ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
 

2009-2012
 

REAL PEOPLE


 REAL IMPACT
 

OFFICE OF DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT POLICY 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for 

Office of Disability Employment Policy 

Washington, D.C. 20210 

Dear Colleagues and Friends, 

One of the most rewarding aspects of working for the Department of Labor (DOL) is supporting its mission of improving job opportunities for America’s workers. As the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability 

Employment Policy, it has been my pleasure since 2009 to oversee the efforts of the Office of Disability 

Employment Policy (ODEP) to ensure that people with disabilities are fully included in this mission. 

ODEP has worked steadfastly to address the persistent barriers to employment for people with disabilities. 

In this pursuit, we have been fortunate to work with many dedicated partners in both the public and private 

sectors. As a result, the conversation about disability employment continues to evolve from one focused 

on whether people with disabilities can work to how they can succeed in and improve our workplaces. 

The achievements and resources highlighted in this report are illustrative of the wide breadth of ODEP’s 

activities in support of the Obama Administration’s disability employment agenda. Among ODEP’s many 

accomplishments, I would particularly like to note that ODEP has:

 • Increased employment opportunities for people with disabilities in small and minority-owned

 businesses by distributing $4.6 million to eight grantees through the Add Us In initiative to test 

new approaches;

 • Enhanced the capacity of the workforce system to provide employment services to people 

with disabilities by collaborating with DOL’s Employment and Training Administration on the 

Disability Employment Initiative to issue policy guidance and to distribute more than $63 million 

in grants to 23 states;

 • Increased the employment of people with disabilities in the Federal Government by supporting 

the implementation of the President’s Executive Order 13548;

 • Promoted integrated employment at competitive wages as the preferred goal for individuals 

with significant disabilities by developing tools and assisting states to adopt such strategies;

 • Improved services to transitioning youth by developing and promoting a soft skills curriculum 

and use of individual learning plans;

 • Fostered the development and adoption of accessible workplace technology so that all workers 

have the productivity tools they need to succeed;

 • Educated the public about disability employment by developing and distributing videos, 

public service announcements, reports, guidance, web tools, posters, and other products; and

 • Established credible, consistent data on the employment of people with disabilities by helping 

to fund and develop new supplements and tabulations for national employment surveys. 

This report contains a myriad of resources, reports, and examples showing how ODEP has countered 

negative perceptions about the employability of people with disabilities; increased access to training, 

employment and youth transition services; and expanded access to employment supports and job 

accommodations. The table of contents can help locate resources most relevant to you and your 

constituents. In most cases, there are Web links directly to the resources. ODEP is proud to have 

contributed to the Administration’s efforts to ensure that America’s promise of equal opportunity 

includes our nation’s more than 57 million people with disabilities. 

Sincerely, 

Kathy Martinez 

WORKFORCE • OPPORTUNITY • LEADERSHIP
	
TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Provided Reliable and Accurate Disability Employment Statistics ..................1
 

Supported Employers in Making Their Workplaces Inclusive by
 

Providing Extensive Training, Support, and Technical Assistance.....................1
 

Assisted in the Development of Legislation and Regulations 

Increased Employment Opportunities
 

.............................2
 

in Small and Minority-Owned Businesses .........................................................................2
 

Strived to Make the Federal Government
 

and its Contractors Model Employers...................................................................................3
 

Strived to Make DOL a Model Employer of People with Disabilities 

Dispelled Outdated Stereotypes through Public Information
 

..............5
 

Campaigns and Outreach ..............................................................................................................6
 

Forged Strategic Partnerships to Enhance Employment Opportunities.......7
 

Enhanced the Capacity of the Workforce Development System to
 

Meet the Employment-Related Needs of People with Disabilities .................7
 
__________________________________________________________ 

TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) 

Promoted Integrated Employment ........................................................................................9
 

Promoted Customized Employment - An Individualized Approach
 

Enhanced Employment Opportunities for Aging Workers
 

Supported State Level Employment First Initiatives..................................................9 

to Job Development That Leads to Integrated Employment .............................10
 

with Disabilities ................................................................................................................................10
 

Promoted Workforce Flexibility, A Win-Win Strategy............................................11
 

Promoted Cross-Systems Collaboration through
 

Technical Assistance .......................................................................................................................11
 

Initiated Efforts to Improve the Employment Opportunities 

and Outcomes for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Support of the
 

National HIV/AIDS Strategy.......................................... ..............................................................11
 

Promoted Workplace Accommodations through the
 

Increased Knowledge and Understanding about Workplace
 

Co-Chaired the Federal Partners’ Committee on Women and Trauma ......12
 

Promoted Positive Transition Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults ........12
 

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)................................................. ...................................13
 

Promoted Accessible Workplace Technology ..............................................................14
 

Promoted Accessible Transportation Access ............................. ...................................15
 

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) ......................................................................................16
 

RELATED SUBJECT LINKS ........................................................................................................ A - G
 

 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012
 

Provided Reliable and Accurate Disability 

Employment Statistics 

• In collaboration with DOL’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ODEP sponsored 

the addition of new questions to the Current Population Survey (CPS) to provide 

credible, consistent data that is updated monthly. In 2012, DOL developed and 

conducted a CPS Supplement to collect more detailed information about the 

characteristics and employment situation of people with disabilities to inform 

future policy and demonstration pilot initiatives. 

• In collaboration with the U.S. Census Bureau and DOL’s Office of Federal Contract 

Compliance Programs (OFCCP), ODEP developed and funded a Disability 

Employment Tabulation, which uses data from the American Community Survey to 

allow for comparisons by disability status, employment status, occupation, age, sex, 

race, citizenship, educational attainment, and earnings across various geographic 

levels. Released in March 2013, it is the first Census Bureau product providing 

in-depth labor force characteristics of people with disabilities. 

The data will serve as a resource for further education, research, evaluation, 

and policy initiatives. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Supported Employers in Making Their Workplaces Inclusive by 

Providing Extensive Training, Support, and Technical Assistance 

• Updated the existing business case, for hiring people with disabilities and 

in collaboration with the Wharton Business School, began a multi-year 

project to develop a compelling new business case. 

• Identified promising employment policies and practices for recruiting, hiring, 

retaining and advancing qualified individuals with
	

disabilities and compiled them into the “Business 

Strategies that Work Framework for Disability 

Inclusion” document.
	

• In collaboration with DOL’s Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Policy and 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Administration and Management’s 

(OASAM) Civil Rights Center, 

developed an interactive on-line 

advisor on disability nondiscrimination laws. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 1 
 

• Developed and disseminated numerous other technical assistance products 

such as toolkits and fact sheets on recruiting, hiring, and retaining employees 

with disabilities. 

IMPACT 

As a result of technical assistance provided through ODEP’s Employer 

Assistance and Resource Network, three Federal agencies in Albuquerque 

established Disability Employee Resource Groups: Kirtland Air Force Base, 

the U.S. Forest Service, and Army Corps of Engineers. The initiative in 

Albuquerque was so successful that the U.S. Forest Service is replicating 

the ERG nationally. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Assisted in the Development of Legislation and Regulations 

• Provided support and actively consulted with OFCCP in the development of the 

Notices of Proposed Rule Making for regulations implementing Section 503 of 

the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act 

(VEVRAA). 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Increased Employment Opportunities 

in Small and Minority-Owned Businesses 

• Provided $4.6 million in funding to 8 grantees through the Add Us In Initiative 

(AUI) to test and develop models to increase the capacity of small businesses, 

including those in underrepresented and historically excluded communities, 

to successfully employ people with disabilities. 

IMPACT
 A particularly strong early systems change impact of AUI was the connection between business organizations and education and vocational 

rehabilitation programs. Vocational rehabilitation programs, in particular, 

reported that they have benefited from exposure to the business 

perspective. Nonprofits have also expressed optimism about the longterm value of the soft skills training being developed through AUI. 

• Convened AUI-related events, including: 

— A National Diversity Forum to identify policies and strategies to increase 

and improve the labor force participation of people with disabilities in small 

businesses; 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 2 
 

— An Expert Strategy Meeting to explore disability employment policy through 

the lens of diversity and identify strategies to promote systems change within 

the workforce development system; and 

— A Small Business Stakeholder Engagement Discussion to further explore and 

verify barriers and concerns, as well as promising practices highlighted through 

early efforts of AUI consortia. 

IMPACT 

Several grantees have tackled some of the more difficult populations 

to serve—people with disabilities with additional challenges including 

homelessness, growing up in inner-city environments, imprisonment and 

felonies, gender identity stigma, mental illness stigma, gang violence, 

and high school dropouts. 

• In collaboration with the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN), 

developed a Small Business Disability Inclusion Fact Sheet. 

IMPACT 

By June of 2012, Round 1 grantees had made considerable inroads with 

employers and both Round 1 and Round 2 grantees had placed targeted 

people with disabilities in employment. 

3 

The Chicago AUI site is creating business incubators to help potential 

participants jump start their entrepreneurial endeavors. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Strived to Make the Federal Government 

and its Contractors Model Employers 

• In collaboration with the Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM), convened a disability 

hiring event and collaborated with the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) 

to develop a toolkit for federal agencies on 

implementing Executive Order 13548. A 

series of ABCs of Schedule A brochures 

for service providers, program managers 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 
 

and/or selective placement coordinators, hiring managers, human resource 

professionals, and applicants with disabilities was also developed. 

• Developed a Return-to-Work Toolkit, and, in collaboration with DOL’s Office 

of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP), conducted research on federal 

employees who sustained workplace injury or illness resulting in disability. 

• Conducted joint research with OPM and EEOC to identify effective practices 

contained in federal agencies’ plans to implement Executive Order 13548, 

and developed the related Federal Agency Employment Strategies Framework 

for Disability Inclusion. 

IMPACT 

The EEOC is incorporating the effective practices identified through 

ODEP’s research and documented in the Federal Agency Employment 

Strategies Framework for Disability Inclusion into its training materials. 

• Established a Federal Community of Practice for federal managers and human 

resources personnel, to advance the hiring and advancement of persons with 

disabilities. 

• In collaboration with the Department of Defense, provided federal employers 

with a pipeline of employees with disabilities through the Workforce 

Recruitment Program. 

IMPACT
 Since 2009, 2,379 students with disabilities obtained federal jobs

 through the Workforce Recruitment Program. 

• In collaboration with OPM, OWCP, the Computer/Electronic Accommodations 

Program, and EEOC, convened a day-long symposium, “Promising Employment 

Practices for People With Disabilities,” to train Federal Selective Placement 

Coordinators and Disability Program Managers. 

• Through the Employer Assistance and Resource Network, developed a roadmap 

for the successful implementation of Employer Resource Groups (ERGs) 

in the federal sector. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 4 
 

•		 In collaboration with the Federal Partners in Transition Workgroup, developed 

the Federal Schedule A Hiring Authority Fact Sheet: Tips for Youth and Young Adults 

with Disabilities Interested in Starting a Career with the Federal Government. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Strived to Make DOL a Model Employer 

of People with Disabilities 

• In collaboration with OASAM: 

— Established a centralized accommodations fund and worked to have a 

blanket purchase agreement put in place to allow DOL agencies to easily 

access personal assistant services. 

— Updated the Department’s Policy on Equal Opportunity and Policy
	

Statement on Harassing Conduct in the Workplace.
	

— Re-surveyed the disability status of DOL’s workforce. 

— Developed a Section 508 Implementation plan. 

• In collaboration with the District of Columbia’s Department of Disability Services, 

the District of Columbia’s Public Schools, the Kennedy Institute, and multiple 

agencies at DOL’s national headquarters, implemented the first Federal Sector 

Project SEARCH Initiative. 

IMPACT 

Following DOL’s successful development/implementation of the Project 

SEARCH Initiative at the federal level, the U.S. Departments of Education, 

Commerce, and Health and Human Services subsequently adopted 

the model. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 5 

c CLICK FOR RELATED 

SUBJECT LINKS 
 

Dispelled Outdated Stereotypes through Public Information 

Campaigns and Outreach 

• Convened Sector Summits to promote the employment of people with disabilities 

in the following industries: 

— Entertainment 

— Health Care 

— Financial Services 

— Manufacturing 

— Higher Education 

• Encouraged employers and others to recognize the value and talent people with 

disabilities bring to the workplace through the award-winning Campaign for 

Disability Employment (CDE), a collaborative effort with the American Association 

of People with Disabilities, the National Business and Disability Council, Special 

Olympics, the United States Business Leadership Network, the National Gay and 

Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, the Society for Human Resource Management, and 

the National Council of La Raza. 

• Created and produced an award winning “I Can” public service announcement 

(PSA) and a new “Because” PSA that was released in early 2013. 

IMPACT 

ODEP’s award winning “I Can” public service announcement 

(PSA) accrued more than 600 million media impressions and 

garnered more than $31 million in earned media value. 

• Conducted a “What can YOU do?” video contest to 

challenge filmmakers to produce disability employment 

awareness videos that reflect the diversity of skills 

people with disabilities offer, challenge common 

misconceptions about disability employment, and 

reinforce the CDE’s core message that, at work, it’s 

what people CAN do that matters. 

Winners were selected in three categories: 

employer, youth, and general public. 

c

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 6 

CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 
 

Forged Strategic Partnerships to Enhance 

Employment Opportunities 

• Entered Alliances with the following: 

— National Organization of Nurses with Disabilities 

— National Industry Liaison Group 

— Assistive Technology Industry Association 

— US Customs and Border Protection 

— HSC Foundation 

— National Association of Governors’ Committees 

on People with Disabilities 

— Partnership for Public Service 

— Society for Human Resource Management 

— US Business Leadership Network 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Enhanced the Capacity of the Workforce 

Development System to Meet the 

Employment-Related Needs 

of People with Disabilities 

• Collaborated with Employment and Training Administration to award 

over $63 million in Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) Grants to 23 states. 

— Year One: Kansas, Arkansas, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Virginia, Alaska, 

Maine and Delaware. 

— Year Two: California, Ohio, Hawaii, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin 

and Washington. 

— Year Three: Indiana, Florida, Massachusetts, Iowa, Minnesota, Louisiana, 

and Rhode Island 

IMPACT 

Several DEI projects (e.g., Alaska, Maine and Virginia) are holding Asset 

Summits designed to address the integration of asset-building strategies 

with the needs of individuals with disabilities in the public workforce 

system, and bring together stakeholders in a state and/or a local areas 

with the goal of creating greater awareness of the options for achieving 

economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities. Projects are also 

making significant connections between the workforce system and 

financial institutions (e.g., Alaska, Illinois and Maine). 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 7 
 

• In collaboration with ETA, jointly published “Building a Roadmap Out of Poverty 

for Americans with Disabilities: A Report on the Relationship of the Workforce 

Development System and Local Asset Building Coalitions.” 

IMPACT 

Real JOBS is a key partner of the Syracuse, New York DEI site. Funded 

by a Projects with Industry grant from the Rehabilitation Services 

Administration, Real JOBS is a collaboration of the Workforce 

Development Institute, Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, 

Schenectady County Community College, Adirondack Community 

College, and the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation 

Services. The program assists and supports individuals with psychiatric 

disabilities in securing and maintaining employment. Independent 

Living Centers (ILCs) offer both employment and non-employment 

services and supports to individuals with disabilities. 

• Issued joint policy guidance with ETA through Training and Employment Notices 

(TENS) to inform the public workforce system about: 

— Increasing the public workforce investment system’s participation in the 

Ticket to Work Program for disability beneficiaries (TEN No. 6-11) 

— ODEP’s Skills to Pay the Bills Curriculum (TEN No. 48-11) 

— The ODEP-developed Toolkit and White Paper on Improving Transition
	

Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities through Apprenticeship 

(TEN No. 10-09)
	

— Use of One-Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries 

in Four States Implementing Disability Program Navigator (DPN) 

Initiatives (TEN No. 01-10) 

— Increasing Enrollment and Improving
	

Services to Youth with Disabilities
	

(TEN No. 31-10)
	

• Issued two policy briefs 

examining the impact of the 

Great Recession on disability 

employment. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 8 
 

Promoted Integrated Employment 

•		 Developed an Integrated Employment Toolkit and related video with critical resources, 

organized by six stakeholder groups: Employers; Community Employment Agencies; 

Families and Individuals (both youth and adult); Policymakers; and Researchers. 

• Collaborated with the Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or 

Severely Disabled to develop a new policy focused on creating Quality Work 

Environments to increase choice, career advancement opportunities, and wages 

for individuals served by providers who use the commensurate wage certificate 

program authorized under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Supported State Level Employment First Initiatives 

•		 Initiated an Employment First State Leadership Mentor Program and, in 

collaboration with the Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 

launched an Employment First Community of Practice to assist states in aligning their 

funding and policy to promote integrated employment at minimum wage or above 

as the primary and preferred outcome for people with significant disabilities. 

IMPACT 

In late November 2012, ODEP convened a national meeting of 20 states 

involved in Employment First state policy alignment. Participants 

included not only the states ODEP is working with through its Employment 

First State Leadership Mentor Program, but also 8 states funded by the 

Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at HHS. 

Over 80 national and state leaders attended, focusing on knowledge 

translation of best practices for aligning policy and funding at the state 

level to promote employment as the first choice for youth and adults 

with the most significant disabilities. 

As a result of ODEP’s Employment First State Leadership Mentor Program: 

— The State of Iowa developed a comprehensive interagency 

memorandum of understanding and supplemental action plan that 

includes meaningful objectives and commitments from eight state 

agencies (the most comprehensive set of state partners focused on 

Employment First that we are aware of in the nation). 

— The State of Tennessee developed a proposed alternative delivery 

system and funding model strategy. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 9 
 

Promoted Customized Employment - An Individualized Approach 

to Job Development That Leads to Integrated Employment 

• Through the Knowledge Development and Translation Initiative, promoted the 

use of Customized Employment among employers, job seekers with disabilities, 

and employment specialists. 

• Collaborated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of 

the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Federal Employment 

Workgroup on Disability to issue Federal Financing of Supported Employment 

and Customized Employment for People with Mental Illnesses. 

•		 Released four Customized Employment videos, available in both English and Spanish. 

IMPACT 

Ohio’s Vocational Rehabilitation Systems are adopting Customized 

Employment and investing in the training of their staff in Customized 

Employment Certification (ACRE) as another employment option in the 

VR system. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Enhanced Employment Opportunities for Aging Workers 

with Disabilities 

• In collaboration with ODEP’s National Technical 

Assistance and Research Center to Promote 

Leadership for Increasing the Employment and 

Economic Independence of Adults with Disabilities, 

conducted a roundtable on Disability Implications 

of an Aging Workforce and developed an action 

strategy from the event. 

• Issued several reports that examine the disability 

implications of an aging workforce. 

•		 Convened the Aging Workforce Challenges for the Health Care Industry Workforce 

Forum to examine strategies the medical/health care profession can implement 

to ensure that older workers and workers with disabilities have the opportunity 

to continue to work in this profession as they age. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 10 
 

Promoted Workforce Flexibility, A Win-Win Strategy 

• Hosted a forum in collaboration with DOL’s Women’s Bureau (WB) on Advancing 

Workplace Flexibility Policies and Practices and issued a related synthesis report 

with federal, state, and local recommendations. 

• Developed a Workplace Flexibility Toolkit in collaboration with the WB which 

offers numerous resources regarding time, place, and job task flexibilities 

targeted to employers, employees, researchers, and policymakers. 

• Implemented a Workplace Flexibility - Universal Design Employer 

Demonstration Project. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Promoted Cross-Systems Collaboration through 

Technical Assistance 

• Developed numerous technical assistance products describing issues and 

strategies to aid state and federal systems, and agencies in successfully 

collaborating to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Initiated Efforts to Improve the Employment Opportunities 

and Outcomes for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Support 

of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy 

• Held the first-ever HIV/AIDS and Employment Roundtable at DOL. 

• In collaboration with the National Working Positive Coalition, convened an 

Institute on HIV/AIDS and Employment, an affiliated event of the XIX International 

AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012). 

• In collaboration with HHS, developed the first webpage dedicated to employment 

on AIDS.gov. 

• Launched an HIV/AIDS and Employment eWorkgroup, a collaborative workspace 

for stakeholders to work together to improve employment opportunities and 

outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

• Developed technical assistance and outreach resources related to employment 

and people living with HIV/AIDS. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 11 
 

Co-Chaired the Federal Partners’ Committee 

on Women and Trauma 

• With the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center 

for Mental Health Services as the other co-chair, the Committee convened and 

sponsored two retreats and two roundtables, and released a report on its efforts. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Promoted Positive Transition 

Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults 

•		 Conducted longitudinal research and a demonstration project to assess the 

effectiveness of Individualized Learning Plans in promoting college and career 

readiness in 14 (rural, urban and suburban) schools in 4 states (LA, NM, SC, and WA). 

IMPACT 

The State of Minnesota is using ODEP’s ILP research to 

inform its Career and Post-Secondary Planning Initiative 

while the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education 

is using this research as the foundation for its education 

reform efforts. 

• Issued joint guidance with ETA through a Training 

and Employment Guidance Letter (TEGL) to 

inform the public workforce system about 

increasing enrollment and improving services 

to youth with disabilities (TEGL No. 31-10). 

• In collaboration with ETA, designed and 

awarded funding to organizations in two 

states to lead consortia to develop innovative 

models for providing inclusive registered 

apprenticeship training to youth and young 

adults with disabilities. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 12 
 

• Developed the Skills to Pay the Bills Soft Skills Curriculum, which was released 

in both English and Spanish. 

IMPACT 

Since the release of Skills to Pay the Bills, ODEP has received many 

encouraging responses from the field. For example, the Kentucky Office 

of Vocational Rehabilitation infused the guidelines, principles, and 

other facets of the curriculum into their training to job coaches (for 

their two-year job coaching program which serves approximately 1,000 

public school students each year) and revamped their Career/Vocational 

Assessment to reflect the soft skills focus. In addition, it is being used 

by a bank on Maryland’s Eastern Shore to onboard new hires and at a 

women’s correctional facility in Florida. 

• In collaboration with the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability 

for Youth (NCWD/Y), ODEP’s youth-focused technical assistance center, released 

the Youth Service Professionals’ Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Curriculum to 

strengthen competencies needed to maximize youth potential. 

• In collaboration with NCWD/Y, released Charting the Course: Supporting 

the Career Development of Youth with Learning Disabilities. 

• Improved youth transition practices through technical assistance, including 

numerous Innovative Strategies Practice Briefs. 

• Assisted families in helping youth succeed by providing education 

and information including a series of Tips for Parents and Families. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Promoted Workplace Accommodations 

through the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 

• Provided guidance on job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA)/Rehabilitation Act, and the self-employment of people with disabilities 

to over 133,000 customers—about half of which are employers. 

• Provided training on job accommodation issues to over 60,000 customers. 

• Provided written testimony to the U.S. Senate HELP Committee for its March 22, 

2013 full committee hearing, Stay-at-Work and Back-to-Work Strategies: 

Lessons from the Private Sector. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 13 
 

• Developed numerous publications and informational materials, including: 

— A new Fact Sheet on Employees with Asperger’s Syndrome developed 

in collaboration with the Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). 

— Study on the costs and benefits associated with accommodation detailed in the 

“Low Cost, High Impact” Report. 

— Effective Accommodation Practice Series publications that describe how both 

federal sector and non-federal employers can use the interactive process for 

determining what accommodations will be effective. 

— Technical Series: Tips for Designing Accessible Websites, including the 

Self-Assessment SNAP Tool, targeting federal contractors and investigators. 

— Accommodations by Occupation and Industry which focus on situation and 

solution case studies from the manufacturing, health care, financial, retail, 

meat packing, and STEM fields. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Promoted Accessible Workplace Technology 

• Issued two “Roadmaps” reports that provide strategies the business community 

and government can use to facilitate the widespread adoption of accessible 

technology policies and practices. 

• In partnership with the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA), convened 

government agencies, advocates, IT developers and industry leaders to engage in 

a national dialogue about advancing the development and adoption of accessible, 

interoperable and usable information and communication technology in the 

workplace. 

• Produced a “Framework for Designing and Implementing Accessible Information 

and Communications Technology (ICT)” to help employers develop a corporatewide, comprehensive strategic plan for adopting and 

implementing accessible ICT corporate policies, 

practices, and procedures. 

• Unveiled ePolicyWorks, a first-of-its-kind, 

coordinated Web-based policymaking 

approach that encourages stakeholder 

involvement and allows for the exchange 

of real-time information between 

individuals and groups. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 14 
 

• Issued joint policy guidance with ETA through TEN No. 16-11 to inform the public 

workforce system about the availability of assistive technology resources for 

persons with disabilities. 

• In collaboration with the Community Transportation Association of America, 

developed the Transportation Solutions Curriculum for Direct Service Staff. 

• Conducted comprehensive research to support the development of a federal 

policy agenda on emerging technology. 

• In collaboration with the Department of Education and the Social Security 

Administration, conducted a highly successful Disability Employment 

App Challenge. 

IMPACT
 A very positive, albeit unintended, consequence of ODEP’s Disability App 

Challenge was that the applicants formed their own community of practice 

around accessibility. 

• Hosted a Policy Development Think Tank Webcast: New Strategies for Successful 

Collaboration, where panelists shared their perspectives on the use of new and 

innovative open government strategies for policy development. 

• Hosted a series of Webcasts, Webinars, and podcasts to 

explore the connection between accessible technology 

and the employment of people with disabilities. 

• Promoted effective use of the telephone relay service 

through Telephone Relay Systems: Enabling 

Telephone Access for Customers and Employees. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Promoted Accessible 

Transportation Access 

• Through the Federal Interagency Coordinating 

Council on Access and Mobility, made up of 

11 federal agencies, conducted the United 

We Ride National Online Policy Dialogue 

to develop new ideas regarding transportation 

access for people with disabilities. 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 15 
 

IMPACT
 The United We Ride Implementation Grants to states encouraged 

communities across the country, including human service partners and 

consumers, to develop coordinated planning processes and provide 

transportation options to job seekers and workers with disabilities. 

As a result, 28 states adopted coordinated transportation legislation 

and 26  states adopted transportation coordination councils. Local 

and regional entities developed more than 231 coordinated local and 

regional transit plans. 

• In partnership with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) 

developed policy guidance entitled, “On the Move: State Strategies for 

21st Century Transportation Solutions.” 

• Issued joint policy guidance with ETA through TEN No. 21-11 to inform the public 

workforce system about strategies to meet One-Stop Career Centers’ business and 

job-seeker customer needs for employment-related transportation services. 

• In collaboration with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), developed policy 

guidance on Financing the Operation of Transportation One-Call/One-Click 

Centers. 

• In collaboration with FTA and NCSL, developed Synthesis, Case Studies, and a 

Directory of Regional Human Service Transportation Coordinating Councils. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

Increased Knowledge and Understanding about Workplace 

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) 

• Through JAN, and in collaboration with the Center for Personal Assistance Services, 

developed “PAS in the Workplace,” a resource for employers on workplace PAS 

as an accommodation under the ADA. 

• Through NCWD/Y, developed “Personal Assistance Services on the Job,” 

an information brief for youth service providers about workplace PAS. 

• Through NCWD/Y, developed “Making the Move to Managing Your Own Personal 

Assistance Services,” a toolkit to help youth with disabilities strengthen skills 

essential for successfully managing their own PAS. 

c CLICK FOR RELATED SUBJECT LINKS 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 16 
 

RELATED SUBJECT LINKS
 

Provided Reliable and Accurate Disability Employment Statistics 

• Current Population Survey Data 

• Disability Employment Tabulation 

c Back 

Supported Employers in Making Their Workplaces Inclusive by 

Providing Extensive Training, Support and Technical Assistance 

• Business Strategies that Work: Framework for Disability Inclusion 

• Building an Inclusive Workforce 

• Disability Non-Discrimination Law Advisor 

• A Toolkit on Establishing and Maintaining Effective Employee Resource Groups. 

• States as Model Employers – Strategies for Moving People with Disabilities into 

Careers in State Government. 

• The Small Business Disability Inclusion Fact Sheet. 

• Opening Doors to All Candidates: Tips for Ensuring Access for Applicants with 

Disabilities 

• Recruiting Young People with Disabilities. 

• Focus on Ability: Interviewing Applicants with Disabilities. 

• Strategic Connections: Recruiting Job Candidates with Disabilities. 

c Back 

Assisted in the Development of Legislation and Regulations 

• Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act 

• Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 A 
 

Increased Employment Opportunities in Small and Minority-Owned 

Businesses 

• Add Us In Initiative 

• National Diversity Forum 

• Expert Strategy Meeting 

• Small Business Disability Inclusion Fact Sheet. 

c Back 

Strived to Make the Federal Government and its Contractors 

Model Employers 

• Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities–Toolkit for Federal 

Agencies on Implementing Executive Order 13548 

• ABCs of Schedule A brochures for: 

— Service Providers 

— Program Managers and/or Selective Placement Coordinators 

— Hiring Managers 

— Human Resource Professionals 

— Applicants with Disabilities 

• Return to Work Toolkit 

• Promising and Emerging Practices for Enhancing the Employment of Individuals 

with Disabilities Included in Plans Submitted by Federal Agencies Under Executive 

Order 13548 

• Federal Agency Employment Strategies Framework for Disability Inclusion. 

• Workforce Recruitment Program 

• Roadmap for Successful Implementation in the Federal Sector of Employee 

Resource Groups 

• Federal Schedule A Hiring Authority Fact Sheet: Tips for Youth and Young Adults 

with Disabilities Interested in Starting a Career with the Federal Government 

c Back 

Strived to Make DOL a Model Employer of People with Disabilities 

• Federal Sector Project SEARCH Initiative 

c Back 

Dispelled Outdated Stereotypes through Public Information 

Campaigns and Outreach 

Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) 

• “I Can” public service announcement (PSA) 

• “Because” PSA 

• What can YOU do?” video contest 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 B 
 

Forged Strategic Partnerships to Enhance 

Employment Opportunities 

• List of ODEP Alliances 

c Back 

Enhanced the Capacity of the Workforce Development System 

To Meet the Employment-Related Needs of People with Disabilities 

• Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) Grants 

• Building a Roadmap Out of Poverty for Americans with Disabilities: A Report 

on the Relationship of the Workforce Development System and Local Asset 

Building Coalitions 

• Joint ETA Guidance Training and Employment Notices Issued 

— TEN No. 06-11: Increasing the Public Workforce Investments Systems 

Participation in the Ticket to Work Program for Disability Beneficiaries
	

— TEN No. 48-11: ODEP’s Skills to Pay the Bills Curriculum 

— TEN No. 10-09: ODEP-developed Toolkit and White Paper on Improving
	

Transition Outcomes of Youth with Disabilities through Apprenticeship
	

— TEN No. 01-10: Use of One-Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries in 

Four States Implementing Disability Program Navigator (DPN) Initiatives 

— TEN No. 31-10: Increasing Enrollment and Improving Services to Youth with 

Disabilities 

• Policy Briefs Examining the Impact of the Great Recession on Disability 

Employment 

— The Great Recession and Serving Dislocated Workers with Disabilities: 

Perspectives from One-Stop Career Centers and Rapid Response Coordinators. 

— The Interaction of Workforce Development Programs and Unemployment 

Compensation by Individuals with Disabilities in Washington State. 

c Back 

Promoted Integrated Employment 

• Integrated Employment Toolkit and related video 

• Quality Work Environments 

c Back 

Supported State Level Employment First Initiatives 

• Employment First State Leadership Mentor Program 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 C 
 

 

Promoted Customized Employment- An Individualized Approach to 

Job Development That Leads to Integrated Employment 

• Knowledge Development and Translation Initiative 

• Federal Financing of Supported Employment and Customized Employment for 

People with Mental Illnesses 

• Customized Employment videos

 — Solutions for Youth with Disabilities

 — Solutions for Employers

 — Creating Opportunities and Solutions

 — Creating Opportunities and Solutions (Spanish) 

c Back 

Enhanced Employment Opportunities for Aging Workers 

with Disabilities 

• Reports examining the disability implications of an aging workforce:

 — The Public Workforce System: Serving Older Job Seekers and the Disability 

Implications of an Aging Workforce

 — Employer Strategies for Responding to an Aging Workforce

 — Impact of Federal Policies on an Aging Workforce with Disabilities 

c Back 

Promoted Workforce Flexibility, a Win-Win Strategy 

• Advancing Workplace Flexibility Policies and Practices Synthesis Report 

• Workplace Flexibility Toolkit 

c Back 

Promoted Cross-Systems Collaboration through Technical Assistance 

• Integrating Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities into State and Regional 

Economic and Workforce Development Strategies 

• Using Medicaid Funding to Support the Employment of People with Disabilities: 

A Federal Framework 

• Ready and Able: Addressing Labor Market Needs and Building Productive Careers 

for People with Disabilities through Collaborative Approaches 

• Moving TANF Recipients with Disabilities to Work: Examples of State Strategies 

• Using Braided Funding Strategies to Advance Employer Hiring Initiatives that 

Include People with Disabilities 

• Integrating Job Opportunities for People with Disabilities into State and Regional 

Economic and Workforce Development Strategies 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 D 
 

 

Initiated Efforts to Improve the Employment Opportunities and 

Outcomes for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Support of the National 

HIV/AIDS Strategy 

• HIV/AIDS and Employment Roundtable 

• Institute on HIV/AIDS and Employment 

• AIDS.gov Employment Page 

• A Resource Guide for Individuals Seeking to Enter or Reenter the Workforce 

• HIV/AIDS Employment Toolkit for Individuals, Employers and Service Providers 

• Success Stories — Individual, Employer and HIV/AIDS Service Provider examples 

• The Business Case for Employing Qualified Individuals with HIV/AIDS 

• HIV/AIDS Service Providers with Employment/Training Services 

c Back 

Co-Chaired the Federal Partners’ Committee on Women and Trauma 

• Report of the Federal Partners’ Committee on Women and Trauma: A Federal 

Intergovernmental Partnership on Mental Health Transformation — A Working 

Document 

c Back 

Promoted Positive Transition Outcomes for Youth and Young Adults 

• Individualized Learning Plans 

• TEGL No. 31-10: Increasing Enrollment and Improving Services to Youth with 

Disabilities 

• Registered Apprenticeship Training 

• Skills to Pay the Bills Soft Skills Curriculum 

• Youth Service Professionals’ Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Curriculum 

• Charting the Course: Supporting the Career Development of Youth with Learning 

Disabilities 

• Innovative Strategies Practice Briefs

 — Engaging Youth in Work Experiences

 — Using Career Interest Inventories to Inform Career Planning

 — Career Exploration in Action

 — Bullying and Disability Harassment in the Workplace: What Youth Should Know 

• Tips for Parents and Families

 — Helping Youth Develop Soft Skills for Job Success 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 E 
 

 

Promoted Workplace Accommodations through the Job 

Accommodation Network (JAN) 

• JAN at www.askjan.org 

• Written testimony for Senate Help Committee Hearing Stay-at-Work 

and Back-to-Work Strategies: Lessons from the Private Sector 

• Examples of JAN’s publications and contributions:

 — Employees with Asperger’s Syndrome Fact Sheet 

— Low Cost, High Impact Report 

— Technical Series: Tips for Designing Accessible Websites, including the 

 Self-Assessment SNAP Tool

 — Effective Accommodation Practice Series on the interactive process 

 for federal sector and non-federal employers

 — Accommodations by Occupation and Industry 

c Back 

Promoted Accessible Workplace Technology 

• Roadmaps for Enhancing Employment of Persons with Disabilities 

through Accessible Technology 

• Roadmaps II for Enhancing Employment of Persons with Disabilities 

through Accessible Technology 

• Final Report: Action Items and Policy Issues for Consideration from the ATIA 

partnership and national dialogue 

• Framework for Designing and Implementing Accessible Information 

and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategic Plans 

• ePolicyWorks 

• TEN No. 16-11: Availability of Assistive Technology Resources for Persons 

with Disabilities 

• Transportation Solutions Curriculum for Direct Service Staff 

• Disability Employment App Challenge 

• Policy Development Think Tank Webcast: New Strategies for Successful 

Collaboration 

• Technology webcasts, webinars, and podcasts 

• Telephone Relay Systems: Enabling Telephone Access for Customers 

and Employees 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 F 
 

Promoted Accessible Transportation Access 

• United We Ride National Online Policy Dialogue 

• “On the Move: State Strategies for 21st Century Transportation Solutions” 

• TEN No. 21-11: Strategies to Meet One-Stop Career Centers’ Business 

and Job-Seeker Customer Needs for Employment-Related Transportation Services 

• Financing the Operation of Transportation One-Call/One-Click Centers 

• Synthesis, Case Studies and Directory of Regional Human Service Transportation 

Coordinating Councils 

c Back 

Increased Knowledge and Understanding about Workplace Personal 

Assistance Services (PAS) 

• PAS in the Workplace 

• Personal Assistance Services on the Job 

• Making the Move to Managing Your Own Personal Assistance Services 

c Back 

ODEP ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2009-2012 G