For more information regarding any of these articles, go to www.dol.gov/odep.
Meeting the Demands of an Expanding Health Care Workforce — Assistant Secretary Martinez’s Blog
In her April 15 posting on the Department of Labor’s official blog site, Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy, focused on the increasing demand for health care workers, particularly nurses. She highlighted a recent policy roundtable hosted by the Office of Disability Employment Policy that examined strategies for employing people with disabilities in these professions. “People with disabilities not only represent an untapped talent pool that can help respond to looming labor shortages in nursing and other health care occupations, but they also offer significant value and insight that can improve care for patients and their families,” noted Martinez
The Role of Family in Youth Career Development
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth), the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s youth technical assistance center, recently published a new InfoBrief entitled Understanding the New Vision for Career Development: The Role of Family. This InfoBrief introduces families, including families of youth with disabilities, to a new way of looking at career development for youth. This brief discusses the three phases of career development, highlights Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) as a tool for facilitating the career development process, and offers strategies on how families can support the young people in their lives as they pursue lifelong learning and skill-building in preparation for entering the world of work.
April is Donate Life Month — Job Accommodation Network Blog
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has updated their Ask JAN blog with a posting titled April is Donate Life Month: Accommodations for Employees Who Have Received Organ Transplants. The article establishes that “Many individuals who have undergone an organ transplant anticipate returning to their career after a successful transplant. An effective accommodation can make this possible.” It then discusses accommodations that employees might need before, during, and after a transplant.
Marching Beyond Compliance — EARN Webinar — April 24, 2:00-3:00 PM EDT
With increased government focus on diversity in the private sector, including veterans and individuals with disabilities, employers have even more reason to review their organization’s diversity and inclusion practices. Increased diversity in the workplace has been shown to increase innovation and creativity, reduce turnover, and result in a more qualified workforce. This webinar, presented by the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN), will offer effective practices for defining diversity strategies and information about key resources for success, including a free recruitment program that matches employers with qualified students with disabilities. The webinar will take place April 24, 2:00-3:00 PM EDT.