Each October, the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM celebrates the contributions of workers with disabilities and educates about the value of a workforce inclusive of their skills and talents.

In an effort to create disability-inclusive workplaces, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has provided a Workplace Accommodation Toolkit that aims to help employers go above-and-beyond the basic compliance required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Workplace Accommodation Toolkit includes resources for:

• Recruiters and hiring managers, such as recruitment sources and accessibility tips;
• Supervisors and managers, including accommodation procedures and training videos;
• Internal reasonable accommodation subject matter experts, like employee resource groups;
• IT professionals, regarding digital accessibility for applicants and employees; and
• Employees with disabilities and allies, including accommodation types and confidentiality.

JAN, who is supported in part by the Department of Labor’s ODEP, proudly provides “free, confidential technical assistance about job accommodations and the ADA.” The Workplace Accommodation Toolkit is an important resource for employers who are seeking to access the significant value that individuals with disabilities add to the workforce and economy.

Federal contractors or subcontractors who have been selected for Section 503 Focused Reviews should take particular notice of JAN’s Workplace Accommodation Toolkit to consider how they may be able to make their accommodation policies more accessible and inclusive.

The Workplace Accommodation Toolkit can be found on our website or the JAN website.

For more information regarding National Disability Employment Awareness Month, see ODEP’s website.