Disability Inclusion Training Anne E Hirsh MS CPDM

Disability Inclusion Training Anne E. Hirsh, MS, CPDM, Co. Director Job Accommodation Network (JAN) hirsh@jan. wvu. edu JAN is a service of the U. S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. 1

Navigating JAN Consultation § Job Accommodations § All industries § All job categories § All impairments § Employment Legislation § Americans with Disabilities Act § Rehabilitation Act 2

Navigating JAN Technical Assistance § § Free National Easy to Use Audience Focused § § Employers Individuals Service Providers Others 3

Navigating JAN Practical Guidance § A to Z of Accommodations and Disabilities § SOAR (Searchable Online Accommodation Resource) § Employers’ & Employees’ Practical Guides § ADA & Rehabilitation Act Library § Interactive Process 4

Navigating JAN Reasonable Accommodations: § Can choose among effective accommodation options § Do not have to provide accommodations unless needed because of a disability § Do not have to provide accommodations that pose an undue hardship § Do not have to provide personal use items needed in accomplishing daily activities both on and off the job § Do not have to make an accommodation for an individual who is not otherwise qualified for a position § Do not have to remove essential functions, create new jobs, or lower production standards 5

Navigating JAN’s Interactive Process 6

Navigating JAN Purchasing or Modifying Equipment and Products 7

Navigating JAN Example A young worker in a nurses aid training program has deficits in reading and writing as a result of a learning disability. 8

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: § § § Electronic medical speller Talking thermometer Talking pill bottle 9

Navigating JAN Example An applicant for automotive repair training has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). As a result they expect to be inattentive to detail at times and highly distractible. 10

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: § § Mechanics stool with organization shelf Instructor loads with needed tools – nothing else Increases productivity Decreases time student might waste looking for tools 11

Navigating JAN A call center employee with heart/circulatory problems needs to take breaks to move around. Allowing more breaks will interfere with the employer’s call routing system. How can we figure out what else might work? 12

Navigating JAN How can we figure out what else might work? Call JAN! § Under desk pedal device § Meets employees needs without leaving her desk 13

Navigating JAN An member with a hearing impairment chose not to wear hearing aids, but he asked his employer to purchase an assistive listening device so that he could hear in meetings. Is this within the employer’s right to choose an effective accommodation? 14

Navigating JAN Is this within the employer’s right to choose an effective accommodation? No. § Hearing aid is a personal need item § Cannot require employees to use personal need items instead of accommodations 15

Navigating JAN Making Work-site Accessible 16

Navigating JAN Example An office worker who worked for a construction company was sensitive to fragrances. The employer found a filtering mask, but the employee did not want to wear a mask. 17

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The employee was accommodated with her own workspace outside of general office traffic, and the employer purchased fragrance free cleaning solutions. The cost was about $200. 18

Navigating JAN A federal employee with lupus works in a large room with cubicles and asks the employer to remove or filter all the overhead lights in her area. How should the employer decide which accommodation to choose? 19

Navigating JAN How can we figure out what else might work? Call JAN! § Cube. Shield § Meets employee’s needs with a low cost solution 20

Navigating JAN Job Restructuring 21

Navigating JAN Example An employee with autism works for a large marketing firm. Though she is knowledgeable in her field, she has difficulty participating in work activities with her team. 22

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The employee was allowed to communicate with her team electronically, allowing her the social distance she needed to be comfortable, yet also provided the team with information needed to move forward with marketing campaigns. 23

Navigating JAN Example An individual worked at an airport as a line service technician. He was required to lift and carry a fuel hose and tow bar. Following a shoulder injury he was unable to use his right arm and the employer was concerned because generally, employees would use both arms to carry these heavy items. 24

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The employee was able to use his right arm for tasks that were within his restrictions and demonstrated that he could carry the fuel line and tow bar using only his left arm. COST: $300 BENEFIT: Able to keep a great employee who was great at his job. 25

Navigating JAN Example An member at a non-profit organization had bipolar disorder and was having performance problems related to memory and judgment deficits. Part of her job involved counseling clients and the rest was documentation.

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The non-profit gave the member a quieter area to work in, changed her schedule to one that worked better for her, and gave her more structured access to her supervisor for regular feedback.

Navigating JAN Modifying Schedule & Allowing Leave Time 28

Navigating JAN An member with sleep apnea asks to change her schedule so she comes in 30 minutes later than other members and then takes a shorter lunch to make up the time. Other members notice this change and ask for a schedule modification too. What can you do? 29

Navigating JAN What can you do? § Start allowing all members to have flexible schedules? § Deny the requests, but do not violate confidentiality rules? § Ask the member if she would like to tell her coworkers? 30

Navigating JAN Modifying Policies 31

Navigating JAN Example An employee with high blood pressure had difficulty dealing with stress in the workplace. She decided to train her own service dog to alert her when she's reacting to stress and to help calm her down. 32

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The employer modified the “no animal” policy and allowed the service dog in the workplace. 33

Navigating JAN Providing Readers and Interpreters 34

Navigating JAN Example A large state employer held periodic meetings to update employees about agency policies and safety issues. A deaf employee had difficulty benefitting from the meetings and filed a complaint. 35

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: The employer decided to contract for an interpreter service to provide interpreters for the meetings. 36

Navigating JAN Example A job applicant for a dog warden position for city government had dyslexia and could not pass a required written test.

Navigating JAN ACCOMMODATION: A reader was provided for testing.

Navigating JAN Reassignment 39

Navigating JAN Example A retired Army medic has difficulty managing stress in the workplace due to her PTSD. Her stress intolerance was intensified when she heard the emergency medical helicopter arrive and depart from the hospital where she worked as a nurse. 40

Navigating JAN Accommodation The nurse was reassigned to a vacant position on a unit that was far from the heli-pad so she rarely heard the helicopter. During times when the helicopter staff would practice maneuvers in her area she was allowed to work a flexible schedule. 41

Navigating JAN Contact § § (800)526 -7234 (V) & (877)781 -9403 (TTY) Ask. JAN. org & jan@askjan. org (304)216 -8189 via Text janconsultants via Skype 42