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The JAN E-News is a quarterly online newsletter of the Job Accommodation Network. Its purpose is to keep subscribers informed about low-cost and innovative accommodation approaches; the latest trends in assistive technologies; announcements of upcoming JAN presentations, media events, trainings, and Webcasts; and legislative and policy updates promoting the employment success of people with disabilities.

An e-mail announcement is sent to an opt-in list when a new issue is available. Please use the links at the end of this document to subscribe or unsubscribe to the e-mail notification and contact us.

Notice: If you do not wish to receive announcements about JAN E-News and JAN Consultants' Corner, please send an e-mail to unsubscribe@askjan.org

Index

1. JAN Celebrates 25th Year of Service
2. JAN Launches New Website
3. Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month
4. America's Heroes at Work
5. Breast Cancer: Through JAN’s Periscope
6. Making the Case for Telework Options for People with Disabilities (Again)
7. JAN Webcast Series Announced
8. JAN Exhibit and Training Schedule
9. Contact JAN
   

1 - Your Trusted Accommodation Resource Enjoying Its 25 Year Anniversary!

From its humble beginning in a classroom on the campus of West Virginia University, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has grow to be the most respected source for technical assistance on workplace accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and entrepreneurship in the United States.

Today, JAN has an expansive line of services provided by expert teams of consultants specializing in motor, sensory, and cognitive/psychiatric impairments, as well as entrepreneurism. Coming from a variety of backgrounds including business, law, economics, rehabilitation, and education, JAN's consultants have over 150 years of experience in serving JAN's consumers. In addition to individualized consulting, JAN also offers a fully accessible Website with more than 220 publications; the Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR), JAN's dynamic, online accommodation tool; a monthly Webcast series; podcasts; and on-site training.

As JAN's 25th Anniversary approaches, we are proud to be the Nation's foremost accommodation resource. On behalf of the leadership team at JAN, we would like to thank our passionate and dedicated staff; our customers who always present new challenges; and our funder, the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, for recognizing our value.

- Anne Hirsh and Lou Orslene, JAN Co-Directors

2 - JAN Launches New Website

If you have not visited the JAN Website recently, log in to notice that the pathway to reasonable accommodation solutions and workplace productivity enhancements has undergone a virtual renovation. By implementing cutting edge navigation tools and user-friendly updates customers are seamlessly directed to existing favorites and new additions. The JAN Website remains one of the trusted resources for employers, individuals with disabilities, and others who require accurate and timely technical assistance.

• Use the easy and intuitive user interface and navigational tools to find what you are looking for quickly.
• Search independently to locate accommodation ideas, ADA information, and other resources.
• Contact JAN directly to ask a question about how to create accommodation solutions and increase opportunities for your workforce.

Stay tuned for additions to JAN's multi-media outreach and training sections.

JAN's Web Team

3 - Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month

The consultants at JAN invite you and your workforce to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October. The theme for 2008 is America's People, America's Talent…America's Strength! The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) leads the nation's activities and produces materials to increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities. For more on these exciting opportunities visit the ODEP Website. http://www.dol.gov/odep/

October is also Down Syndrome Awareness Month. This is a great opportunity to heighten awareness and promote acceptance about people with Down syndrome, a genetic condition that occurs in roughly one in every 1,000 live births in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

One method for celebrating Down Syndrome Awareness Month is “The Buddy Walk,” a one-mile walking event that promotes awareness and raises funds for programs and services that benefit individuals with Down syndrome. To see a map of local walks, visit http://www.BuddyWalk.org. Encourage your employees to participate.

Other ways to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month include providing employees with educational or enlightening information about the condition. Consider sharing this essay by Dr. Dennis McGuire, entitled “If People with Down Syndrome Ruled the World,” or this essay about an employer’s real-life experiences of hiring and working with people who have Down syndrome, entitled “Doing the Right Thing.”

Always use “people-first” language when promoting Down Syndrome Awareness Month (or when referring to any person with any type of disability), and refrain from using negative words such as “crippling,” “suffering,” and “afflicted” when discussing this condition. Celebrate this month with sincerity and compassion, and devote your efforts to promote awareness and acceptance of people with Down syndrome in your life, your community, and your workforce.

If you currently employ workers with Down syndrome, you may be interested in learning more about job accommodations. Employees with Down syndrome may experience limitations in cognitive abilities, motor abilities, and social abilities that can affect workplace performance. People who have Down syndrome may have some of these limitations, and possibly all of these limitations. The degree of limitation will vary from individual to individual, and therefore, the accommodation provided will also vary. To read more about job accommodations, read JAN’s articles at JAN’s A to Z of Disabilities.

What are some job accommodation examples?

A grocery stocker with intellectual or cognitive impairments could not remember to wear all parts of his uniform. JAN suggested taking a picture of the employee in full uniform and providing the picture to use as a reference when preparing for work.

A store clerk with intellectual or cognitive impairments had limited reading skills, making it difficult to return DVDs to the shelf. JAN suggested making picture labels for DVD cases that matched shelf display boxes. This allowed the employee to match pictures, not words, when returning DVDs to the shelf.

Good luck. Celebrate. And we hope to hear from you soon!

4 - America's Heroes at Work

In August 2008 the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new Website called America's Heroes at Work. The website equips employers and those in the workforce development system with the tools they need to help returning service members affected by Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) succeed in the workplace - particularly service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. America's Heroes at Work is managed jointly by DOL's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS) in collaboration with other federal agencies engaged in TBI and PTSD programs, including the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Health and Human Services and Education, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and others.

On this Website you will find a variety of resources related to TBI and PTSD. These include resources to help employers hire qualified veterans; fact sheets and reference guides on TBI and PTSD; information on disability related workplace accommodations; access to presentation and training tools concerning employment and TBI/PTSD; and information concerning individual success stories and employer promising practices. This Website is continuously updated as new resources, success stories, and employer practices become available. We encourage you to take a minute to explore these valuable resources to find out how you can give back to those men and women who so proudly serve this country.

Visit YouTube ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHCdRLv8gmM ) to learn more about America's Heroes at Work!

How can JAN help? For assistance related to job accommodations and veterans with disabilities contact JAN directly

5 - Breast Cancer: Through JAN’s Periscope

Women’s health issues continue to garner media attention. Although the media sometimes blurs the lenses we need to view the world through our individual periscopes, one diagnosis that clearly dominates the headlines is the occurrence of breast cancer in women. This attention accurately reflects our daily lives; breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8” (American Cancer Society, 2008). Breast cancer does occur in men; however, it is about 100 times less common among men than among women (American Cancer Society, 2008). Many women are now diagnosed in the early stages of breast cancer, contributing to over 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States (American Cancer Society, 2008).

Survivors now live longer and remain very productive throughout diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Many workers with breast cancer need no or few accommodations to continue working; however, of those who do need accommodations, short periods of leave can be helpful. Fatigue from two of the more common types of treatment, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, can often be accommodated with a flexible schedule or telework. In addition, surgery, hormone therapy, bone marrow, or stem cell treatments can be accommodated similarly.

Some women may need accommodations during treatment. The following examples from JAN illustrate that accommodations can be low cost, effective, and easy to implement.

• An employer contacted JAN related to an employee undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer. The treatment caused skin irritation, which was exacerbated by the employer’s uniforms. JAN suggested alternative clothing materials to accommodate the individual.
• An employer contacted JAN related to an employee who was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The treatment caused sensitivity to cold temperatures. The individual worked in an area that was susceptible to drafts. JAN suggested various heated clothing to accommodate the individual.
• An employer contacted JAN related to an employee who was undergoing hormone therapy for breast cancer. The treatment caused lapses in concentration due to the medication the employee was taking. JAN suggested giving her uninterrupted time to work, including part-time telework.

Some women may need accommodations during follow-up care. For example, JAN has received inquiries related to accommodating employees with lymphedema and depression.

• An employer contacted JAN related to an employee recovering from breast cancer who was experiencing lymphedema. The employer wanted suggestions on ergonomic equipment. JAN provided the employer with resources to improve the individual’s workstation ergonomics.
• An employer contacted JAN related to an employee recovering from breast cancer who had depression. The individual’s depression was exacerbated by her diagnosis of breast cancer. The employer wanted suggestions on helping the individual prioritize. JAN suggested that the supervisor provide her with a written set of daily tasks via email.

For additional information on expanding your view and learning about productivity enhancements and reasonable accommodation solutions for individuals with cancer, visit JAN’s A to Z of Disabilities at: http://askjan.org/media/canc.htm

Reference

American Cancer Society. (2008). Overview: Breast cancer. Retrieved September 15, 2008, at http://www.cancer.org

- Beth Loy, Ph.D., Principal Consultant

6 - Making the Case for Telework Options for People with Disabilities (Again)

Despite early forecasts that information and communication technology (ICT) would revolutionize the type of work arrangements available to people with disabilities in a knowledge based economy, the actual path of this transformation has been not been so direct or clear. While the potential benefits of telework (also referred to as telecommuting or remote work) options for both employees and employers are well documented in recent articles and studies, implementation continues to lag behind its anticipated potential (Anderson et al., 2001; Bricout, 2004). One of the recurring hesitancies for some managers in supporting telework options is the issue of tracking the productivity of the employees they supervise. The traditional model of measuring worker productivity relies heavily on “managing by sight” reinforcing a belief that because employees are in the office and at their desks, they are being productive (Anderson et al., 2001). The Midwest Institute for Telecommuting Education suggests the management of teleworkers requires an alternative framework for assessing worker productivity relying more heavily on determining (1) the quality of work, (2) customer satisfaction, (3) ability to meet deadlines, and (4) quantity of work completed (Davis, 2000). While methods such as monitoring electronic activity and requiring extensive documentation have been used to evaluate the productivity of remote workers, these strategies frequently create unnecessary work for the supervisor and a less than collaborative relationship with the employee. How does a manager successfully supervise a teleworker so that performance is enhanced and workplace collaboration is reinforced?

Best practices for supervising remote workers are beginning to emerge at various levels based on specific pilot projects involving people with disabilities as well as more general private and public employer telework programs. First, each telework situation needs to be individualized based on the requirements of that particular job and the needs of the individual employee. However, the guidelines below can help guide this process and reduce fears about successful supervision:

• Use (or develop) a telework agreement that outlines expectations for the remote work situation, how work will be evaluated, the process of supervision (e.g., time frame for responding to phone calls and emails), and the evaluation process.
• Working remotely does not mean never being in the office. Make sure employees who need to work collaboratively do so in person and at a distance (e.g., weekly meetings of all staff) as well as through electronic means.
• Most teleworkers work out of the office only some of the time, often no more than three days per week. Thinking about telework as an all or nothing proposition does not reflect the norm in these flexible work arrangements.
• Use the same evaluation guidelines you use to monitor productivity for onsite workers, only adapt them to a more outcome-based approach. Performance expectations should remain consistent for both.

In the past year, an increased focus on issues such as the high cost of commuting, environmental concerns, emergency preparedness plans, the need for cost savings in real estate, and employee desire for greater work/life balance all support the adoption of more remote and home-based work arrangements. For people with disabilities, this work option continues to offer another avenue for increased employment opportunities, enhanced return to work strategies, and a potential accommodation option.

Resources:

Anderson, J., Bricout, J., West, M. (2001). Telecommuting: Meeting the needs of businesses and employees with disabilities, Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 16, 97-104.

Bricout, J. (2004). Using telework to enhance return to work outcomes for individuals with spinal cord injuries, NeuroRehabilitation 19: 147-159.

Davis, D. (2000). Tracking the productivity of your teleworkers. Retrieved September 24, 2008, from http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-1033682.html

Midwest Institute for Telecommuting Education (MITE) http://www.mite.org/

Preliminary Report – National Inquiry Data Project STRIDE (Strategic Telework Research on Innovative Disability Employment) (Submitted to: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy) http://www.mite.org/Project%20STRIDE%20preliminary%20report%20%20January%201%2020063.pdf

TeleworkTools.org http://www.teleworktools.org/

- Kim Cordingly, Ed.D., Lead Consultant

7 - JAN Webcast Series Schedule Announced!

Don't miss the chance to have JAN training delivered to your computer. These one-hour training opportunities bring expertise from JAN staff and other national experts to your computer. All begin at 2 pm EST. Space is limited so register early.

• October 21, 2008. ADA Amendments Act: What does it mean for your business? Andy Imparato, President and CEO, AAPD with Lou Orslene, JAN Co-Director moderating.
  
• November 5, 2008. America's Heroes at Work: Hire Vets First. Trainers: Mike Reardon, ODEP Supervisory Policy Advisor, Employment-Related Support Policy, Ron Drach, VETS, Director, Government and Legislative Affairs, with Anne Hirsh, JAN Co-Director moderating.
  
• December 9, 2008. Web Accessibility Issues for Your Company On-line Application Process. Trainers: Jane Rath and Tyler Matney of EARN with Lou Orslene, JAN Co-Director moderating.
  
• January 13, 2009. Conduct and Performance Issues in the Workplace. Sharon Rennert, Attorney Advisor, EEOC with Linda Carter Batiste, JAN Principal Consultant moderating.
  
• February 10, 2009. Current Events in Accommodation. Beth Loy and Linda Carter Batiste, JAN Principal Consultants presenting.
  
• March 10, 2009. Accommodation options for Employees with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder. JAN Consultants presenting.
• April 14, 2009. Accommodation issues for Employees with Diabetes. JAN Consultants presenting.
  
• May 12, 2009. Accommodation issues for Employees with Hidden Disabilities. JAN Consultants presenting.
  
• June 9, 2009. Multiple Sclerosis in the Workplace. JAN Consultants and invited guest.
  
• July 14, 2009. ADA Tricky Issues. EEOC invited guest with Beth Loy and Linda Carter Batiste, JAN Principal Consultants.
  
• August 11, 2009. Telework and Work from Home. Kim Cordingly, JAN Lead Consultant presenting.

>> Go here to register.

8 - JAN Exhibit and Training Schedule

Events of particular interest:

Get the most up to date and comprehensive training on employing people with disabilities in the Federal Sector.

December 10-12, 2008. Bethesda, MD. Perspectives on Employment of Persons with Disabilities. JAN staff presenting three sessions, and stop by the exhibit booth in the registration area. To learn more about his exciting event go here: http://www.grad.usda.gov/Conferences/Perspectives/index.php

Employers concerned about improving their bottom line should consider this event:

January 29-30, 2009. Orlando, FL. ATIA Annual Leadership Forum on Accessibility. JAN sponsoring and presenting. http://www.atia.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3368

To view the complete schedule go here: http://askjan.org/training/On-the-Road.htm

9 - Contact JAN

E-mail: jan@askjan.org

JAN Website: http://askjan.org

Call JAN: 800-526-7234 (Voice), 877-781-9403 (TTY), 304-293-5407 (Fax)

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This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of tradenames, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.

         

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