Glenkirk’s Post

The recent King’s Speech saw the new government promise to introduce legislation in this Parliament that will enact many of Labour’s plans to improve working rights, including a new Quality Bill. The Equality (Race and Disability) Bill will: ✅ Enshrine, in law, the full right to equal pay for ethnic minorities and disabled people, making it much easier for them to bring unequal pay claims. Claimants currently face significant barriers when bringing pay discrimination claims on the grounds of ethnicity or disability. ✅ Introduce mandatory ethnicity and disability pay reporting for larger employers (250+ employees) to help close the ethnicity and disability pay gaps. Exposing pay gaps will enable companies to constructively consider why they exist and how to tackle them. The timing of these new Bills and any prior public consultation has not yet been announced. Still, they are clearly near the top of the new government’s list of priorities, so employers will need to ensure that they are ready for compliance within a relatively short period of time. If you want support and guidance, including steps you will need to take, please contact us to get advice from our HR & Legal specialist, Caroline Prosser: https://lnkd.in/ebvyhu4H

It’s refreshing and instructive to see what #disabilityemployment reform looks like, at scale and over time. The US State of Tennessee has been an Employment First state for a decade. In their words, “Employment First means that employment in the general workforce should be the first and preferred option for individuals with disabilities receiving assistance from publicly funded systems. Simply put, Employment First means real jobs, real wages.” The Governor released Tennessee’s 10th annual progress report (Expect Employment) just before Xmas and it’s a great read: https://lnkd.in/gRNsJmsT Tennessee’s disability employment gap of 40% was higher than Australia’s (roughly 32%), but they have achieved their five year target to close the gap by 5%. The keys to their success jump off every page of the report: - Clear targets, transparent reporting and accountability; - Strong partnerships across advocates, people with disability, families, business and government; - Capacity building among support providers and employers; - Early pathways from school for vocational training and competitive integrated employment; - Bipartisan leadership from government, including legislation to cease subminimum wages and mandating government’s role as a model employer. This report for me was a nice look into one potential future on our journey to put DRC recommendations into practice. Amanda Rishworth Bill Shorten National Disability Services Colin Entwistle Sam Bennett Catherine McAlpine

We are already working towards next Legislative Session as this process is year-round. The 2024 Session was successful in part because our review of the services needed for our vulnerable population aligned with the goals of the Governor and Legislature. Given inflation, continued yearly minimum wage increases, the removal of families from the Agency for Persons with Disabilities’ (APD) Waiting List, among others factors, we will likely need to request another rate increase to maintain capacity and expand services to support families of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We will once again conduct a survey this fall to determine the appropriate needed recommended rate increase for providers. Other topics requiring our advocacy efforts are affordable housing, vocational rehabilitation, transportation, and any other relevant family concerns as these present as challenges to those with I/DD.

Pennsylvania House and Senate Democratic leaders, alongside Governor Josh Shapiro, recently celebrated the passage of the bipartisan ID/A budget, addressing crucial concerns about intellectual disability and the impact of low wages for Direct Support Professionals. Governor Shapiro's commitment to ending the 6000+ Emergency Crisis Waiting List for Home and Community Based Services is commendable. He promised to prioritize ID/A and DSP concerns in future PA budgets. The ID/A community looks forward to collaborating on the upcoming FY 25/26 budget to ensure continued funding and inflation adjustments, essential to improving DSP wages and reducing the current 40% turnover rate in the DSP workforce. Governor Shapiro's goal of reducing the waiting list by 1500 individuals depends on paying a decent wage to community DSPs, attracting a stable workforce to provide needed emergency crisis services and supports. Kudos to the bipartisan effort and all legislators, including a notable number of House and Senate Republicans, for championing these significant advancements for the ID/A community in Pennsylvania. #Pennsylvania #IDABudget #GovernorShapiro #CommunityServices #DSPWorkforce #BipartisanEffort

Check out this article that mentions United States Commission on Civil Rights report, "Subminimum Wages: Impacts on the Civil Rights of People with Disabilities." #CivilRights #DisabilityRights #SubminimumWage Read the report: https://lnkd.in/erv9RB2v https://lnkd.in/eGEGQvS5

In an Older Americans Month message, Chair Charlotte A. Burrows describes EEOC outreach and education and five recent impactful litigation efforts to ensure older workers are not discriminatorily excluded from the workforce. Learn more about the EEOC’s efforts: https://lnkd.in/eQFZg_xx. [Image text: May is Older Americans Month. The EEOC enforces the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) which protects applicants and employees who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. Learn more at www.EEOC.gov.] #ADEA #EEO

Over on X vote labour have pledged a “back to work plan”. Let’s focus on the second point of “new local plans to get more people with health conditions and disabilities into work”. This sounds awesome in theory but how are they planning to do it? Are they going to offer employers training in how to meet the needs of those of us with health conditions and disabilities? The onus can’t just be on disabled people to get into jobs. The jobs need to be suitably accessible with proactively inclusive cultures to attract and retain disabled talent. We absolutely do need more disabled/ chronically ill people in the workplace as we have a wide array of skills that workplaces need. But the workplaces need to be fit for them to thrive. #DisabilityInclusion #GeneralElection #ProactiveInclusion ID: pink and white image that states: labour’s back to work plan. A new national jobs and careers service New local plans for support to get more people with health conditions and disabilities into work A youth guarantee with opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all young people aged 18-21 years old. Cartoon of two people in construction wear with one holding a red clipboard and the other pointing up. Vote Labour Thursday 4th June Change.

What can we do to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for individuals with IDD and their families? The latest "Case for Inclusion" report sheds light on the critical challenges facing individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. With waiting lists for essential services growing and providers facing mounting financial pressures, it's clear that immediate action is needed. Workforce Crisis: At the heart of these challenges is a severe shortage of direct support professionals, leading to service disruptions and longer delays in accessing care. Addressing this crisis is needed to ensure continued access to quality services and prevent institutionalization. Regional Disparities: While the situation varies across states, about 80% of individuals on waiting lists reside in just five states. There's an urgent need for federal policymakers to increase funding for Medicaid home and community-based services and ensure equitable access nationwide.

The report examines the implications of asset limits in four areas of public policy – health care, cash benefits provided through Supplemental Security Income (SSI), employment, and asset building and wealth protection. The report finds that while many federal programs are essential to help individuals and families offset additional disability-related costs to reach and maintain economic self-sufficiency, limited income and asset building opportunities and Medicaid estate recovery programs present barriers to achieving and maintaining generational wealth and economic independence. “Current asset and income limits put goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act at odds with each other – independent living at the cost of economic self-sufficiency,” said NCD Chairman Andrés Gallegos. “This isn’t right and could not have been what Congress intended.”

🌟 Urgent Call for Change in the Care Sector In our quest for progress and inclusivity, there's a silent crisis that's been persistently overlooked – the shortage of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). These dedicated individuals are the backbone of support for persons with disabilities, crafting a landscape where every individual can lead a fulfilling community-based life. But let's face the stark reality: how can we truly value the lives of people with disabilities if we don't equally value the labor of those who support them? The current compensation for DSPs fails to reflect the immense impact of their work. Their compassion, skill, and commitment keep families together and enable community participation for those they assist. Yet, the wages remain stagnant, not mirroring the essential nature of their role. This isn't just about numbers on a paycheck; it's about recognizing and validating the significance of care work. It's time we address this wage disparity head-on and ensure a sustainable living wage for DSPs. The benefits of such a shift are twofold: 👥 Enhanced quality of life for individuals with disabilities due to better-supported and more experienced DSPs. 💪🏼 Strengthening our community care systems, making them resilient and effective. To government agencies, policymakers, and all stakeholders: the call for change cannot be ignored any longer. To create a truly empowering and inclusive society, we must uplift those who dedicate their careers to caring. Let's collectively push for wage increases for our DSPs NOW. Not just as a token of appreciation but as a long-overdue acknowledgment of their worth. We must act swiftly to end the DSP crisis and pave the way for an empowering future that values every member of our society! #ValueCareWorkers #InclusionMatters #CommunityCare #RaiseDSPWages