Disability Law Commons^™

Options For Youth With Disabilities: A Focus On Competitive Integrated Employment Limits, Tatyana Safronova

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

For people with disabilities, employment outcomes are discouraging. In 2021, only 19% were employed, a third of the employment rate for people without disabilities.1 Disabled individuals worked part-time because they could not find full-time work or because of a reduction in hours. 2 Fewer disabled persons had bachelor or higher degrees, and fewer worked in professional and managerial positions than people without disabilities. 3 To make it possible for disabled adults to get well-paying jobs, we must ensure that disabled youth have a solid educational foundation. That requires that more youth graduate high school; only 68.2% of students with disabilities …

Doing The Right Thing, The Right Way, The First Time: Decision-Making In Public And Private Arenas Regarding The Use Of Service Animals, Maureen E. Lally-Green, Annemarie Harr Eagle Esq., Bridget M. Green

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Qualified Does Not Mean Over Qualified: The Ada’S Accommodation Of Last Resort Should Not Be A Competition!, Dana Ortiz-Tulla

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Rights And Obligations: Commemorating The 30th Anniversary Of The Americans With Disabilities Act Of 1990, Sharon Shapiro-Lacks

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Covid-19 Employee Health Checks, Remote Work, And Disability Law, Elizabeth Pendo

All Faculty Scholarship

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, about 61 million individuals in the U.S. The law’s protections in the workplace are especially important during COVID-19, which has worsened pre-existing disparities experienced by people with disabilities. The ADA also applies to new strategies to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection in the workplace. This Chapter will focus on two strategies that impact individuals with and without disabilities – employee health screening, testing and vaccination policies, and new or expanded remote work programs.

The Pro Bono Collaborative Project Spotlight: Can You Help? December 2020, Roger Williams University School Of Law

Pro Bono Collaborative Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Employment First In A Time Of Pandemic, Julie J. Christensen Phd, Msw

Developmental Disabilities Network Journal

No abstract provided.

Internet Architecture And Disability, Blake Reid

Indiana Law Journal

The Internet is essential for education, employment, information, and cultural and democratic participation. For tens of millions of people with disabilities in the United States, barriers to accessing the Internet—including the visual presentation of information to people who are blind or visually impaired, the aural presentation of information to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the persistence of Internet technology, interfaces, and content without regard to prohibitive cognitive load for people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities—collectively pose one of the most significant civil rights issues of the information age. Yet disability law lacks a comprehensive theoretical approach …

Should Veterans Disability Compensation Be Conditional Upon Veterans Working Towards Rehabilitation And Return To Employment?, Heather Ansley, Aniela Szymanski

University of the District of Columbia Law Review

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has experienced dramatic increases in its budgets since September 11, 2001.1 Increasing federal deficits during this time has led Congress to seek spending cuts, causing tensions in efforts to ensure that a declining veteran population receives the quality benefits and services they earned through years of service.2While the number of veterans in the United States has steadily been declining due to veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam dying,3 the number of veterans receiving disability compensation has risen dramatically due to injuries sustained by service members in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and …

The Future Of Disability Rights Protections For Transgender People, Kevin M. Barry, Jennifer L. Levi

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Supporting Employment Consultants In Their Work With Job Seekers. A Longitudinal Study, Alberto Migliore, John Butterworth, Oliver Lyons, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Paul Foos, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

BACKGROUND: A key step for increasing the employment outcomes of job seekers with disabilities includes ensuring that employment consultants who assist them have the tools to succeed, including feedback about how they are performing. OBJECTIVE: Supporting employment consultants in their work with job seekers by providing feedback about the implementation of the support strategies recommended in the literature. METHODS: Sixty-one employment consultants completed a daily survey for one year, on their smartphones. RESULTS: Providing supports that lead to hire represented 30% of the employment consultants’ work time. When providing supports that lead to hire, most of the primary interactions were …

Bringing Employment First To Scale: Pushing The Integrated Employment Agenda: A Case Study Of Maryland’S High-Performing Employment System, Jean Winsor, Cady Landa, Allison C. Hall, Caro Narby, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

This brief summarizes data collected from key informants in Maryland about the state’s efforts to support integrated employment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). It highlights features that contribute to the effectiveness of Maryland’s collaborative structures that have resulted in the state’s success in achieving integrated employment outcomes for individuals with IDD across three state systems: IDD, vocational rehabilitation (VR), and education. Presentation of these features is organized by the seven elements of the Higher-Performing States Employment Framework. These elements have been found to be important in achieving higher rates of competitive integrated employment outcomes for people with …

State Employment First Policies #2: Engaging Stakeholders In Development And Implementation, Jennifer Bose, Jean Winsor, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

This brief is the second in a series focusing on Employment First implementation as it relates to one of the seven elements within the High-Performing States in Integrated Employment model. It looks at the interagency collaboration and partnership element in depth. Interagency partnership and collaboration includes interagency agreements and relationships, provider collaboration, and outreach to stakeholders to ensure that integrated employment is a shared goal.
Case study data was collected for a sub-sample of seven states: Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Kansas (KS), Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), Tennessee (TN), and Washington (WA). These states were selected because they represent a wide …

Bringing Employment First To Scale: Writing For Families: Tips To Increase The Impact Of Training Materials, Jennifer Bose, John Kramer, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

This brief covers some of the lessons learned in reviewing literature designed to engage with families about employment. It suggests some tips and strategies to use with families to increase effective involvement and collaboration.

Building An Evidence-Based, Holistic Approach To Advancing Integrated Employment, Allison C. Hall, John Butterworth, Jean Winsor, John Kramer, Kelly Nye-Lengerman, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Since the introduction of supported employment in the Developmental Disabilities Act of 1984 and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1986, there has been continued development and refinement of best practices in employment services and supports. Progress includes creative outcomes for individuals with significant support needs including customized jobs and self-employment, community rehabilitation providers that have shifted emphasis to integrated employment, and states that have made a substantial investment in Employment First policy and strategy. Despite these achievements, the promise of integrated employment remains elusive for the majority of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The number of individuals supported in …

Meshing Employment Services, John Kramer, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston, Nicole Jorwic, Nancy Mercer, Jill Pierce, Kevin Walker

ThinkWork! Publications

Working with vocational rehab, DDS, and community agencies to secure community employment with the supports you need for success!

Sb 201 - Sick Leave, Mary Elizabeth D. Steinhaus, Chadwick L. Williams

Georgia State University Law Review

The Act amends Georgia’s general provisions relating to labor and industrial relations by adding a new provision that requires qualifying employers to allow their employees to use sick leave to care for immediate family members.

Rrtc On Advancing Employment: Bringing Employment First To Scale, John Butterworth, Amie Lulinski, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

In July 2017, ThinkWork conducted a State of the Science session the The Summer Leadership Institute hosted by The Arc of the United States.

State Of The Science Paper – Engaging Families, Brief Summary, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This brief summarizes a paper (State of the Science: Engaging Families, 2017) that explores the role of families in individuals’ employment outcomes through a scoping literature review, as well as findings from a qualitative study involving family members and individuals.

Uber’S Dilemma: How The Ada May End The On-Demand Economy, Bryan Casey

University of Massachusetts Law Review

This article is the first to point out that a few relatively low-profile lawsuits involving Uber’s liability under the ADA could have an outcome-determinative effect on O’Connor v. Uber Technologies, Inc., the blockbuster employment misclassification case brought against the startup by its own drivers. Because both types of lawsuits hinge on the role that drivers play within Uber’s business model, a ruling in favor of ADA liability which compelled Uber to exert additional control over its drivers would also, in turn, jeopardize the drivers’ legal status as independent contractors. Such an outcome would be catastrophic to Uber’s core business model, …

Exploring The Impact Of Community Service On Career Exploration, Self-Determination, And Social Skills For Transition-Age Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Agnes Zalewska, Allison C. Hall, Sheila Fesko, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Bleak transition outcomes for youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), coupled with the surge in incidence, has led to the need for focused and innovative transition strategies. While structured community service reveals promise, documentation of how community service experiences contribute to building employment skills for youth with intellectual/developmental disability (IDD), including those with ASD, is under-researched. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of a community service on employment skill-building for youth with ASD. Findings from 23 qualitative interviews with a range of stakeholders showed positive perceptions in the areas of career exploration, self-determination, and social skill …

Partnerships In Employment Brief: Guidance On How To Obtain Data On The Use Of Subminimum Wages Within A State To Inform Systems Change Activities, Evelyn Doxey, Leslie Jaehning, Elise Mcmillan, Kristin Vandagriff, Jean Winsor

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

In October 2011, the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities awarded grants to lead agencies in six states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, and Wisconsin. Two additional states, Alaska and Tennessee, received grants in October 2012. These states proposed activities to spur improved employment and postsecondary outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Until the end of September 2016 the Institute for Community Inclusion and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services provided training and technical assistance (TA) to the eight state projects through the Partnerships in Employment (PIE) Training and TA Center.

PIE …

Rrtc On Advancing Employment: Bringing Employment First To Scale, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

The RRTC on Advancing Employment for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, housed at the Institute for Community Inclusion at UMass Boston, is convening a State of the Science process in 2017. Towards that end, we are hosting a variety of listening sessions with multiple audiences to reflect the level of stakeholder engagement that has been a hallmark of the RRTC since our launch. In this listening session, we will focus on a “knowledge to action” agenda that grounds our research in issues important to the lives of individuals with disabilities and the systems and people that provide support. This …

Provider Organizational Transformation And Integrated Employment, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Wally Tablit, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This webinar was so popular, we decided to run it again! Provider agencies across the country are transitioning from segregated “sheltered” workshop options to supporting integrated community careers for people with disabilities. This process of organizational transformation can be both exciting and challenging for provider staff and the people they serve. In this webinar, ICI researcher Jaimie Timmons shared findings from the RRTC on Advancing Employment for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Jaimie shared the results of a Delphi panel of experts who examined 6 characteristics considered essential for provider transformation. Wally Tablit from AtWork in Washington state co-presented …

Partnerships In Employment Brief: Influencing Changes In State Policy And Practice With Data On Subminimum Wages, Evelyn Doxey, Leslie Jaehning, Elise Mcmillan, Kristin Vandagriff, Jean Winsor

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Subminimum wage is a pervasive and controversial issue. In many states there are individuals with disabilities who earn as little as seven cents an hour and workers who do not earn any wages because they do not produce enough products to be paid wages for their work according to the 14(c) Certificate holder.

There are many ways that data on wages earned under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act, i.e., 14(c) Certificates can be used to influence changes in state policy and practice. This brief describes examples from Partnerships in Employment grantee states.

Listen Up! Listening Session For The Rrtc On Advancing Employment, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Slides from a conference listening session about the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on Advancing Employment for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Unreasonable Accommodation: Examining Eeoc V. St. Joseph’S Hospital, Inc. And Noncompetitive Reassignment, Amy Rankin

Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review

No abstract provided.

Work And Community Engagement: Shifting Services And Supports To Help Individuals Have The Lives They Want, Cindy Thomas, Amie Lulinski, Jennifer Sulewski, Erin Leviton, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

Significant change is underway to insure that services maximize opportunities for full engagement in the community. This session includes two projects, the RRTC on Advancing Employment for Individual with IDD and the Community Life Engagement Project and panelists from MA and DC to discuss the implications of research findings on service transformation and the integration of work and non-work supports to support individuals to have full and productive lives.

'New Conversations About Integrated Employment' Webinars Shine A Fresh Light On Issues In Our Field, Melanie Jordan, Allison Cohen Hall, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

This poster session highlights creative thinking about employment supports. The RRTC on Advancing Employment for Individuals with IDD has launched an interactive and dynamic webinar series with a twist ? to expose participants to new ideas, provoke reactions, and inspire them to think differently about such topics as Employment Professionals as Leaders for Change; the Real Meaning of Informed Choice; and Reframing the Benefits Conversation Around Financial Well-Being.

Provider Transformation And Integrated Employment, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Allison Hall, Tom Heinz

All Institute for Community Inclusion Publications

No abstract provided.