are frequently missing from these round-ups are disabled women.
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Women and Girls with Disabilities
It is estimated that one in five women live with a disability [. Women with disabilities experience various types of impairments—including physical, psychosocial, intellectual, and sensory conditions—that may or may not come with functional limitations. In addition, the diversity of women with disabilities includes those with multiple and intersecting identities across all contexts, such as ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds; their status as refugee, migrant, asylum-seeking, and internally displaced women; LGBTIQ+ identity; age; marital status; and living with or being affected by HIV.
As a result of substantively distinct life experiences based on these factors, women and girls with disabilities are often pushed to the extreme margins and experience profound discriminations. This can lead to lower economic and social status; increased risk of violence and abuse, including sexual violence; gender-based discriminatory practices; and limited access to education, health care (including sexual and reproductive health), information, services, justice, as well as civic and political participation.
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DC Metro April Program - Join Us! |
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Federal Updates 2023
Hybrid
April 5, 2023
9:00 am to 12:15 pm EST
hosted by
A HYBRID DC Metro annual event featuring ODEP, OFCCP and EEOC sharing their leadership plans, policies and activities for 2023. A zoom link will be shared with all registrants for a virtual option. Join us!
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Taryn Williams
Assistant Secretary
ODEP
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Jennifer Sheehy
Deputy Assistant Secretary
ODEP
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Lou Orslene
Director
Employer and Workplace Policy Team
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Jenny R. Yang, OFCCP Director |
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Keith E. Sonderling, Commissioner (invited) |
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Disability 101 Course
Free Access Ends March 31st
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Courtesy of Disability:IN DC Metro,
take advantage of this free access to Disability Inclusion IQ
Disability 101
until March 31, 2023
The course addresses:
- Appropriate language: Terminology, Person-First, Identity-First, Neurodivergent
- Disability etiquette: Appropriate Interactions
- Accessible, short, self-paced, and cloud-based.
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IN THE NEWS - ARTICLES OF INTEREST |
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President Joe Biden just announced that he was nominating Julie Su to be the next Secretary of the Department of Labor.
Su, currently the deputy secretary of labor, previously was head of California’s labor department. In that capacity, Biden said that she “cracked down on wage theft, fought to protect trafficked workers, increased the minimum wage, created good-paying, high-quality jobs, and established and enforced workplace safety standards.” Ms. Su has helped oversee a department that put forth a series of rules meant to benefit workers, including rules designed to protect workers from Covid-19, a rule making it more likely for workers to be classified as employees rather than contractors, and a rule that would probably raise the wages paid to workers on federally funded construction projects.
“Julie Su is broadly respected by unions, cares about the plight of workers, and folks appreciate her ability to manage the plumbing inside of D.O.L. and make the case to the world,” said Patrick Gaspard, a former senior union official and ambassador to South Africa who now heads the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank.
Ms. Su, a fluent speaker of Mandarin whose parents were immigrants, served as head of California’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency before joining the Biden administration in 2021.
Su would be the first secretary-level Asian American to serve in Biden’s Cabinet.
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Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is incredibly proud to recognize Jennifer Lee and the team of Proud Parents, co-led by Mary Lou Freitas, Quiana Mayo, Sierra Scott, and Jossie Torres, as the 2023 recipients of the AAPD Paul G. Hearne Emerging Leader Awards.
Each recipient will be given a total of $10,000. They will be able to use $7,500 to further their work that increases the political and economic power of people with disabilities and $2,500 in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the disability community. They will be honored at the AAPD Leadership Awards Gala on April 20, 2023.
AAPD President and CEO Maria Town stated, “In naming these impressive honorees, we not only commend their work, but we also emphasize the importance of the creation of culturally and linguistically competent resources that support the increasing agency of our diverse disability community.”
“The Paul G. Hearne award celebrates self-advocacy and the fearless leadership that’s so needed in the disability community. I am proud to congratulate this year’s recipients and recognize their work to support, uplift and strengthen our community for the better,” said Susan Diegelman, Chair of the AAPD Board of Directors.
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The HIRE Vets Medallion Award Program is now accepting applications!
Apply Now
Applications are now open and will run through April 30, 2023.
Employers of all sizes can apply online and learn more about the application process at HIREVets.gov.
The Department of Labor’s HIRE Vets Medallion Award is the only federal-level veteran’s employment award that recognizes employers for their investments in recruiting, employing and retaining our nation’s veterans. This award is an opportunity to highlight your organization’s work to support America’s veterans.
The award is based on a number of criteria, ranging from veteran hiring and retention to providing veteran-specific resources, leadership programming, dedicated human resources, and compensation and tuition assistance programs – with varying requirements for large, medium and small employers.Apply
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Blind Leaders Development Program
Creating widespread change requires an even more significant presence of people with vision loss at the highest levels of leadership.
People who are blind or visually impaired already hold professional leadership positions — every president of AFB since its inception, over 100 years ago, being a notable example. Studies suggest that the benefits of hiring people with disabilities include improvements in profitability, competitive advantage, and inclusive work culture, to name just a few. Yet, few blind and visually impaired Americans are in top levels of leadership in the workforce. Creating the widespread systemic change AFB desires will require a more significant presence of people with vision loss at the highest levels of leadership, which is the idea behind the AFB Blind Leaders Development Program.
Every year, AFB will select a cohort of blind or visually impaired individuals: 50% emerging leaders as Fellows and 50% established leaders to act as their Mentors. Over the course of this 12-month program, Fellows will:
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Follow The Leadership Challenge curriculum by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner by attending three (3) days of in-person training
- Participate in a series of workshops addressing how blind and visually impaired individuals can strengthen interpersonal communication skills and function effectively in a predominantly sighted world
- Engage with a blind Mentor already in a leadership position
The AFB Blind Leaders Development Program will increase the Fellows’ effectiveness at higher levels of leadership, influence, and responsibility. Blind Leaders will expand their networks across sectors, creating more opportunities to engage in leadership roles. As Fellows rise to greater levels of influence, they will be able to hire and mentor other individuals who are blind or have low vision, creating a positive, upward trend in the employment rate of people with visual impairments.
Learn More
Questions?
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DOL Explains When FLSA, FMLA Cover Remote Employees
This Field Assistance Bulletin (“FAB”) provides guidance to Wage and Hour Division (WHD) field staff regarding how to ensure workers who telework are paid properly under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), how to apply protections under the FLSA that provide reasonable break time for nursing employees to express milk while teleworking from their home or another location, and how to apply eligibility rules under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) when employees telework or work away from an employer’s facility. Telework and the FLSA Background The FLSA requires covered employers to pay nonexempt employees for all hours worked, including work performed in their home or otherwise away from the employer’s premises or job site. See 29 C.F.R. § 785.11-.12. The Department’s regulations in 29 C.F.R. Part 785 outline “the principles involved in determining what constitutes working time.” 29 C.F.R. § 785.1. For example, the regulations explain that “hours worked” is not limited solely to time spent on active productive labor but may, for instance, include time spent waiting or on break. See, e.g., 29 C.F.R. § 785.14; 29 C.F.R. § 785.18.
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Ed Department: Graduation Rate For Students With Disabilities On The Rise
by Michelle Diament | February 23, 2023
The number of students with disabilities graduating high school is up nationally, but newly released federal data suggest that outcomes for this population continue to vary by state.
The high school graduation rate for individuals with disabilities increased to 70.6% for the 2019-2020 academic year, according to a report out from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. That represents a jump from 68.2% the year prior.
The figures, which are the most recent available, account for those with disabilities who graduated with a regular diploma within four years. As in previous years, graduation rates for students with disabilities remained inconsistent across the country. At the high end, Oklahoma reported that 88.1% of these students graduated while Mississippi reported the lowest rate at just 55.4%.
The Education Department indicated that some of this variance is likely due to differences in how states “define and calculate for certain subgroups,” especially children with disabilities.
The National Center for Education Statistics report showed that the overall graduation rate for high school students during the 2019-2020 school year was 86.5%, up from 85.8% the previous year.
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New Lego Sets Feature Characters With A Range Of Disabilities
by Shaun Heasley | February 24, 2023
Lego is offering up a host of new characters with disabilities as part of a broader push for more diversity within its toy lineup.
The characters include those with Down syndrome, limb differences, anxiety, vitiligo and a dog with a wheelchair. They are part of Lego Friends — a collection of more detailed and realistic looking Lego characters — which has been reimagined to feature more diversity, with multiple skin tones, cultures, physical and non-visible disabilities and neurodiversity.
“At the Lego Group, we understand that children want the characters they encounter to be more like the diverse personalities they meet in real-life,” said Tracie Chiarella, head of product for Lego Friends at the Lego Group. “We’re continuously evolving our products so that they’re reflective of society today and that’s why we’re proud to launch this brand-new generation of Lego Friends.”
The new characters were developed in response to research, testing with kids and letters sent to the company, officials said.
Lego cited results from a study it conducted last year which surveyed more than 32,000 parents and 24,000 kids ages 5 to 12 in 35 countries that found an “overwhelming desire for more representation in play and more discussion on diversity.”
In particular, the company noted that nearly three-quarters of children surveyed said that there were not enough toys that looked like them.
The new characters are part of Lego Friends sets that are available now and they are included in a Lego Friends TV series on the Lego YouTube channel.
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We have extended our Winter Deadline for the Summer 2023 Program to March 8th!
Program Dates:
June 12th - August 4th
Final Deadline:
March 6th, 2023
BroadFutures-NBC Sports
Nationwide Pilot Partnership
BroadFutures is proud to announce that we are launching a nationwide pilot program with NBC Sports. This partnership will provide neurodivergent young people unparalleled opportunities in media and broadcast while supporting NBC Sports in growing their neurodiversity initiatives and commitment to inclusion. We are very excited about this opportunity and look forward to sharing more good news with you as the pilot progresses.
Featured in Working Nation
Check out this article about BroadFutures featured in WorkingNation!
We were thrilled to be featured by WorkingNation in this article about our model and commitment to ensuring that Disability is part of the diversity conversation. One of our alumni as well as employer partners, AIR, are featured as well. Please take a moment to read!!!
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EEOC Updates Guidance on the ADA and Workers with Hearing Disabilities
The EEOC released updated guidance on how the ADA applies to job applicants and employees who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have other hearing disabilities. “Hearing Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act” includes information on what disability-related questions employers can and cannot ask applicants and employees with hearing disabilities, ideas for reasonable accommodations, and advice for addressing safety concerns related to Deaf and hard of hearing workers.
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NOD Employment Tracker™ Findings Revealed in New Report
NOD’s analysis, gathered from Tracker data covering over 200 companies, is revealing the state of corporate disability employment.
For the first time – learn what business practices tie to HR outcomes driving successful disability inclusion in the workplace.
Be one of the first to access our debut Tracker report and learn:
- Key insights to increase self-ID rates
- Why measurement matters
- What’s going right as well as improvements needed
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Want to Learn How
Your Company is Doing?
Assess your Inclusion Efforts with the NOD Employment Tracker™
Updated + Enhanced
Complete the Tracker + receive a customized scorecard with:
- Your company's performance benchmarked against top companies
- NEW! Data analysis on self-ID rates and how to improve them
- Key insights tying business practices to positive HR outcomes
Get Started Now
By signing up now, you'll get immediate access to the most comprehensive disability inclusion assessment focused exclusively on the workplace.
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Ironman With Down Syndrome Lobbies For Neurodivergent Athlete Category
by John Meyer, The Denver Post/TNS | February 22, 2023
DENVER — The first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman Triathlon begins a speech by introducing himself as someone who was overweight and out of shape five years ago with no job, no girlfriend, “no future” and a life that made him feel excluded, isolated and alone.
But, Chris Nikic says, the motivation he applied to triathlon and marathon training helped him set big goals and realize remarkable dreams.
“I am an Ironman, ESPY winner, public speaker, author and Adidas (sponsored) athlete,” Nikic said last week at the annual Running USA Industry Conference in Denver. “I’ve run the Boston, New York City and Disney marathons as a Special Olympics ambassador. And, as you can see, I am adorable — single, but not available.”
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Disability-Led Innovation
Artificial Intelligence & Automated Hiring Practices
Innovators with disabilities share how inclusive AI can help you improve business outcomes and attract highly qualified job candidates from underrepresented groups.
The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) created this resource to help you use artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled hiring tools in inclusive ways. We spoke with experts from companies led by people with disabilities that focus on inclusive recruiting. Read on to learn how AI-enabled hiring tools can promote inclusion in your organization and help you recruit talented individuals from underrepresented groups.
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Elements of Procuring & Tailoring Al Systems to Reduce Bias |
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Transparency is key when your company procures any technology, but it is crucial for AI hiring tools.
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While AI-enabled tools are designed to simplify recruiting and hiring, they are not meant to replace humans.
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You should notify candidates when AI is used, describe how the system works, and tell them about known limitations.
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Every technology in your recruiting and hiring process should be accessible.
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The innovators we spoke to strongly emphasized the importance of addressing systemic barriers within the recruitment and hiring processes.
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PEAT Toolkit
Business Sense: Automated Worker Surveillance Tools – Inclusive Employers Exercise Caution
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Department of Justice and General Services Administration Submit Section 508 Report to the President and Congress
Section 508 requires federal agencies to ensure that the information and communication technology (ICT) they develop, procure, maintain, or use is accessible and useable by people with disabilities, including both federal employees and members of the public. Examples of ICT include computers, websites, video, phone systems, electronic documents, and multifunction office machines, such as copiers, printers, and information and transaction kiosks.
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Events In The DC Metro Area and Beyond |
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(Neuro)Diversity in the Workplace
Adapting Current Disability Laws and Inclusion Initiatives
March 2, 2023
4:15-5:15 pm
#Neurodiversity is a topic that all organizations should care very much about from a legal, business, human resources, and equity perspective. Please join us on Thursday, March 2nd from 4-5:15pm ET for this engaging and informative webinar hosted by the NYU Center for Labor and Employment Law on Neurodiversity in the Workplace.
How do we bring more workers with non-apparent disabilities, including those under the neurodiversity umbrella (such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and mental health disabilities) into the workplace? Diagnosis of autism has skyrocketed while around 80% of autistic adults are currently unemployed despite businesses experiencing a worker shortage. How can businesses tap underutilized parts of the workforce. What are the benefits, challenges, and opportunities for employers in bringing on more neurodivergent workers and establishing neurodiversity at work programs? This webinar will explore privacy issues, training of management, discrimination, reasonable accommodations, disability inclusion in diversity training and initiatives, and more; and how each may be addressed.
Welcome:
Prof. Samuel Estreicher (NYU Law)
Moderator:
Speakers:
Holly May (EVP & Global Chief of HR, Walgreens Boots Alliance)
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Friday March 10
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. (ET)
The national Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) team offers a live broadcast via Zoom Webinar to share numbers and the latest news about disability employment. Join us to hear from our hosts and expert panelists from the field who discuss current topics, findings and events.
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12:00 pm: Overview of National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report Release – Andrew Houtenville, UNH-IOD & John O'Neill, Kessler Foundation
- 12:15 pm: News from the field of Disability Employment – Denise Rozell, AUCD
- 12:30 pm: Guest Panelist - TBD
- 12:45 pm: Open Question & Answer period for attendees
Note: All webinars will be recorded and closed-captioned and will be added to our website archives along with full transcripts following the live broadcast.
#nTIDElearn | Twitter: @DisabilityStats
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Reasonable Accommodations and the ADA:
An Update on the Case Law
March 15, 2023, 2:00 p.m. ET
Providing reasonable accommodations that allow employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job is a key component of the ADA. This webinar hosted by the ADA National Network will review the latest reasonable accommodation court decisions to help employers and workers understand their rights and responsibilities under the ADA. Guest presenter Barry Taylor, VP for Civil Rights and Systemic Litigation at Equip for Equality, will also discuss the process for obtaining and providing reasonable accommodations.
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Inclusive Imagery – Writing Alt-Text Depicting People with Disabilities and Other Marginalized Identities
March 16, 2023, 2:00 p.m. ET
This webinar hosted by the ADA National Network will review the basics of writing informative descriptions for digital images, including those that include people who identify as disabled, people of color, trans, gender nonconforming, or other marginalized identities. Guest presenters from the University of California will present examples and guidelines for describing people from marginalized communities in digital imagery.
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Managing Risk and Other Legal Requirements for Businesses Under ADA Title III
March 22, 2023, 2:00 p.m. ET
This webinar hosted by the Mid-Atlantic ADA Center will explore the importance of managing, measuring, and remediating risks within company ADA Title III programs. Representatives from Capital One’s ADA Enterprise Team and Regulatory Legal Team will discuss the processes they use to manage their ADA program and provide examples of best practices for reasonable accommodations and workplace accessibility.
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AAPD Leadership Awards Gala
April 20, 2023
6:30-7:30pm
VIRTUAL
Free
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Regular Pricing Ends June 2, 2023
Late Registration Ends June 30, 2023
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The Place to be for Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity / Inclusion fields
August 1 - 4, 2023 Phoenix, Arizona
The Conference will be held at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge, and will be the premier meeting ground for EEO, affirmative action, HR compliance, DEI and ESG representatives. Practitioners from business, educational institutions, government and not-for-profit organizations attend this annual conference to hear from recognized experts as well as from leaders at federal agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). We are looking for speakers and participants to come and help us TRANSFORM FOR TOMORROW.
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Learn More About DC Metro |
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2023 Disability:IN DC Metro Programs
Theme: Intersectionality
Join us as we hold Hybrid and Virtual Events!
- The Growing Role of the Chief Accessibility Officer
- March Women’s History Month and Disability
- April Autism Acceptance Month
- May Global Accessibility Awareness
- Intersectionality: May Asian American and Pacific Islander Month
- Intersectionality: June LGBTQ Pride Month
- Intersectionality: July Disability Pride Month, ADA Anniversary
- Intersectionality: August Supplier Diversity including Disability Owned Businesses
- Intersectionality: September LatinX Heritage Month and Disability
- Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
- November Celebrating Veterans with Disabilities in the Workplace and as Entrepreneurs
- Intersectionality: November Native American Heritage Month and Disability
- Celebrating International Day of Persons with Disabilities
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Our focus is on Culture Change!
Our organization, formerly the DC Metro Business Leadership Network, is the largest regional member network of a variety of industry employers advocating for inclusion of individuals with disabilities in today's workforce, marketplace and supply chain. A non-profit business-led network established in 2006, our purpose is to bring the business community together in a dialog through education, training and resources with a focus on removing attitudinal and organizational barriers by exchanging best practices to ensure that the inclusion of individuals with disabilities as smart business.
Our Members and Guests have access to resources, programs and partners to strengthen the disability inclusion efforts and outcomes.
- Thought leadership
- Professional Development courses
- Business to business networking
- Introductions to community partners
- Access to talent
- Hot topic programming led by Subject Matter Experts
- Webinars
Join our
Follow us on
Our Board
Board Members:
- John Annand, Marriott International
- Jennifer Bassett, Chair, JBG SMITH Companies
- Meghan Cadigan, Secretary, KPMG,
- Tashi Carper, Leido
- Ellen de Bremond, Treasurer
- Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
- Tom Downs, Booz Allen Hamilton
- Andrea Hall, Past Chair, General Dynamics Mission Systems
- Sophie Howard, Immediate Past Chair, General Dynamics IT
- Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
- Mary Sauder, Northrop Grumman
- Ryan Walters, Vice-Chair, Deloitte
- Myra Wilder, BAE Systems
Advisory Board Members:
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Jessica Lee Aiello, iYellow Group
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Michelle Crabtree, Town of Vienna
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Crosby Cromwell, The Valuable 500
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Lori Daly, Diversifi Consulting Group and Chair, Community Outreach
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Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
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Diane Monnig, The Arc of Northern VA
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Melody Goodspeed, The American Foundation for the Blind
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Karen Herson, Concepts, Inc.
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Carolyn Jeppsen, BroadFutures
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Craig Leen, K&L Gates, Former OFCCP Director
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Carrie Martin, MAXAR Technologies
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Rick Rodgers,The Resource Network and Chair, Disability Supplier Diversity
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Kia SIlver-Hodge, Enterprise Community Partners
Our Staff
The Hon. Katherine McCary, President, C5 Consulting, LLC serves as CEO and Executive Director. Katherine served as founding chair of the USBLN (now Disability:IN) for nine years, the founding chair of the VA BLN (Now Virginia Ability) for 13 years and has launched more than 11 chapters. She received the USBLN Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
C5 is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders, experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities. With more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized business strategies. C5 is the pioneer of disability inclusion "for business by business" with just in time training Disability Inclusion IQ Professional Development Courses designed for enterprise wide learning, now a DC Metro chapter member benefit!
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Our Mission
“Building the Business Network for Disability Inclusion.”
Our Vision
“Cultivate workforces and workplaces where talent with disabilities are recruited, included, promoted, retained and valued as both internal talent and innovative vendors.”
"In This Together" Campaign Continues for 2023
Please Donate!
Shop Amazon Smile!
In these ongoing unprecedented times, non-profits face the situation of limited funding. The DC Metro Chapter is no different. As we continue to provide education and resources with the newsletters and free virtual programming, your support is needed now more than ever. Please consider a donation to support our mission in support of our monthly efforts! As most of us are shopping virtually these, days, please shop on Amazon Smile!
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