"Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks sight."
– Stevie Wonder
Sue Pressman, 69th President of ACA
As advisors to we have the privilege of working with people of different backgrounds and skills. With that in mind, I'd like to announce that this year we're celebrating both the 75th celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month and the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Office for Employment Policy for People with Disabilities (ODEP) has chosen the theme “Improving access and opportunities” for this commemorative year. The 2020 events initiated by ODEP will address disability inclusion, taking into account workplace policies and practices that support mental health.
What does it all mean? Let's look at the ADA – historic legislation that changed the blueprint of the American workplace. For the purposes of the ADA, disability is "a physical or mental impairment that significantly restricts one or more important life activities, a person who has had such impairment in the past or in a record, or a person who is impaired as such by others is perceived. ”
The adoption of the ADA in 1990 marked a fresh start for the nation and gave hope to so many people with disabilities. However, the ADA was not the first piece of legislation to bring about positive changes in the employment industry. The 1973 Rehabilitation Act prohibited discrimination on the basis of disability in programs run by federal agencies, programs that receive federal funding, federal employment, and the employment practices of federal companies. Seventeen years later, on July 26, 1990, these practices of "equal access to employment" were extended to the private sector of business and industry with the signing of the ADA.
As we celebrate these momentous events, let us take a brief look at some of the key legislative outcomes:
Wheelchair access to traffic systems, sidewalks / curbs and building ramps, etc.
Communication access: Interpreters for American sign language and subtitles in the workplace, at universities, hospitals, theaters, etc.
Braille: Use on signage, zebra crossings, elevators, for hotel room numbers, in publications, etc.
Technology accessible through auxiliary software, closed-captioned televisions, classroom and workplace placement for seating, testing, extended time requirements, emergency notifications, etc.
Nevertheless, we just scratched the surface. People with a disability are twice as likely to be unemployed. We have to be aware that people with disabilities are disproportionately represented at all levels in the workplace. Nearly 40% of African Americans with disabilities live in poverty compared with 24% of non-Hispanic whites, 29% of Latinos / as, and 19% of Asian Americans with disabilities. People with disabilities face double marginalization, discrimination and stigma that lead to poor socio-economic outcomes. More information is available at nationaldisabilityinstitute.org.
How can we as advisors improve the access to jobs, the opportunities and the well-being of people with disabilities?
Find out what obstacles our customers with disabilities face. In other words, listen.
Empower customers to set, achieve, and own their goals.
Find out more, our customers and decision makers, about the resources available at the federal, state and local levels.
Help clients understand their legal rights and help them identify and practice their appropriate housing needs.
Understand the role social media can play in connecting people with disabilities to potential employment opportunities.
Help clients develop coping strategies during COVID-19 and times of crisis.
As we honor the disability rights movement, it has never been more important to ensure that we all have a voice and that our unique needs and skills are recognized.
“We all have skills. The difference is how we use it. "- Stevie Wonder
