What do tennis balls, a headlamp, and curtains all have in common? They can all be used as a reasonable accommodation in the workplace. But wait — how can that...
Read More about Don’t Break the Bank — Low Cost Accommodations Do Exist!During these unprecedented times there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty about the coronavirus. The unknown of how we may each be impacted, added to the stressors of work,...
Read More about Coronavirus (COVID-19), Stress, and Mental Health ConditionsI recently got back from presenting on workplace accommodations at a national safety conference. One common issue that came up repeatedly were instances when employees, both those with and without...
Read More about Syncope: Understanding What It Is and How to Accommodate ItYou’ve asked your employer for a screen reader and engaged in the interactive process. Now, your screen reading program is here and ready to use! Be aware, the software does...
Read More about Screen Reader TroubleshootingMaybe your desk is in the middle of a new open-floor office space your employer decided to lease. Maybe your colleagues are a bit too talkative throughout the day, or...
Read More about Accommodating Distracting Work SpacesServing on the motor team for 8 years, one issue that comes up time after time is emergency evacuation plans for an employee who uses a wheelchair. Whether it’s part...
Read More about A Practical Approach to Emergency Evacuation for Wheelchair UsersWe have all had moments of forgetfulness. Maybe you mixed up your Tuesdays and showed up to a medical appointment one week early; when you were a student, perhaps it...
Read More about Memory Difficulties in the WorkplaceAn employee with multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) experiences respiratory distress and headaches when exposed to certain fragrances. A coworker with generalized anxiety disorder uses essential oils to manage stress. How...
Read More about What’s that Smell? Balancing Fragrance-Related Accommodation Needs with the Need to Use Essential OilsWe 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 ConcernEmployers 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 StrategiesThis 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 CoachingFebruary 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 HeadsetsADHD 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 CancerLeave-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 ADAMay 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?With 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 Traumatic events happen every day. It is simply a question of what happens, to whom, and who feels the effects of that tragedy. The LGBTQ+ community is...
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 DyslexiaAfter 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 ConferenceIf you take a management class or two, you get a lot of theory. You might read about the Hawthorne Effect, which tells us that employees work harder when they...
Read More about Disability Inclusion as a Function of ManagingRemember the old saying, “He knows just enough to be dangerous”? I find this saying popping into my head over and over when I talk with employers about reassignment as...
Read More about As the Old Saying Goes…Lately, I’ve had that holiday tune, Baby It’s Cold Outside, melodically playing in my mind (imagine the Lady Gaga and Tony Bennet rendition). The song makes me smile and, ironically,...
Read More about Baby It’s Cold…InsideIt’s that time again! With all the holiday festivities at the end of the year, we may be tempted to bring in those leftovers, or wear that new perfume, but...
Read More about A Scent-Filled Season — Allergy Reminder for the End of YearAs I was driving on the interstate this past week, I couldn’t help but notice that most of the trees had lost their leaves. The beautiful reds, yellows, and oranges...
Read More about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — More than Gray Skies in WinterAt almost every event or conference I attend, one of the questions I’m frequently asked is, “What kind of businesses do people with disabilities start?” My response to the question...
Read More about What Kind of Businesses Do People with Disabilities Start?Not only is October National Disability Employment Awareness Month, but it is also Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. JAN is joining with others such as LD OnLine and the Learning Disabilities...
Read More about Recognizing Learning Disabilities (LD) Awareness MonthOne of the most positive things about more people surviving breast cancer, and cancer diagnoses in general, is that life after a diagnosis goes on, including one’s work life. Many...
Read More about Work After Breast CancerInclusion. Equality. Fairness. Respect. It’s reasonable to say that all of these words have significant meaning to everyone, particularly at work. All employees should be able to participate in, and...
Read More about Strategies for Developing a Transgender-Inclusive WorkplaceOctober 10th is World Mental Health Day. Originally celebrated in 1992 as an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, its objectives included raising awareness of mental health issues...
Read More about Mental Health Awareness – Creating a More Inclusive WorkplaceIn this final segment of the 2-part Blog on accommodations for healthcare workers with motor impairments, JAN Lead Consultant Elisabeth Simpson, MS., CRC, in collaboration with the founder of the...
Read More about Healthcare Workers with Motor Impairments – Part 2Over the years, JAN consultants have fielded questions from aspiring entrepreneurs with many different types of disabilities and every conceivable variation of business idea. Frog farm – we’ve heard of...
Read More about The Importance of Soft Skills for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities – Three Important TipsAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the health care and social assistance sector will account for almost a third of the projected job growth between 2012 and 2022....
Read More about Healthcare Workers with Motor ImpairmentsAre you a doodler? If you are, then you know how much your concentration and focus are improved while you doodle. If you aren’t a doodler, you just might not...
Read More about The Power of the DoodleIt’s late spring and with that comes many things: warmer weather, rain showers, flowers (and with them the pollen), Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, and a personal favorite of mine,...
Read More about “But you don’t look sick…”April is Autism Awareness Month, and in honor of that, we wanted to touch on how to accommodate employees with ASD by incorporating disability awareness training into the process. In...
Read More about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Disability Awareness TrainingA new law, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, is effective on June 27, 2023. Congratulations, you’re having a baby! You’re overwhelmed with thoughts about designing a nursery, buying baby clothes,...
Read More about Requesting Accommodations Due to Pregnancy-related LimitationsMarch is Brain Injury Awareness Month. The theme for the 2015 to 2017 campaign is: Not Alone. The Not Alone campaign provides a platform for educating the general public about...
Read More about Brain Injury Awareness MonthFor some, the month of February is about expressing love for family, friends, and even co-workers. For others, February is about thawing out from the cold and dark of winter...
Read More about February Heart Health — Accommodating Employees with Pacemakers in the WorkplaceBetween Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month, February is a time of year when connecting with others and taking care of ourselves is pushed to the forefront. So what better...
Read More about Finding Your Heart-Healthy BuddyFor individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), it can be difficult to take a deep breath at times. This difficulty may be triggered by temperature changes, humidity levels, contaminants,...
Read More about Take a Deep BreathFor years, JAN consultants searched for an office chair that can elevate while a person is seated in the chair and that also has a braking system to prevent the...
Read More about Elevating Lift Office ChairsTailored Label Products, Inc. (TLP) is a manufacturer of custom labels and die cut adhesives located in Menomonee Falls, WI. TLP won a 2014 APSE award for being a...
Read More about Employer Perspective – On the Benefits of MentoringBy: Teresa Goddard, Senior Consultant, Sensory Team Recently, JAN’s Sensory Team has received a number of calls involving employees who are having difficulty purchasing or repairing hearing aids. Some employers...
Read More about Focus on Effective Workplace Accommodations for Employees with Hearing ImpairmentsOn August 5, 2014, JAN presented a Webcast entitled Best Practices – Employment and Service Dogs: Perspectives from Assistance Dog Experts during International Assistance Dog Week featuring assistance (or “service”)...
Read More about Assistance Dogs in the Workplace – Reflections on How to Make It Work – Part 2With the recent tragic loss of legendary actor and comedian Robin Williams, there has been much discussion surrounding mental health issues and depression in particular. According to the National Institute...
Read More about Spotlight on Accommodating Individuals with Depression in the WorkplaceOn August 5, 2014, JAN presented a Webcast during International Assistance Dog Week featuring assistance (or “service”) dog experts Dr. Margaret Glenn and Marcie Davis. For those who missed the...
Read More about Assistance Dogs in the Workplace – Reflections on How to Make It Work – Part 1The JAN Team focuses on technology – new and old – and its possible applications in accommodating people with disabilities in the workplace. Lyssa Rowan, New Media Assistant One of...
Read More about JAN Blog – Focus on TechnologyJAN is fortunate to have many thriving collaborations with organizations throughout the U.S. seeking to advance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. One of our strongest alliances is with the...
Read More about Employment Matters: A Conversation with Steve Nissen at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) – National Capital ChapterApril is National Donate Life Month focusing attention on the importance of organ and tissue donation in much needed medical transplants. Donate Life America and its partnering organizations feature activities...
Read More about April is Donate Life Month: Accommodations for Employees Who Have Received Organ TransplantsMarch 3-7 is Telework Week 2014 – a global initiative that strives to raise awareness of the many benefits arising when employers provide the option for their employees to telework....
Read More about Telework Week 2014 Begins with a March SnowstormWhile our thoughts this month are focused on Valentine’s Day, the American Heart Association uses February each year to bring awareness to some pretty grave statistics. According to the Centers...
Read More about February is American Heart MonthThe American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. For more than...
Read More about Go Red! February 7th is National Wear Red DayWhen I’m on the road presenting, I often get this question. Usually it is from a supervisor or hiring manager, but at times from a human resource (HR) specialist who...
Read More about The Manager’s Dilemma: “An employee is asking about a co-worker’s accommodation. As a manager, what do I say?”November was American Diabetes Month, so predictably JAN consultants received many inquiries about accommodations for employees with diabetes. JAN customers often ask about the most common type of accommodation for...
Read More about Service Dogs as a Workplace Accommodation for Employees with DiabetesWhen we talk about making facilities accessible and useable as a type of accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), most people don’t necessarily think about invisible barriers that...
Read More about Scents and Sensitivity in the WorkplaceNovember is National Epilepsy Awareness Month focusing attention on the experiences of individuals with epilepsy and seizure disorders in many aspects of their daily lives, including employment. JAN is offering...
Read More about Spotlight on National Epilepsy Awareness MonthBy: MSKTC Staff Do you have a spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or burn injury? Or do you care for someone who does? If the answer to...
Read More about Learn How the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) Can Help You!October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and this year’s theme is “Because We Are EQUAL to the Task.” While this month is a great time to raise awareness of...
Read More about Thoughts from JAN’s Co-Directors for National Disability Employment Awareness MonthUnless you have been living with your head in the sand at your favorite beach, you know that the back-to-school season is upon us. If you have ventured into any...
Read More about It’s Back to School Time – Accommodating Educators with DisabilitiesFor applicants or employees who are in mental health recovery and struggling vocationally (including family members, friends or professionals who are assisting them), it may be helpful to consider looking...
Read More about JAN and Vocational Psychiatric Rehabilitation Programs Provide Complementary Employment SupportsDinah Cohen is the Director of the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) at the U.S. Department of Defense. Ms. Cohen works closely with senior leadership throughout the Federal sector to ensure...
Read More about JAN Guest Interview: Dinah Cohen, Director of the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), U.S. Department of DefenseCómo comunicar las discapacidades y las acomodaciones a los compañeros de trabajo. El Acta para Americanos con Discapacidades prohíbe a los empleadores comunicar a los compañeros de trabajo cualquier información...
Read More about Cómo comunicar las discapacidades y las acomodaciones a los compañeros de trabajoAcomodaciones en el empleo: desde el estilo casero al estilo gourmet Existen acomodaciones en el empleo de todas las formas y todos los tamaños, las hay de naturaleza muy técnica...
Read More about Acomodaciones en el empleo: desde el estilo casero al estilo gourmetJAN Consultants handle a wide-range of employment inquiries from people all over the country. Every week there are issues that trend for one reason or another. For example, this week...
Read More about Trending Topics – Nursing Mothers and the ADAMany of us are aware of the influence of JAN’s services in the United States, but our impact is at times international in scope. A recent Canadian Report from the...
Read More about JAN in the News – Private Sector Report from Our Neighbors to the NorthWhat Works for Me? The JAN Blog is an opportunity for you to share with others your workplace accommodation solutions. JAN receives over 45,000 contacts per year – conversations with...
Read More about JAN Blog: What Works for Me?