EARN Newsletter: November 2023
Celebrating Veterans, Apprenticeships, and More!
EARN in Action
Observing National Family Caregivers Month
Observed every November, National Family Caregivers Month (NFCM) is a time to recognize and honor family caregivers across the country. Families are the primary source of support for older adults and people with disabilities in the United States and, as a result, can experience conflicts due to competing responsibilities. EARN’s “Caregiving and Workplace Flexibility” issue brief offers strategies for employers to implement flexible workplace policies that support employees who are also family caregivers.
Honoring Our Disabled Veterans
This month, EARN honored Veterans Day and Military Family Month by recognizing the valuable contributions veterans with disabilities bring to America’s workforce. Veterans, including those with service-connected disabilities, offer organizations of all sizes in all industries a source of qualified, committed talent with transferable skills proven in real-world situations. EARN’s “Disabled Veterans” webpage provides employers with information, resources, and answers to common questions about sourcing and recruiting veterans with disabilities.
Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week
EARN celebrated the 9th annual National Apprenticeship Week (NAW), a nationwide celebration showcasing the successes and value of Registered Apprenticeship (RA), by releasing a new online training course on inclusive apprenticeships. This year’s NAW theme, “Registered Apprenticeships: Superhighway to Good Jobs,” reaffirms RA’s reputation as a proven and industry-driven training model that expedites the pathway into good jobs and improves diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in the workplace. Similarly, EARN’s short, self-paced course reviews how disabled people can be a key part of the solution to closing the skills gap and helps employers create and maintain disability-inclusive workplaces.
Disability Employment in the News
Improving Data to Support the Home- and Community-Based Workforce
The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Health and Human Services (HHS) published a blog “Improving Data to Support the Home- and Community-Based Workforce” during NFCM. It highlights their commitment to support the critical home- and community-based workforce. This includes direct care workers such as personal care aides and direct support professionals who share the responsibility of caregiving with family members. These caregiving workers also make it possible for those they care for to live, work, and thrive in their communities. Via an interagency workgroup, DOL and HHS agencies seek to improve data and knowledge about these workers, help meet growing demand, and maximize access to high-quality care.
Solving the Accessibility Skills Gap with Apprenticeships
The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship (PIA), a DOL Office of Disability Employment Policy initiative and EARN partner, penned a blog post for the DirectEmployers Association. The blog “Apprenticeships: A Solution to the Accessibility Skills Gap” recognizes that the demand for accessibility professionals will likely continue to surge as emerging technologies enter more workplaces and proposes Registered Apprenticeship as a solution to help employers address their need for a pipeline of skilled and talented digital accessibility experts.
Ask EARN
Employer Spotlight
Northrop Grumman Corporation: How Partnerships and Mentorships Lead to Success
After LeAndre Yarrell retired from the U.S. Army and earned a college degree, he began to look for employment. His university connected him to programs that partner with several employer-sponsored internships, trainings, and other opportunities. Through these partnerships, LeAndre met his long-time mentor who helped him embrace his disability, grow his professional network, and eventually secure a successful career at Northrop Grumman.
The content in this newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
NFCM recognizes the caregivers who provide personal care, medical care, and other supports to family members—in addition to fulfilling their responsibilities and completing tasks at their jobs.
Mark Your Calendar
November 28, 2023, 1-2:30 p.m. ET
Webinar: Returning to the Office—Accessible Hybrid Meetings
This webinar, part of the Section 508 Best Practices Series co-sponsored by the Accessibility Committee of the U.S. Chief Information Officer’s Council, the U.S. Access Board, and EARN will explain how federal agencies, and employers in general, can ensure their physical workplace environments are accessible under the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) and their virtual environments are accessible under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Presenters from the U.S. Access Board will also offer recommendations, best practices, and available resources to maximize participation in the federal workspace—whether virtual, physical, or hybrid.
Register for the Returning to the Office Webinar.
December 3, 2023
Observance: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 3, International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPWD), raises awareness about the political, social, economic, and cultural experiences of disabled people worldwide. This observance reinforces the importance of securing the rights of people with disabilities to participate fully, equally, and effectively in all aspects of society.
Check out IDPWD Events and Resources.
December 8, 2023, 12-1 p.m. ET
Webinar: nTIDE Lunch & Learn
This webinar will present an overview of the National Trends in Disability Employment (nTIDE) Jobs Report and provide an update from the field of disability employment. Presenters include Andrew Houtenville from the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, John O’Neill from the Kessler Foundation, Denise Rozell from the Association of University Centers on Disabilities, and a guest panelist.
Register for the nTIDE Webinar.