Columbia University and The Arc are doing a study on paid family and medical leave with people affected by disabilities and need your help. For the study, they’d like to interview workers with disabilities and those who provide support to a friend or family member with a disability in California, New Jersey, New York, and North Carolina. They plan to conduct remote, one-on-one interviews by phone, web conference, or email to look at how paid family and medical leave programs can work better for them.

Can you help us recruit people who:

1. Work in California, New Jersey, New York, or North Carolina or have worked in these states in the past 2 years, AND
2. Have a disability OR provide support to a friend or a family member with a disability?

Interested people can call 929-900-5398 or email paidleavestudy@outlook.com with ‘The Arc’ in the subject line.

Anyone who is eligible and completes an interview will receive a $20 gift card.  [Read more…]

Legal professionals are invited to participate in a first-of-its-kind project aimed at better understanding the workplace experiences of today’s legal professionals.

The research project examines the opportunities and challenges facing individuals in the legal profession of the 21st century, with consideration of women, minorities, people of differing sexual orientations and gender identities, people with disabilities, and others. The American Bar Association is partnering with the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University on this study.

The 15-minute survey is anonymous and voluntary. It is approved by the Syracuse University Human Subjects Review Board. The findings will be used to help develop best practices in the legal profession.

• Take the survey

[Read more…]

• Virtual Career Fair Date: November 15, 2017
• Register and learn more about this event

Are you a person with a disability looking for a career opportunity or internship? This Virtual Career Fair is FREE for students and alumni with disabilities to attend. Competitive opportunities for every level of candidate, from experienced professionals, recent college graduates and college students with disabilities, to meet online with employers across the nation including Amazon, Apple, Citrix, DuPont, Microsoft, PricewaterhouseCoopers, US Department of Energy, & More!

Students and alumni are invited to interact with employers via chat sessions.  [Read more…]

What is the Rising Leaders Initiatives? The Rising Leaders Initiative involves two programs: the Mentoring Program and the Leadership Academy.

• The Mentoring Program is a six-month career mentoring opportunity to college students and recent graduates, including veterans, with disabilities.
• The Leadership Academy is an intensive two-day networking and career development opportunity that takes place during the USBLN Annual Conference.

USBLN is currently accepting applications for both programs! If you are a college student or recent graduate with a disability that has questions about transitioning into the business sector, they highly encourage you to apply for either program!

On the application form, you can choose which (or both) programs you’re interested in. Application deadline is December 18th, 2017.  [Read more…]

The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation is seeking exemplary professionals, and/or persons experiencing disability and/or family members of persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities who are currently working or volunteering in the field of inclusive services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation Public Policy Fellowship is a one-year, full-time, intensive immersion experience in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the Fellowship is to prepare emerging leaders to assume leadership roles in the public policy arena at the state and/or national levels. During this one-year Fellowship, the successful applicant will learn how federal legislation is initiated, developed, and passed by the Congress, as well as how programs are administered and regulations promulgated by federal agencies. Fellows also learn how the organized disability community works to shape public policy impacting people with disabilities, and their families.  [Read more…]

By: Sam Liss and James Turner, NCIL Employment/Social Security Subcommittee Co-Chairs

NCIL Employment / Social Security Subcommittee Co-Chairs James Turner and Sam Liss are pleased to acknowledge that participation in NCIL’s Employment/Social Security Subcommittee seems to be gaining momentum over the previous few months. Fortuitously, this comes at a time when the Subcommittee is tackling many important issues within its purview. In conjunction with heightened interest, the Co-Chairs are asking members of the Subcommittee to assume leadership on particular issues.

At this time, the Subcommittee is heartened and encouraged because its two policy proposals, arising from its Medicaid Buy-in (MBI) Task Force, appear to be gaining traction within Congress: the Subcommittee was granted a ½ hour teleconference by the House Social Security Subcommittee of the Ways and Means Committee. Staffers asked critical questions about the Childhood Disability Beneficiary (CDB) proposal and requested follow up. The other proposal, regarding changing MBI authorization language in the Ticket-to-Work/Work Incentive Improvement Act, was referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce, which holds jurisdiction.  Approaches to key members of Congress in both parties are under way. Both policy proposals would enhance employment incentives for those people with disabilities at retirement age.  [Read more…]

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that federal contractors and subcontractors – companies doing business with the federal government – take affirmative action to recruit, hire, employ, promote, and retain qualified people with disabilities. You can learn more about Section 503 with latest resource from Ticket to Work: Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act: Working for a Federal Contractor. This document answers frequently asked questions, including:

• What is Section 503?
• What does self-identification mean?
• What does Section 503 mean to Social Security disability beneficiaries?

Ticket to Work is also hosting a Work Incentives Seminar Event (WISE) webinar on September 27, which will focus on Ticket to Work and Work Incentives for people who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Register for this free webinar online.