Secretary of Labor Perez Examines "Progress Made and Challenges Ahead: 23 Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act"
Asserting that "the Americans with Disabilities Act is one of our nation's proudest civil rights triumphs," Secretary of Labor Tom Perez lays out his vision for the employment of people with disabilities in a blog post commemorating the 23rd anniversary of the ADA.
Assistant Secretary Martinez Explores the Importance of Diverse Perspectives
In a blog post entitled "Diverse Perspectives: A Competitive Advantage," Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy, discusses how employee diversity helps businesses perform better. Notes Martinez, "As a leader, I'll always choose a solution that represents an amalgam of opinions and insights rather than the one that approaches a problem from only one angle. Because in business, as in society at large, diversity drives innovation."
• Read the Diverse Perspectives blog
Perkins School Welcomes Assistant Secretary Martinez
During a visit to the Perkins School for the Blind on July 19, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy Kathy Martinez spoke with 100 students and staff about her experiences growing up blind and the support she received from people in her life that helped her overcome society's low expectations about her abilities and potential. That evening, she addressed about 300 parents at the National Association of Parents of Children with Visual Impairments National Conference, where she touched on themes of expectation and achievement.
• Read the DOL Newsletter story
• Read the Perkins School news story
Assistant Secretary Martinez Discusses Youth Transition at National Council on Independent Living Event
As a speaker at a preconference event for the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Conference on July 23, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy Kathy Martinez addressed a group of about 100 on the topic of transition and employment for youth with disabilities. Martinez emphasized the need to "change the paradigm" to encourage youth with disabilities to work rather than end up in the "cycle of dependency" on disability benefits.
• Read the DOL Newsletter story
• Visit the NCIL website
Workforce Recruitment Program Seeks Federal Recruiters
Do you want to have a personal impact on the hiring of people with disabilities? The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP), the primary pipeline bringing college students and recent graduates with disabilities into federal employment, is seeking federal employees to conduct phone interviews with students this fall.
• Learn how to be a WRP recruiter
• Read about the WRP
Employer Assistance and Resource Network's EARN|Exchange Blog Interviews Bobby Silverstein on the Americans with Disabilities Act
The EARN|Exchange blog spoke with Bobby Silverstein, one of the architects of the Americans with Disabilities Act, about the implementation of the ADA over the years and the effect it has had on employers and people with disabilities.
• Read the Bobby Silverstein interview
US Department of Justice Celebrates Americans with Disabilities Act Week
"Celebrating Enforcement of the ADA: An Anniversary Week Blog" looks at the role played by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in "enforcing the ADA and opening up the gateways to full participation and opportunity for people with disabilities."
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