Campaign for Disability Employment

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort between several disability and business organizations that seek to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace as well as the dividend to be realized by fully including people with disabilities at work. People with disabilities can and do make important contributions to America’s businesses every day. By implementing good workplace practices, like maintaining a flexible and inclusive work environment, businesses can capitalize on the talents of qualified people with disabilities, benefitting everyone.

The Campaign is a collaborative effort between several organizations that are working to raise awareness and change attitudes about disability and employment, including:

• American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD);
• National Business and Disability Council (NBDC);
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
• National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC);
• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM);
• Special Olympics (SO); and
• U.S. Business Leadership Network (USBLN).

The Campaign is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

Learn more here: http://www.whatcanyoudocampaign.org

Abilities Expo

Abilities Expo: Fostering the Capabilities of the Differently-Abled

For the last 30 years, Abilities Expo has been the one show dedicated to educating and improving the lives of Americans with disabilities, senior citizens, families, caregivers, healthcare professionals and professional therapists. It has been the nation’s foremost event for companies to demonstrate their products and services to the largest community of end-users and industry professionals.

Los Angeles | New York Metro | Chicago | Houston | San Jose | Atlanta

Learn more here: http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/

The power of the iPad for the blind

Modern technology tools like the Apple iPad are making it possible for people with visual impairment to have a new way to communicate and remain productive.

Disability and Employment Community of Practice

Have you heard of the Disability and Employment Community of Practice? Here is a brief description:

The Disability and Employment Community of Practice is an online learning destination for public workforce system staff and partners, jobseekers, community-based organizations, grantees, and the business sector, who provide services and programs to people with disabilities and/or other challenges to employment. It is a “one-stop-shop” venue for workforce practitioners to find or share high quality information about how to better provide integrated, seamless, and accessible services and programs to people with disabilities and/or other challenges to employment. By participating in the Disability and Employment Community of Practice, you will be able to: Explore best practices that have been working for others and which may work in your own region; Look up specific information, training, or toolkits to help you do your job better; Ask your specific workforce questions to get answers from your peers and experts; Access the latest live training and upcoming events in your area of workforce expertise; and Share your own content or knowledge expertise with your peers, to build your “brand” both within your own region and across the USA.

You can learn more here: https://disability.workforce3one.org/

How You Qualify For Social Security Disability Benefits

There are many people who do not understand how the US Social Security Administration determines whether a person with a disability is eligible for social security disability benefits.

In brief:

To qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you must first have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. Then you must have a medical condition that meets Social Security's definition of disability. In general, we pay monthly cash benefits to people who are unable to work for a year or more because of a disability.

Benefits usually continue until you are able to work again on a regular basis. There are also a number of special rules, called "work incentives," that provide continued benefits and health care coverage to help you make the transition back to work.

You can learn more and read through all the details here.

Keep in mind that there are always special situations like the following:

•If You Are Blind Or Have Low Vision,
•If You Are The Worker's Widow Or Widower,
•Benefits For A Disabled Child,
•Disability Benefits For Wounded Warriors