7/2/09 -WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced “Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation” as the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It is intended to urge employers, as they seek to fill positions, to embrace the richness of America's diversity by considering the talents of all workers, including workers with disabilities. 
NBC - the more you know
Watch this video segment on NBC's “The More You Know” about people with disabilities. ODEP staff worked with NBC on this public service announcement. Read the accompanying text as well." If all you see is the disability...you might be missing a lot. People with disabilities are just people ." -Meredith Vieira, NBC News
Talent To Drive Your Business' Success - Hear what businesses have to say about the value of
employees with disabilities...
Able & Willing: an Untapped Pool of Talent -
The Minnesota Business Leadership Network has partnered with several other organizations to produce this video that features thought-provoking stories about real people with disabilities. Watch this video
6/03/09 - VA Is Testing an Advanced New Prosthetic Arm
As director of the Department of Veterans Affairs' Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, Frederick Downs Jr. has more than a professional interest in the devices the department offers veterans who have lost limbs.
5/17/09 - Careers & the disAbled Magazine Names Verizon's Thomas Boudrow Employee of the Year: Thomas Boudrow, a tireless advocate for people with disabilities, particularly those who are deaf or hard of hearing, has been named an employee of the year by Careers & the disAbled magazine .
5/4/09 - New Disability Employment Resource for Employers Released...To meet the need for a comprehensive, portable, and easy to understand guide for employers who are looking to recruit, hire, and retain employees with disabilities, ODEP just released its new Four-Step Reference Guide. Download Guide
3/30/09 - If it's difficult for millions of able-bodied Americans to find and keep employment, what is the situation like for people with disabilities? Read More
3/30/09 - Can Hiring One Employee with a Disability Make a Difference? Read More
3/27/09 - For the Disabled, More Power for Play
3/27/09 - Apple found itself in a pickle with the disability community.
3/27/09 - Movie theaters face suit over lack of captioned films
3/26/09 - Reaching the Disabled Demographic
3/26/09 - Making the Case for ADA Accommodation
3/26/09 - ABC News-Fewer Than 10 Pct. of Blind Americans Read Braille
3/26/09 - The Future of Assistive Technology
2/25/09 - Getting To Know YOU: Boeing employees find fresh and often surprising ways to reach out to others... In an eye-opening event held in Philadelphia last October, six Boeing employees volunteered to experience a physical disability for four hours and then reported to their colleagues what they learned. For leading this and other inclusive initiatives, the Philadelphia Diversity Council received one of 12 awards at Boeing's 7th annual Diversity Summit this month.
2/23/09 - US Business Leadership Network Announces 2009 Board of Directors; New Board includes Representatives from Hewlett-Packard, Manpower, Qualcomm, and Sam's Club...
2/20/09 - Future employment options for people with disabilities in Washington State includes job growth in Clean Technology sector...
* US Business Leadership Network Releases 2008 Annual Report; Inaugural Report Outlines Major Accomplishments...
WASHINGTON, DC (February 11, 2009) - The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) today released its 2008 Annual Report. The inaugural report demonstrates major accomplishements in nearly every aspect of the organization's activities last year.
* 02/13/09 - Jobs may rebound in 2010 -
Moody's Economy.com released a forecast for employment in the United States for the next few years, and USA Today has done a phenomenal job at packaging the data by state and industry in an interactive map.
* WASHINGTON , DC ( January 21, 2009 ) - US Business Leadership Network Commends President Obama's Disability Agenda -The US Business Leadership Network (USBLN®) today commended the disability agenda released by President Barack Obama.
* Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment Announces Individual and Employer Award Winners OLYMPIA–The Washington State Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and Employment (GCDE) announced that Brenda Carlstrom and Randy Revelle were co-winners of the Governor's Individual Award.
The Awards Program is organized by the Washington State Business Leadership Network (WSBLN) and the GCDE. Award categories exist for individuals, non profits, government, and private employers.
* 01/25/09 - The Office of Disability Employment Policy has released a report entitled "Survey of Employer Perspectives on the Employment of People with Disabilities." The report allegedly provides findings from the most extensive survey in history of employers' actions and attitudes toward employing people with disabilities.
* 01/07/09- Seattle area job growth near nation's top, says federal report
* 01/03/09- For the Blind, Technology Does What a Guide Dog Can't
T. V. Raman of Google is a pioneer in customizing technology for blind users. His own PC reads text aloud at triple normal speed.
* 01/01/09-the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 went into effect, making some major changes to the way the definition of disability has been interpreted in the past. The changes apply to both the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act. Very few people argue that these changes were not needed – the courts had interpreted the definition of disability so narrowly that hardly anyone could meet it – but the challenge now is understanding what the changes are and who is going to be covered as of January 1st. We do not yet have any regulations nor do we have any court interpretation; all we currently have are the words of the Amendments Act and its legislative history. With that said, let's take a look at what we know so far.
