Job Developing for People with Disabilities during Times of Increased Unemployment Topic 1: Addressing Health Risks

In the Employment Support Services cluster at Jewish Community Services (JCS) in Baltimore we have continued to support our individuals at work throughout the pandemic. We look at each situation very carefully. We have created over arching policies to cover many situations. But we still have to take different things into account on a case by case basis depending on the individual, their home situation, and their particular... more »

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Job Developing for People with Disabilities during Times of Increased Unemployment Online Dialogue. The Center for Public Representation (CPR) is a national legal advocacy organization that promotes the full integration and community participation of people with disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made more urgent the need for investment in provider transformation.... more »

The American Foundation for the Blind recently released the findings of the Flatten Inaccessibility research study, which investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on 1,921 blind and low vision participants. Participants repeatedly shared their frustrations with their lack of access to specific information about COVID-19, in addition to challenges with technology tools used to access employment and other life... more »

• Coordinate with the Bureau of Labor Statistics to add COVID-19 risk information to future versions of the Standard Occupational Classification System. With the pandemic having last over 6 months, epidemiologists and statisticians should possess enough raw data to be able to meaningfully make statistical estimates about risks of exposure to the coronavirus. The SOC system already collects a lot of data about different... more »

• Launch a DOL advisory panel under OSHA composed of employers, subject matter experts, workers with disabilities and workers with pre-existing conditions to address workplace risks. An advisory panel that reflects both personal experience and professional expertise could well be positioned to further refine and recommend policy ideas, regulatory changes or other actions to be taken by the federal government.

• Ensure easy access to telemedicine services for employees at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19. With everything going virtual, employers need to ensure that their employees with and without disabilities can readily access telemedicine services. This is especially the case if people are regularly risking exposure to the virus.

• Easy access to rapid COVID-19 testing needs to prioritized for essential workers and... more »

Job developers should ask employers about existing efforts around reasonable accommodations and employers should disclose what accommodations policies they have implemented since COVID-19 hit. No matter the present circumstances, the ADA and relevant workplace regulations remain in effect. Especially, those around providing accommodations to workers with disabilities. As such, job developers need to ask about what efforts... more »

Decreasing potential exposure to the virus is the most direct way of addressing the health risks involved with the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, employers have a responsibility to make it absolutely clear to jobseekers if the job can be performed remotely. If an employer does not make that clear, job developers should automatically encourage the employer to clarify immediately.

I have been working with several job seekers who are motivated to work, but have had to put their job searches on hold due to the health risks of working in the community. Some have strong technical skills and are exploring opportunities to work remotely; however, some have minimal technical skills and/or the ability to pay for internet services. I think there is a great need for training that prepares individuals for... more »

As Job Developers and Employment Specialists, we can advocate for the safety and health of those who we support in the workplace. One method we created at Arc Broward was to conduct a worksite safety checklist to ensure that the worksite was safe for our participants. In the event that areas of concern were noted, we can provide technical assistance to the employer. The worksite evaluation checklist includes items such... more »

Creating a DOL chat site for folks looking for solutions, resources, and sharing of medical advice/reports. Plus, on-site visits with a job coach prior to or on the first-day would be helpful. Sometimes others have had the same issue and can share their "hits and misses". Some ideas or techniques may fit a situation for one person but not another. One has to be flexible and patient in trying new ideas. Adjustments don't... more »

I read this research report this week https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wps.20806 that looks at mental illness, risk of COVID infection, and poor COVID infection outcomes. They looked at electronic health records for 61 million people in the US and found that people with mental illness had 7 times higher odds of getting COVID than those without mental illness. They also were also much more likely to be... more »

Many people with disabilities work essential jobs, use public transportation to get to their job, or have underlying conditions. These factors increase the risk of exposure to COVID. How are you helping job seekers navigate the decision of accepting a job or to continue to work the job?

Abby