Strategies for Preparing a Well-Rounded and
Self-Assured Job Seeker
The Life Cycle of the Employment
Process for Your Students with
Disabilities
Association on Higher
Education and Disability
(AHEAD) Conference, July
2012
Today’s Presenters
• Laura Cutway, Georgetown University Law
Center
• Veronica Porter, Northeastern University
• Sara Mahoney, US Department of Labor’s Office
of Disability Employment Policy
Objectives
• Setting the stage for employment of people with
disabilities
• Best Practices from Georgetown University Law
Center and Northeastern University
• Disclosure and Accommodations
• Workforce Recruitment Program and Schedule
A Hiring Authority
Setting the Stage- Employment of
People with Disabilities
• Current Disability Employment Statistics
May 2012
• Labor Force Participation
People with disabilities: 20.7%
People without disabilities: 69.4%
• Unemployment Rate
People with disabilities: 12.9%
People without disabilities: 7.7%
Employment of People with Disabilities:
The Reality
High correlation between
education and employment
Work experience makes a
difference
Self-Advocacy skills
impacts success
Georgetown University Law Center
• Collaboration with the Career Center
• IMPACT Career Fair
• Preparing Students for WRP Interviews
Northeastern University
History of the Disability Resource Center
at NU.
Relationship between DRC/COOP and
Career Services
Lessons learned-create a model that will
work in your organization and can be
sustainable
What happens after students graduate?
Wrap Around Experiential Education Model for
Success – NuConnect*
Strategic
Partnership
DRC, CS,
Co-op
Resources
Employer
Advisory
Committee
Working
Group
External
Partners
* A Strategic Partnership between the Co-op Program, Disability and Career Services
Strategic
Partnershi
p DRC, CS,
Co-op
Resources
Employer
Advisory
Committee
Working
Group
NuConnect Model
External
Partners
Advocacy
Collaboration
Knowledge
and
Resources
Feedback
Employer Advisory Committee
Purpose:
Target employers in various industries
to create
mutually beneficial
partnerships
Goals:
better
Develop strategies to help students be
prepared for interviewing, working
Share best practices
Increase employment opportunities
NuConnect Initiatives
LinkedIn
group to
share
resources
Employer
-in
residence
at the
DRC for
info
interview
s
Targeted
promotio
n for
specific
positions
Employer
panel at
NE
AHEAD
Internshi
p/Coop
programs
for longterm
relations
hip
building
SUCCESSES
Increased
awareness,
knowledge
and
expertise
Participation
in the wraparound
model
Sharing of
information
and
resources
Increased
success of
students in
obtaining
employment
When to disclose?
• Resume?
• Employer calls for an interview?
• Interview?
• Pre-offer?
• Post-offer?
• After work has started?
• After a problem?
• Never?
*Aase and Smith, 1989 and Witt, M. A., 1992
Disability Disclosure and
Accommodation Request - Video
WRP Video Series:
http://www.dol.gov/odep/wrp/Videos.htm
Think about it…
• Explore feelings about disability
• Identify necessary accommodations
• Determine who is the correct person to tell and
how to contact that person
Disclosing
• How specific?
▫ Use language that is informative but non-threatening
• Describe personal skills that show essential
functions of the position will be met
• Any functional limitations?
• What accommodations are necessary?
• Use a script, if necessary
*Information Used with Permission by COSD
A Student Perspective - Ian
Ian from Northeastern…
Interesting Facts
• Employers cannot ask disability-related
questions before an offer of employment is
made.
• A medical examination may be required as long
as it is required for all entering employees.
• When the need for accommodation is not
obvious, an employee may require
documentation.
• A request for accommodations can be in plain
English (i.e. it does not have to include the
words like ADA or accommodation).
What is a reasonable accommodation?
• A modification or adjustment to a job, the work
environment, or the way things usually are done
that enables a qualified individual with a
disability to enjoy an equal employment
opportunity.
• If students are not interested in requesting
accommodations, ensure they can perform the
essential tasks
Categories of Accommodations
Required for Employment
1. Ensure equal opportunity in the application
process
2. Enable a qualified individual with a disability to
perform essential functions of a job
3. Enable an employee with a disability to enjoy
equal benefits and privileges of employment.
Examples
• Making existing facilities accessible
• Job restructuring
• Part-time of modified work schedules
• Acquiring or modifying equipment
• Changing tests, training materials, or policies
• Providing qualified readers or interpreters
• Reassignment to a vacant position
• Interview coach
Transition
• How do typical college/graduate school
accommodations translate into the employment
setting?
▫ Time and a half
▫ Reduced distraction testing environment
▫ Note-taker
▫ Audio recordings
The Workforce Recruitment Program
• What is The WRP?
• Who is eligible?
• How do you get involved?
• Additional resources for schools and students
Schedule A Hiring Authority
• Exempted hiring authority for people with
disabilities
• Schedule A Letters
▫ Consists of 2 Parts
 Qualified Disability
 Job Readiness Statement
• Who Qualifies?
Schedule A Tools and Resources
• Schedule A Hiring Guide for Youth
▫ Created by Federal Partners in Transition
▫ Explains the process and protocol for using
Schedule A in youth-friendly language and tone
▫ Outlines reasons why a youth might consider
Federal employment
Schedule A Tools and Resources
• ABC’s of Schedule A
• USA Jobs
▫ Template Schedule A Letter
▫ Template Cover Letter
• Office of Personnel Management
▫ Directory of Disability Program Managers/
Selective Placement Program Coordinators
Resources
• Office of Disability Employment Policy –
www.dol.gov/odep
• Executive Order Text –
www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasingfederal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities
• Job Accommodation Network (JAN) –
http://askjan.org/
• Reasonable Accommodations for Attorneys with Disabilities –
http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/accommodations-attorneys.html
• Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) http://www.cosdonline.org/
• Schedule A Hiring Guide for Youth www.dol.gov/odep/pdf/20120103ScheduleA.pdf
• ABC’s of Schedule A –
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/initiatives/lead/abcs_of_schedule_a.cfm
Resources
• OPM’s DPM and SPPC Database http://apps.opm.gov/sppc_directory/searchlist.cfm
• USA Jobs Schedule A Templates –
http://www.usajobs.gov/IndividualsWithDisabilities
• Workforce Recruitment Programwww.wrp.gov
www.dol.gov/odep/wrp/Videos.htm
• Entry Point –
http://ehrweb.aaas.org/entrypoint/
• Partnership for Public Service Youth Site www.makingthedifference.org
• National Collaborative for Workforce and Disability/Youthwww.ncwd-youth.info
Questions and Contacts
• Laura Cutway
▫ lmc228@law.georgetown.edu
• Veronica Porter
▫ v.porter@neu.edu
• Sara Mahoney
▫ Mahoney.sara@dol.gov