We are taught at an early age that nutrition is important. I remember being in elementary school and learning about the food pyramid and how different diets can affect our...
Read More about Vitamin Deficiency – A Hidden Workplace ConcernMelanie Whetzel, Lead Consultant – Cognitive/Neurological Team Mental Health and Productivity in the Workplace: A Handbook for Organizations and Clinicians By: Jeffrey P. Kahn, M.D. and Alan M. Langlieb, M.D. M.B.A...
Read More about What are the JAN Consultants and Employment Specialists Reading?Here at JAN, we’ve written a good bit about disclosure – what it means, and how, when, and why it should be done. You can find the information on our...
Read More about If We Had Known…Is it a little premature to think about a post-inclusionary world – a world that is both true to the theme of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)...
Read More about Is It Too Early To Think About A Post-Inclusionary World?In a new television show New Amsterdam, that airs on the NBC network, Dr. Max Goodwin is hired to be the medical director of a public hospital that has lost...
Read More about How Can I Help?The number of peer-reviewed academic articles that are actually read by anyone other than reviewers, editors, and a small group of peers is often cited as being dismally low. This...
Read More about A Research Window – Self-Employment for People with DisabilitiesEmployers are called upon to provide workplace supports for employees for many reasons -- some personal, some medical. Modifications are made or flexibility is often allowed as a benefit of...
Read More about Give Em’ a Break: Supporting Employees with Lactation-related NeedsGlucose monitoring is an important component of diabetes management, but what should employers do when the way an employee manages their condition is in conflict with a policy? Here is...
Read More about Apps for Diabetes Management – Workplace Accommodation StrategiesAs the Lead Consultant on JAN’s self-employment team, I’m often fielding questions from individuals with disabilities interested in starting a business in agriculture. These types of businesses include a diverse...
Read More about A Farmer in Our Midst – An Interview with JAN’s Own Dr. Beth LoyThe trucking industry can bring a unique set of challenges when it comes to accommodating employees with motor-related impairments. The limitations caused by these impairments can vary, but frequently reported...
Read More about Accommodating Truck Drivers with Motor ImpairmentsThis past November, I had the opportunity to attend the 2017 Annual International Conference on ADHD, otherwise known as the CHADD Conference. A colleague and I headed down to Atlanta,...
Read More about An Interview with Sandy Maynard- ADD/ADHD Coach and Owner of Catalytic CoachingJAN is fortunate to be able to use the JAN Blog as a vehicle for interviewing an organization, employer, individual, or business about how their work contributes to the employability...
Read More about Guest Blog: Innovative Approaches — An Interview with the Owners of Picasso Einstein“This is a question too difficult for a mathematician. It should be asked of a philosopher.” (His answer when asked about completing his income tax form). ― Albert Einstein Tax time...
Read More about It’s Tax Time! Resources for Entrepreneurs with DisabilitiesFebruary is Low Vision Awareness Month. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 253 million people are living with vision impairments with 36 million individuals who are blind...
Read More about Magnifiers, Screen Readers, and Braille – Oh My!The flu epidemic is sweeping the U.S. this winter season. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), influenza-like illness is reported as widespread across all ten regions of the...
Read More about Fighting the Flu at WorkAs the Lead Consultant on the JAN Sensory Team, I receive many questions about hearing aids and telephone headsets. One common issue with these type of questions is that there...
Read More about Hearing Aid Tips When Using Telephone HeadsetsThe consultants on JAN’s sensory team frequently field questions regarding allergies and respiratory impairments. One common trigger for allergic reactions and respiratory distress is exposure to mold. Many employers are...
Read More about Breaking the Mold with Workplace AccommodationsOn November 2nd and 3rd, hundreds of people from around the world gathered at the Second Harkin Summit on Global Disability Employment to listen, network, and discuss the continuing employment...
Read More about Observations from the 2017 Harkin SummitADHD Awareness Month is celebrated annually to help improve the lives of those living with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The theme for 2017, Knowing Better: ADHD Across the Life...
Read More about October is ADHD Awareness MonthThe song is in your head now, isn’t it? You know the one. Now you have this vision of a pile of big and little, furry dogs, ears flopping up...
Read More about Who Let the Dogs…In?It’s October again. For many people, October is a time for pumpkin spice everything, watching football, feeling the warmth of a cozy sweatshirt, and enjoying the colors of fall as...
Read More about Workplace Supports for Employees with Breast CancerI have recently started working in the disability field assisting individuals with diverse limitations who are trying to acquire workplace accommodations. In the few short months I’ve been working in...
Read More about All Disabilities Matter in an Inclusive WorkplaceLeave-related accommodation issues are among the most complex and challenging under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). ADA leave can be administered in various ways, and in conjunction with employer...
Read More about Maximum Leave Policies and the ADAJAN is fortunate to be able to use the JAN Blog as a vehicle for interviewing an organization, employer, individual, or business about how their work contributes to the employability...
Read More about An Interview with Barbara Bissonnette of Forward Motion CoachingMay is Skin Cancer Awareness Month! As thunderstorms hit and temperatures rise, I’m reminded that summer is quickly approaching. Time sure does fly by — it feels like we were...
Read More about Shining a Light on Sun SafetyWe recently received an inquiry regarding accommodation options for individuals who are receiving dialysis and are taking time off work to seek the treatment. Employers who are evaluating these types...
Read More about Accommodation Ideas for Individuals on DialysisWe’ve been getting more and more questions about service animals in the workplace, both from employers and people with disabilities who use service animals. One of the questions we frequently...
Read More about Service Animal Access vs. Wheelchair Access – Why the Difference?Occasionally at JAN, we are contacted by a new organization or individual who wants to share with us their information and the work they do through a guest Blog. We...
Read More about Guest Blog – Website Addresses Addiction and Mental Health ImpairmentsThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrated its 26th anniversary this past July. This legislation is purposed to improve the lives of people with disabilities by protecting their rights to...
Read More about Disclosure BasicsWith summer coming to a close and schools starting to resume, I become reminiscent of the time when my son was younger. I hear parents talking about being anxious for school to start so their kids will be back on a schedule and out of their hair.
Read More about What’s in a Routine?As the Lead Consultant for the Motor Team, I am asked questions daily about the provision of equipment as an accommodation. Employers, individuals, and even rehabilitation professionals often ask if...
Read More about Common Questions about Providing Equipment as an AccommodationEvery Thursday afternoon, I grab my yarn and knitting needles and join some of my colleagues at JAN for our “Yarn Club.” A mix of knitters and crocheters gather together...
Read More about Hobby Groups, Workplace Wellness, and Stress ReductionSupport from JAN In light of the tragedy that occurred at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando this week, I’d like to discuss how experiencing a traumatic event can lead to...
Read More about Resources for Those Affected by Trauma Related Disability and LGBTQ Workplace SupportsThis past November, JAN posted a Blog discussing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). SAD is often characterized as “winter blues;” it is a type of depression that is associated with the...
Read More about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — Only In the Winter? Not Always the CaseIn his beloved book, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Dr. Seuss writes about “The Waiting Place” — an imaginary (or perhaps not) place in life where everyone is waiting for...
Read More about Avoiding “The Waiting Place” After Requesting Medical InformationThe Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) recently held its annual FMLA/ADA Employer Compliance Conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Being an ADA/FMLA geek, I always enjoy this event and believe it ranks...
Read More about New Employer’s Guide to the Family and Medical Leave Act Announced at DMEC Employer Compliance ConferenceCooking and eating together are powerful ways of building relationships and creating a sense of community at work. Whether you are seeking to include an employee in cooking activities, or...
Read More about Accommodating Cooks with Low VisionMany JAN customers contact us with an interest in starting a food related business. Below is a sample of the type of food businesses we have been contacted about: Food...
Read More about Tips for Starting a Food Related Small BusinessWhile some of you may be familiar with the two dyslexia fonts highlighted below, many may not be aware of the specifics of how they can assist as reading improvement...
Read More about Fonts for Readers with DyslexiaAccording to Autism Speaks, people all over the globe will wear blue and light up their communities for World Autism Awareness Day tomorrow, April 2, 2016. Autism Speaks is the...
Read More about April is National Autism Awareness Month. Let’s Light It up Blue!!After the long, dark, and cold winter, we yearn for spring. We look forward to warmth, flowers, birdsong, and spending time outdoors. We also look forward to the opportunity to...
Read More about Spring Cleaning Your WorkplaceThis year, The National Sleep Foundation will celebrate Sleep Awareness Week starting March 6th. The hope is to spread awareness of the importance of sleep to our health, safety, and...
Read More about Whether You Are a Night Owl or Morning Bird, Make Sure You Are Catching Your ZzzsAt the beginning of February, a few JAN consultants had the privilege to travel to sunny Orlando, Florida to attend the annual Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) conference. All week,...
Read More about JAN Goes to the ATIA Conference