Policy

This month’s Data Corner again examines the tracking data of National Trends In Disability Employment (nTIDE). In March 2023, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities yet again set an all-time high of 40.2% compared to 37.8% in March 2022. This is encouraging as it means the gap is narrowing between workers with and without disabilities. Workers without disabilities also experienced an uptick in the labor force participation rate, which rose from 77.2% in March 2022 to 77.6% in March 2023.

Likewise, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 34.1% in March 2022 to 36.6% in March 2023. For those without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased from 74.5% to 74.9%. [continue reading…]

On the last day of February 2023, I joined a roomful of employers, job seekers, and advocates in a conference center in San Francisco all united by one passion – building a workforce that was diverse, inclusive, and welcoming to all. This one-day event, hosted by Roy Baladi of Jobs for Humanity and cosponsored by the California Department of Rehabilitation, was a whirlwind of trainings, hands-on activities, and mentorship all oriented around this one singular goal.

The keynote remarks were delivered by Ken Oliver, Executive Director of Checkr.org. An employer himself, Oliver shared his story about rising from solitary confinement in prison where he educated himself in the law enough to realize that his civil rights were being violated, forming the foundation of a case that led to his eventual release. His experience and emergence into the job market later in life taught him the value of persistence and second chances, something that he has made into a career as a leader of the philanthropic arm of a company valued at $4.6 billion.

Throughout the day, Oliver’s charge to us rang in our ears, that many people don’t get a second chance, and that walking in the shoes of those we are committed to supporting is essential to eliminating bias and promoting fair chance. [continue reading…]

President Biden released his budget last week, and it has tremendous potential to advance the disability community, but only if disabled people are included and remain vigilant.

The budget includes a number of programs which are framed as making the economy more competitive and Americans more secure. The first thing of note is the specific call out of Home and Community-based Services (HCBS). The budget would invest $150 billion over 10 years to improve and expand Medicaid HCBS, to, in the words of the press release, “allow older Americans and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and stay active in their communities as well as improve the quality of jobs for home care workers.” This is the time to be strong advocates and partners to ensure not only that this funding becomes law, but that we continue to modernize programs to allow Medicaid recipients to work, to marry, and to fully participate in society.

The other direct mention of disability comes in the President’s educational priorities, where the press release by the White House specifically affirms that “[e]very child with a disability should have access to the high-quality early intervention, special education services, and personnel needed to thrive in school and graduate ready for college or a career.” This statement prefaces an announcement of a proposed $2.1 billion increase in Pre-K through 12 IDEA spending, and almost a billion dollars in early intervention spending. This is a prime opportunity to bring our collective voices to ensuring passage while strengthening special education practices and access throughout the country so that the money leads to the best outcomes. [continue reading…]

I recently researched three disability organizations in the countries of Afghanistan, India, and Kenya to find out the differences and similarities between what they and RespectAbility do. Upon exploring them, I realized the unifying thread that was the Convention on Rights for Persons with Disabilities. I believe that the U.S. should immediately ratify the treaty.

Here’s what I learned: [continue reading…]

Last month, we shared monthly employment data from the BLS. In this month’s Data Corner, we examine the National Trends In Disability Employment (nTIDE) and their work tracking employment for people with disabilities. We will also explore some educational data that shows some encouraging progress.

In February 2023, the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities rose to an all-time high of 40.2%, compared to 36.6% in February 2022. This is encouraging as we work towards closing the gap between workers with and without disabilities. Workers without disabilities experienced a smaller uptick in the labor force participation rate, which rose from 76.9% in February 2022 to 77.3% in February 2023.

Likewise, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities rose from 33.1% in February 2022 to 36.9% in February 2023. For those without disabilities, the employment-to-population ratio increased from 73.8% to 74.4%. [continue reading…]

The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act (TCIEA) was introduced in February 2023 in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Robert C. Scott (D-VA) and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA), and Sen. Steve Daines (R-MA). The bill is designed to end the exception to the minimum wage enacted in the 1930s which allows certain employers of people with disabilities to pay wages significantly under the minimum wage, as little as pennies an hour, colloquially known as subminimum wage. We recognize that this would realize one of our main strategic policy goals.

Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 instructed the Department of Labor (DOL) to provide certificates to employers specifically involved in the training of people with disabilities, allowing them an exemption to minimum wage standards. The original purpose of this exemption was to allow workshops for people with disabilities to continue operating through the end of the Great Depression, despite the fact that the federal government had enacted a minimum wage. It has long outlived this purpose, and has in fact created inequitable outcomes, and diverted people with disabilities from the more effective training programs available this century. [continue reading…]

As we roll out this new newsletter format, we are excited to have the opportunity to share recent and upcoming trainings. Where possible, we will include a link to registration or to a previous training. Even when it is not possible for you to register or watch a recording, we encourage our readers to carefully note subjects of interest. You may well be able to book a version of the same training through RespectAbility’s Disability Training and Speakers Bureau. Use these links to Meet The Speakers and learn about some of our existing Speaker Topics. If you find something of interest, you can Request Speakers Here.

On January 31, our Senior Director of Policy and Workforce Development, Wally Tablit, presented at the APSE Pacific Northwest Regional Event to more than 70 attendees from various states in the Pacific Northwest Region. This includes California, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, and Wyoming. There also were participants from Maryland, Oklahoma, and Philadelphia in attendance. Wally spoke to the critical need to infuse the concepts and movements of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility into the work of employment and workforce development for people with disabilities. Attendees learned of the importance and power of creating diverse teams, creating the necessary space to do the work of DEIA, and why it is an essential piece of your strategic plan and process to increasing employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

We also are excited to announce that we will be resuming our regular webinar schedule in early March with a presentation for Employee Resource Group members and other internal advocates on “Presenting the Business Case For Disability Inclusion Within Your Organization.” Learn more about that webinar and register to attend at our website.

Each month, RespectAbility’s Policy Department testifies on multiple plans and pieces of legislation, providing our insight, perspective, and advocacy.

This month, we are pleased to share recent testimony to the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board’s February 2023 meeting, and testimony to the Workforce Arizona Council regarding Public Comments on ARIZONA@WORK Job Center Vision and Structure of One Stop Delivery System. [continue reading…]

RespectAbility has long emphasized the importance of basing our inclusion practices and decision on hard data. We always have provided this data in press releases and trainings, and upon request. This new data corner feature is designed to supplement these other sources and share the raw data directly with you. We are starting simply in this first month, providing you with basic disability employment information as provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Please feel free to share other data that you would like to receive. While we will be updating this information monthly, you can always find current data, and much more, at www.bls.gov. [continue reading…]