Job Accommodation Network

NDEAM 2021 theme announced! The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2021 – America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion. Observed each October, NDEAM raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. Learn how your organization can participate! https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/initiatives/ndeam

May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month. Every zebra has unique stripes that display differently from one to another. Like zebra stripes, EDS has a variety of symptoms and forms that exhibit in unique ways. To learn about accommodating individuals with EDS in the workplace, visit JAN’s Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome page at https://askjan.org/disabilities/Ehlers-Danlos-Syndrome.cfm

Want to work from home? A Ticket to Work Service provider can help with that! Join Choose Work! on May 26 at 3 p.m. ET to learn how Social Security’s Ticket to Work Program can support you on your path to employment. choosework.ssa.gov/wise

Do you know the 4 A's of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace? This framework distills leading workplace wellness practices into four pillars to help employers build "awareness" and a supportive culture, provide "accommodations" to employees, offer employee "assistance," and ensure "access" to treatment. Learn more at https://askearn.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/EARN2020-Checklist_Mentally_Healthy_Workplaces.pdf

Musculoskeletal disorders are the largest category of workplace injury. Learn about taking preventative measures to ensure safety by reviewing JAN’s YouTube video, Solution Showcase: Adjustable Workstations at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0x9KncL1jY

JAN Lead Consultant, Melanie Whetzel, provides expert guidance on telework related accommodation solutions for employees with mental health and cognitive conditions in the latest JAN ENEWS article, Supporting Employees with Mental Health and Cognitive Conditions While Teleworking - https://askjan.org/articles/Supporting-Employees-with-Mental-Health-and-Cognitive-Conditions-while-Teleworking.cfm

Showing why you need an accommodation usually means verifying what disability-related limitation is creating a problem at work. What medical information can be required to support an accommodation request and what can you do if the employer’s request for information doesn’t seem appropriate? JAN can help. See Consultants’ Corner: Dealing with Improper Requests for Medical Documentation from an Employer -https://askjan.org/publications/consultants-corner/Dealing-with-Improper-Requests-for-Medical-Documentation-from-an-Employer.cfm

Check-out EARN’s Mental Health Toolkit for tools and resources to help employers cultivate a welcoming and supportive work environment for employees facing mental health issues. See the Mental Health Toolkit: Resources for Fostering a Mentally Healthy Workplace - https://askearn.org/mentalhealth/

Social distancing measures have raised unique challenges for employees with blindness or low vision in need of sighted assistance. JAN Senior Consultant Brittany Lambert offers accommodation solutions to help bridge the gap created by social distancing. Check-out Sighted Assistance in the Age of Social Distancing - https://askjan.org/articles/Sighted-Assistance-in-the-Age-of-Social-Distancing.cfm

Get A Grip! JAN Consultant, Tatum Storey, offers DIY and Practical Solutions for Gripping and Grasping in JAN’s latest ENEWS - https://askjan.org/articles/Get-A-Grip-DIY-Practical-Solutions-for-Gripping-and-Grasping.cfm