Disability Inclusive Employment Policy RRTC

Our own Principal Investigator Dr. Nicole Maestas has been appointed as the chair of the Department of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. More here:

Check out our latest on Long COVID and disability accommodations. More on our website Media Description: Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center CHECK THIS OUT Cohen & van der Meulen Rodgers 2024 Women, Hispanic people, sexual and gender minorities, individuals without bachelor’s degrees, and people with preexisting disabilities are more likely to not only have long COVID and but also experience activity limitations as a result. Though remote work can help with such limitations, this study shows that people with disabilities were less likely than people without disabilities to perform pandemic-related remote work. National Rehabilitation Information Center

It is critical for employers to make intentional efforts to recruit people with disabilities. Our latest study breaks It down https://lnkd.in/gCiVRD24 Media Description: Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Just Published Ameri & Kurtzberg 2024 To better encourage disabled people to apply for job openings, employers can discuss accommodations as an aspect of DEI with heartfelt language. However, they can also provide evidence showing they are committed to disability inclusion, whether it’s statistics on hiring, accommodating, and retaining disabled employees, DEI awards they've received, or testimonials from disabled employees.

Media Description: Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center's Matter of Fact Monday The disability benefits system is significantly impacted by the heath of the economy. During the economic recession of 2008, for example, more than 400,000 workers received benefits who would not have otherwise entered the program. Maestas et al 2021

Media Description: Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center Friday Finding The COVID-19 proved that more jobs can be performed remotely than society previously thought and led to increased familiarity and understanding of telework. As a result, people with disabilities had more opportunities to work remotely, which significantly boosted the disability employment rate. This shows why we must view telework as a crucial part of disability inclusion. Pagano, Goodman & Williamson 2023 (Research Brief)

Workplace culture ➡️Disability inclusion ➡️Disability disclosure. Full study on our website: https://lnkd.in/g9Nh5X7x Media Description: Wednesday Wisdom from Hyseni, Myderrizi, & Blanck 2022: Workplace culture is a primary factor in whether individuals will disclose their disability or other health conditions, such as cancer. Inclusive cultures that address stigma, prejudice, and misconceptions about disability and cancer are necessary in order to increase disclosure and encourage individuals to seek the accommodations they need.

34 years after the ADA's passage, people with disabilities face constant barriers to employment, a burden that falls most heavily on multiply-marginalized people with disabilities. https://lnkd.in/gd8HrPnw Media Description: Matter of Fact Monday from the DIEP RRTC. Source: Blanck et al 2023 Despite the promises of equal employment and economic opportunity that define the ADA and other civil rights laws, people with disabilities, especially those with mental health conditions and those with other marginalized identities, face pervasive discrimination, bias, and accommodation.

Today's Friday Finding https://lnkd.in/dxEWRXB7 Media Description: Friday Finding from the DIEP RRTC Hispanics with disabilities are more likely to request workplace accommodations but less likely to receive the accommodations they request. Overall, disability status, gender, and age impact one’s likelihood of requesting accommodations at work, whereas educational background, marital status, parenthood status, and job type impact whether one has their request granted. Source: Hyseni, Goodman, & Blanck 2024 #disability #intersectionality #accommodations

We need workplaces that accommodate people with disabilities and especially people with less apparent disabilities. Telework is a key component. See more on our website: https://lnkd.in/gCMrXF9p Media Description: Wednesday Wisdom from the DIEP RRTC: Telework benefits not only people with mobility impairments, but also those with less apparent impairments. Specifically, it benefits those who have difficulty working at a traditional job site, as it allows for frequent breaks, a less stressful environment, access to home-based medical equipment and therapeutics and a more flexible schedule. Source: Pagano et al 2022 (Research Brief)

Paid sick leave is critical to disability employment. See our presentation from 2022 here: https://lnkd.in/gRYi_tWc Media Description: Disability Inclusive Employment Policy Rehabilitation Research and Training Center's Matter of Fact Monday Paid leave increases employment and decreases unemployment, having the greatest impact on people with disabilities. Accordingly, paid leave mandates are universal initiatives that can help effectively address employment gaps between people with and without disabilities. From Kruse et al 2022 #PaidLeave #Disability #ChronicIllness