JAN Newsletter – January 2023

Question

Where can employers find recommendations and resources to help them in their efforts to improve indoor air quality and lower the risk of airborne spread of viruses?

Answer

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers a fact sheet that provides step-by-step guidance for improving ventilation and indoor air quality. Guidance includes such steps as creating an action plan for clean indoor air, optimizing fresh air ventilation, and enhancing air filtration and cleaning using a central HVAC system and in-room air cleaning devices. The fact sheet also provides resources for additional technical assistance and tools.

Clutter can be a problem for anyone, but for some people with cognitive disabilities it can interfere with job performance and productivity. If clutter is a problem for you, the following tips may help you organize your workspace and reduce clutter to a more manageable level.

• Don’t become overwhelmed when you look at the area about to be cleaned. Take heart! Be brave! 
• Start from one side of the room, area, or desk and move in a path to the opposite side.
• Remove tools, gadgets, and gizmos that you rarely use. Place them in a storage area that is convenient for when you need them.
• Do you have books that you rarely use? Place those into storage as well. If you haven’t used a book within the last 30-60 days, it is probably not something you need to have at your fingertips.
• If you are a collector of whatnots and trinkets, consider limiting the number you display on your desk at a time. Put the others into storage and plan to rotate them in and out for a fresh new look.
• If you have extra furniture in your space that is not used, consider removing it. It may just end up being a surface that collects clutter.
• Consider hanging photos of your family, sports teams, etc., on the walls instead of having them take up desk space.
• Make sure that your desk drawers contain what you need handy. If you have items in your desk that you don’t use on a regular basis, put those into storage as well.
• If you have a mountain of paperwork, go through it with three things in mind: things that require action, things to file away, or things to toss.
• Use color-coded files to help identify them with ease.
• Invest in stackable bins or trays for papers and label them.
• Use a bulletin or magnetic board to keep frequently used items, schedules, or policies/procedures within eyesight. If you are a person who likes to collect photos, cards, or other items, consider having one board for work use and one for personal use.
• Keep a trash can handy while opening mail. Toss anything that does not need to be responded to or referenced.
• If your office recycles paper, keep a desk tray handy and empty it in the main recycling area at least weekly.
• Arrange the items on your desk and in your office according to how you use them. Your desk and surrounding office/cubicle space may look different if you are left-handed, for example. 
• Try to reserve 10 minutes at the end of each day to put things away, clear off your workspace, and prepare for the next day.

From Less Clutter, More Productivity.

• Accommodation Strategies for Returning to the Workplace
• Departments and Agencies Commit to Cleaner Indoor Air Across the Nation 
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air in Buildings Challenge
• Lancet: Proposed Non-infectious Air Delivery Rates (NADR) for Reducing Exposure to Airborne Respiratory Infectious Diseases
• Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): Clean Indoor Air Benefits Everyone 
• OSTP Fact Sheet: Departments and Agencies Commit to Cleaner Indoor Air Across the Nation 

JAN Webcast Series Launched with Ask JAN! Q&A

The 2023 JAN Webcast Series launched this month with a live “Ask JAN! Q&A.” JAN consulting staff discussed trending job accommodation and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) topics and answered attendee questions related to navigating the accommodation process.

View the Webcast

Learn About “Heartbeat Accommodations”

Sometimes the best accommodation approach is to implement an accommodation with a heartbeat! “Supports and Services: Accommodations with a Heartbeat” will cover the ins and outs of implementing supports and services as job accommodations. Heartbeat accommodations involve support provided by a human or animal, for example a service or emotional support animal, job coach, interpreter, mentor, or support person.

Register to Attend JAN's Webcast

EARN to Offer Webinar on “Organization-Wide Accessibility”

Accessibility is the foundation of an inclusive, supportive workplace. To support all employees, including those with disabilities, it’s important that staff at every level understand and embrace a holistic and organization-wide accessibility plan. EARN will host a free webinar that will offer effective strategies employers can use to develop and sustain a fully accessible workplace. Attend “Organization-Wide Accessibility: Everyone Plays a Part” on February 15, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

Register to Attend EARN's Webinar

Collaborative Long COVID Webcast to Air in March

Representatives from JAN, EARN, and the Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Long COVID Think Tank will collaborate to present the webcast “What You Should Know About the Impact of Long COVID in the Workplace” on March 9, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. This presentation will include information about the impact of Long COVID in the workplace and recent insights reported in the resource, Long COVID: Assessing and Managing Workforce Impact. Panelists will also share tips for navigating the accommodation process and accommodation solutions and practical resources related to Long COVID.

Register to Attend the Collaborative Webcast