Disability Business News
You Need to Know
August 2019
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New Name and Logo
In order to retain its affiliation with Disability:IN the DC Metro BLN changed its name to Disability:IN DC Metro effective July 15, 2019. We are in the process of launching a new website which will include event registration and membership as well as new social media sites.
Until the new website launches in September, C5 Consulting, LLC which has staffed the local affiliate for eight years will continue to create and distribute the “Disability Business News You Need to Know” newsletter and it will also be posted on the
C5 Website.
To stay up on disability inclusion information, visit C5 on
LinkedIn.
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Andrea Hall,
Chair
Diversity & Inclusion Sr. Manager
- General Dynamics Mission Systems
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The Hon. Katherine McCary
President
C5 Consulting, LLC
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Board Members:
- Jennifer Bassett, JBG SMITH Companies
- Michelle Crabtree, Hyatt
- Ellen DeBremond
- Anjali Desai-Margolin, Gallaudet University
- Tom Downs, Gartner
- Dan Ellerman, Accenture
- Charlesiah Mclean, Leidos
- Eduardo Meza-Etienne, eSSENTIAL Accessibility
- Chrisonna Palmer, EY
- Carrie Schroeder, PwC
- Jamel Walker, Northrop Grumman
- Myra Wilder, Marriott
- Emily Yee, Deloitte
Advisory Board Members:
- Meghan Cadigan, KPMG
- Ron Drach, Drach Consulting, LLC
- Rikki Epstein, The Arc of Northern VA
- Sylvia Henri-Wonasue, Lockheed Martin
- Karen Herson, Concepts Communication
- Bryan Moseley, TCS Associates
- Rick Rodgers, The Resource Network
- Kia Silver-Hodge, C5 Consulting, LLC
- Bob Vetere, C5 Consulting, LLC
- Sue Werber, C5 Consulting, LLC
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IN THE NEWS - Articles of Interest
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OFCCP Special Announcement: Key Changes to the FAAP Directive
As of June 20, 2019, the Functional Affirmative Action Program (FAAP) operates under a revised directive that better serves federal contractors covered by Executive Order 11246, Section 503 and VEVRAA. These changes improve the application process for FAAP agreements and ease burdens associated with maintaining FAAP agreements.
Key changes include:
- OFCCP will no longer consider compliance history when reviewing a request for a new FAAP agreement or termination.
- The agreement term is extended to five years, up from three years.
- There will be a minimum of 36 months between compliance evaluations for a single functional unit. This is 12 months longer than an establishment review.
- Complete FAAP applications will be determined within 60 days. Historically, there was no deadline.
- OFCCP no longer requires that FAAP contractors undergo at least one compliance evaluation during the term of their FAAP agreement.
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Tapping the Power of Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Neurodivergent individuals are described as those whose brain functions differ from those who are neurologically typical, or neurotypical. People who are neurodivergent offer key talents and skills to enhance America's workplaces.
A
new online resource
from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) explains neurodiversity in the workplace context; it addresses how fostering support for neurodiversity can benefit employers and workers alike, and shares suggestions on how to support workers with neurodivergence, such as people on the autism spectrum. For example, this tool discusses strategies like innovative interviewing techniques, which are more conducive to assessing the skills of neurodivergent individuals.
EARN's resource also highlights key
examples of autism-focused hiring initiatives and partnerships
implemented by companies of all sizes, including many small businesses. These employers all stand at the forefront of a paradigm shift in hiring practices, which reap measurable benefits for their business operation, as well as job seekers, families, and America's growing economy.
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Apple, Google Adding Disability Emojis
A slew of new icons representing everything from wheelchairs to service animals are coming to smartphones soon.
Apple said it will add 59 emoji including many representing the disability experience to iPhones and other devices as part of a software update this fall.
Google indicated that the new disability-related symbols will be among 65 emoji released later this year with its Android Q operating system.
The additional icons were
released
by the Unicode Consortium in February. The organization is responsible for standardizing the emoji that device makers include in their keyboard selections.
Apple
proposed
the new disability-related icons in 2018 in an effort to “provide a wider array of options to represent basic categories for people with disabilities,” the company said at the time.
The icons depict people using manual and power wheelchairs, a service dog, a hearing aid and prosthetics, among other special needs. Some of the emoji have male and female versions and variants for skin tone.
Apple said the adoption of the new icons will “help fill a significant gap in the emoji keyboard.”
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Podcast: Creating Authentic & Inclusive Experiences for Your Workforce
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In celebration of the ADA, Frances West joined PEAT to discuss how companies can use inclusion in their business to drive disruptive innovation. Frances was IBM’s first Chief Accessibility Officer and is the founder of FrancesWestCo.
Check out this podcast and others in PEAT’s
Future of Work
series, which is produced in partnership with Workology.com to explore how emerging technology trends are impacting people with disabilities.
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2019 NDEAM Poster Available
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This year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) poster is available in English and Spanish on the ODEP website. The poster features the 2019 NDEAM theme, "The Right Talent, Right Now," and depicts several individuals with disabilities in their work environments. It can be downloaded from the website or ordered in hard copy for display in workplaces, schools, and organizations to show support and promote awareness for disability employment.
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CDE Blog on the 29th Anniversary of the ADA
In honor of the 29th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) issued a blog post noting the law’s importance in advancing employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities. It also highlights resources for employers interested in promoting a workplace environment open to the skills and talents of all Americans. The post also notes how CDE endeavors to illustrate the impact of the ADA through its national Public Service Announcement campaigns.
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JAN ENews
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has released its quarterly ENews. The latest edition of the newsletter includes updates to JAN's A to Z web tool, features on stress in the workplace, undue hardship, and much more.
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EARN Policy Brief
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) issued a policy brief entitled, "Taking Disability into Account: Proactive Recruitment & Hiring Practices." The brief describes key elements of businesses' affirmative action programs designed to benefit individuals with disabilities. It includes examples of how employers have implemented these policies, and the legal context that permits them to do so.
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She proved them wrong: A deaf couple is opening a pizzeria in D.C. with all deaf employees
Melody Stein grew up in restaurants.
Not only did her parents own and operate a Chinese eatery in San Francisco, but the family — all of them foodies — also constantly went out to eat. Stein still remembers the excitement of sampling Japanese, Vietnamese and French food for the first time. There was only one thing she wanted to do when she reached college age: attend the California Culinary Academy. Then, she wanted to open her own restaurant.
That’s when her deafness almost defeated her dreams.
“[The Academy] called my mom and said we can’t accept her application because she’s deaf,” Stein, 45, signed to The Washington Post via an interpreter in a recent interview. “What if they were in the kitchen trying to yell, ‘Out of the way!’ with hot soup? They viewed me as a liability."
It took her about 20 years, but Stein proved them wrong. Today, she co-owns and runs
Mozzeria
, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria in San Francisco, with her husband, Russ Stein, 47, who is also deaf. But it’s not just a pizza joint. In part to ensure others do not suffer what Melody did, the couple employ only deaf individuals to run their pizzeria and its two associated food trucks.
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JAN Webcast: Wearables
August 13, 2019, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. EST
Smart watches, smart glasses, head-mounted OCR options, and wearable health-monitoring equipment of all kinds are growing in popularity. Join JAN Sensory Team Consultants Teresa Goddard and Brittany Lambert for an introduction to wearable technology. We will discuss the latest wearable technologies and how they can be used to support employees in accessing information, support persons, discreet reminders, as well as stress and health management tools while at work.
Presenters:
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Gallaudet 2nd Annual Information Technology Summit
Friday, September 13, 2019
9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Limited to eight employers with two representatives at $50 each
Sponsored by Gallaudet University Career Center
The “Gallaudet 2nd Annual Information Technology Summit”, an all day event held at Gallaudet University, will connect talented students, both Information Technology (IT) majors and Business majors, with employers who are serious about hiring students with disabilities, specifically deaf and hard of hearing students at Gallaudet University. Students will learn about emerging trends in Information Technology including Cybersecurity, Web and Program Development. Students will also meet professionals in the field, both hearing and deaf, who will inspire students to consider the many shapes and forms of careers in Information Technology.
Panel presentations will feature IT professionals, who will discuss their roles and responsibilities in their jobs and about the many opportunities that exist in government, private industry and the corporate world. The need for individuals trained in IT is even found in smaller companies, creating unlimited opportunities. Students will listen to stories from professional deaf employees as they discuss strategies for breaking into the field of cybersecurity and becoming successful.
The workshop will include a combination of panel presentations along with built in networking opportunities for students to meet and talk with IT specialists. Managers and recruiters representing businesses and government agencies will share with students what qualities and skills they look for in a candidate. Students will bring resumes for networking and on site interviewing.
In addition to companies spearheading this event, other interested employers will be participating and encouraging students to consider the advantages of working in different environments.
As many of today’s employers are focused on diversifying their workforce and hiring more individuals with disabilities, there is an advantage to developing relationships with Gallaudet students, faculty, and Career Services staff. Events such as this will be beneficial in terms of creating a pipeline of qualified applicants for the increasing number of opportunities in the field of technology.
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Shifting the Talent Paradigm: Inclusive Culture for a Modern Workforce
Thursday
, September 26 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM ET
Leading Disability Employers Dinner - 5:30 to 9:00 PM ET
Crystal City Marriott at Reagan National Airport
Arlington, VA
As a Diversity & Inclusion leader, you are called to influence change within your company. At the Annual Forum + Dinner, you’ll discover emerging leadership tactics and innovative tools that can transform your company’s culture and return bottom-line results.
By attending, you will:
- Learn from peers who have launched internal change efforts and how they navigated challenges
- Strengthen your strategy with insights from allied fields, including change management and adaptive leadership
- Develop your personal leadership model to guide transformative change
- Understand how to measure + communicate impact to gain buy-in for disability inclusion efforts
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Disability Inclusion Forum
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Georgetown University
McDonough School of Business (Hariri Building)
9.00 AM – 5.30 PM followed by a reception.
Keynote: Caroline Casey
To reserve your spot, contact Business for Impact Project Manager
Offered annually during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Forum has highlighted leading businesses and service providers including Walgreens, Bank of America, EY, Starbucks and Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities. In 2019, the program includes expanded content for business leaders who are new to employing PWDs and who want to learn best practices and develop relationships with key leaders in the PWD employment community.
Your Hosts
: Georgetown Business for Impact, National Business & Disability Council at the Viscardi Center (NBDC), and Disability:IN DC Metro. The work of Business for Impact at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business is grounded in the belief that business can be a powerful force for good. It educates students and executives, and partners with companies, nonprofits, and government to solve complex societal challenges.
NBDC is a comprehensive resource for Fortune 1000 companies and government employers promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities into the workplace, marketplace and accessible technologies. NBDC’s services assist businesses in developing strategies to create, implement, grow and measure solid disability programs.
Disability:IN DC Metro promotes best practices in hiring, retaining, and marketing to people with disabilities in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and suburban Maryland. We empower businesses to achieve disability inclusion and equality.
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Save the Date:
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
As you make your employee recruitment plans for 2019, the NTID Center on Employment (NCE) invites you to join us for the 19
th
annual Career Fair, Wednesday, October 16.
If you’re looking to:
- Diversify your workforce.
- Learn how to become an advocate for accessibility
- Meet like-minded professionals in a new and exciting environment
The RIT/NTID career fair will help you meet your goals.
A record 54 companies, including Lockheed Martin, Caterpillar, Merck, NAVSEA, Texas Instruments, the CIA and Prudential Financial participated in the 2018 fair.
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2019 ANNUAL MID-ATLANTIC ADA UPDATE CONFERENCE
November 13 - 15, 2019
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The 2019 Mid-Atlantic ADA Update will provide a wide range of up-to-date information on ADA regulations and guidelines, as well as strategies and best practices for successful implementation of the law. Conference speakers will include subject-matter experts from federal, state, and local government agencies, businesses, non-profit organizations, and universities. The ADA Update will offer opportunities to network with other professionals with similar interests and concerns. Professional development hours from several accreditation organizations will also be available.
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C5 Consulting, LLC is a global disability inclusion strategy consultancy comprised exclusively of private sector disability leaders, with more than 50 years combined expertise and a deep knowledge of culture change developed through customized strategies and education.
Each of us has experienced disability from a variety of areas; as individuals, as caregivers, and as parents of individuals with disabilities.
Our perspective, as members of the disability community, coupled with our corporate disability leadership experience allows us to design unique solutions based on proven track records. Our team includes former leaders from
Lockheed Martin, Manpower,
Marriott International,
Motorola, Northrop Grumman,
SunTrust Bank and more than 25 collaborative partners across the US.
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