October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an opportunity to provide education and advocacy about disability employment issues. Created by the U.S. Department of Labor, NDEAM is a time for us to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. Learn more here

Employer Resources

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) supports several initiatives that help employers interested in hiring individuals with disabilities. ODEP also offers several fact sheets and other resources to educate employers about effective recruitment and hiring strategies, as well as laws such as Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects the employment rights of people with disabilities. 

Companies who recruit, hire and support employees with disabilities perform better than companies who do not. This is due in part to the diversity of the workplace and increased morale among employees. 

Click this link to read more: Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage | Accenture

Employers can also benefit by connecting with Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD). Click here to learn about trainings, collaborative efforts, and reasonable accommodations.

New Federal Project Increases Subminimum Wage

The Subminimum Wage to Competitive Integrated Employment (SWTCIE) pilot program was recently launched to provide five-year grant awards for states, including Ohio, to help employers transition to paying competitive, fair wages to people with disabilities.

Many people with disabilities are earning below the minimum wage without the possibility of gaining new skills or moving to a job that pays a higher wage. The goal is to provide every American with the opportunity to earn fair wages and achieve financial independence. According to the Department of Labor, an estimated 100,000 people in the United States are paid subminimum wage. A 2020 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report found that between 2017 and 2018, the average wage of a person with a disability working under such certificates was only $3.34 per hour—less than half of the federal minimum wage. 

This project will result in real pay for real jobs while empowering people with disabilities and leading them to greater social and economic inclusion.

Voting Is Your Right!

The General Election is November 8, 2022. The disability community has a critical interest in policies and decisions made and enacted at local, state, and national levels because they impact our lives directly.

Steps to Vote…

In order to vote, you will need to show a state ID or driver’s license. When you register to vote you will need to provide your name, date of birth, address, last four digits of your social security number OR a state ID/driver’s license. Voting is one of the ways consumers can advocate for their rights as citizens.

Ready to check your voter registration, request an absentee ballot, find your polling location and more? 

Hamilton County residents click here; Kentucky residents click here

Absentee Voting

Any Ohio voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act can request an absentee ballot to complete through the accessible absentee voting system. Click here for Accessible Absentee Ballot Request Form 11-G.

To find if you are eligible to receive an absentee ballot in Kentucky, click here.

In Ohio, a remote ballot marking system is available through each county board of elections. This remote system is for use by an absentee voter with a qualifying disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act and allows a qualifying voter to mark his or her ballot privately and independently. If you are a qualifying voter and you wish to request an absentee ballot and use a remote ballot system to mark your ballot, click here.

In-Person Voting

Federal law requires polling places to be accessible and provide privacy and independence for people with disabilities. 

Remember these rights as you head to the polls:

• The polling place must be accessible to you. Some places may offer curbside voting if their indoor space is not accessible. An election official can help you plan for this. 
• The voting system must work for you, too. Ask for voting equipment if it has not been offered to you
• You can take the time that you need. Do not feel rushed. 
• You can bring someone with you. By law, your plus one cannot be your employer or your union representative. If you do not have someone to bring, poll workers are required to assist you.

Additional Resources

CILO continues to work to ensure the disability community is registered and ready to vote in the upcoming election. Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) provides a vast array of resources regarding voter rights and accessibility. Learn more here.