Deadlines Coming Soon to File ADA Discrimination Claims Against Uber

Under a settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Uber about discriminatory wait time fees, some [riders] may be entitled to Uber credits. Others may be entitled to a money payment of $600 or more. The deadlines to submit their claims is coming up.

Please notify [riders] to check their emails and Uber app in the “Uber hub” section to check whether they received a notification from either Uber, Rust Consulting, or [email protected] that they are eligible for ride credits or money payments.

The settlement resolves a DOJ lawsuit filed against Uber alleging that Uber violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by charging wait time fees to riders who, because of disability, need more time to board an Uber car. The press release regarding the settlement agreement between the DOJ and Uber is available here.

Under the agreement, attached below, Uber is also waiving wait time fees for all Uber riders who certify that they (or someone they frequently travel with) need more time to get in an Uber because of a disability. You can learn more about the waiver and wait time fee refunds at Uber’s Help Page.

For more information about this agreement or the ADA, visit www.ada.gov or call the DOJ/ADA toll-free Information Line: 1-800-514-0301 (Voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).

More information at the Wait Time Fee Settlement Webpage: https://www.waittimefeesettlement.com/Home/portalid/0

Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) Upcoming Community of Practice (CoP) Webinar

Join the Disability Employment Technical Assistance Center (DETAC) for the upcoming webinar on January 10, 2023 - New Year, New Goals, New Outcomes for Employment! During this webinar, we will highlight effective strategies and processes in project management to support people with disabilities achieve successful outcomes in employment and community living.

DETAC provides evidence-based technical assistance (TA) to the Administration on Disabilities (AoD) grantees aimed at improving competitive, integrated employment (CIE) and economic outcomes for individuals with disabilities across America. AoD grantees eligible to receive TA through the Center include: Centers for Independent Living (CIL), State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (Councils), University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD), State Protection and Advocacy Systems (P&A), Traumatic Brain Injury State Partnership Programs (TBI), and Projects of National Significance (PNS) Community Collaborations for Employment (CCE).

Register here: https://bit.ly/DETAC-CoP-Jan-10-2023

Our mailing address is:
Economic Systems Inc.
3120 Fairview Park Dr
Suite 500
Falls Church, VA 22042

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) News Brief

Driving Change | Creating Opportunity

December 16, 2022

2023 WRP Talent Database is Now Live

The Office of Disability Employment Policy released the 2023 Workforce Recruitment Program database of more than 2,300 college students, graduate students, and recent graduates with disabilities seeking federal internships and permanent jobs. Any Federal Government employee can register to access and search this talent pool of individuals who are eligible for the Schedule A hiring authority, which is an expedited hiring process. Federal employees can also sign up for a WRP federal webinar on Wednesday, January 25, at 1pm ET.

• Federal employees: Register to view the WRP talent database

New Blog! Disability: A Key Component of Diversity

The U.S. Department of Labor recently posted a blog, “Disability: A Key Component of Diversity,” with quote highlights from ODEP Assistant Secretary of Labor Taryn Williams, Chief of Staff Anupa Geevarghese and other ODEP presenters from the Office of Personnel Management’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Summit 2022: A Whole-of-Government Approach. The virtual summit focused on skill-builder sessions and panel discussions on various topics, including equity and civil rights for people with disabilities, accessibility in strategic plans and mission priorities, and strategic recruitment, hiring and retention.

The summit builds upon President Biden’s Executive Order 14035: DEIA in the Federal Workplace, which states that the federal government must be a model for DEIA and must strengthen its ability to recruit, hire, develop, promote and retain our nation’s talent and remove barriers to equal opportunity.

• Read the latest blog

Improving Employment Outcomes for People with Mental Health Conditions

The Department of Labor has selected Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, New York, and Virginia to participate in the second round of ODEP’s Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment. ASPIRE seeks to align state policy and funding to advance competitive integrated employment for individuals with mental health conditions. States will receive tailored and targeted technical assistance to expand evidence-based practices, such as the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment.

• Read the news release

JAN Web Resource on Long COVID

A new web resource from the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network helps employers and employees understand strategies for supporting workers with Long COVID and associated conditions so they can successfully stay at or return to work when ready. Topics addressed include Long COVID in the context of the Americans with Disabilities Act; questions to consider when identifying effective accommodations for employees with Long COVID; specific accommodation ideas based on limitations or work-related functions; and common situations and solutions.

• Visit JAN’s Long COVID webpage

Learn About Non-Visual Access to the Metaverse

The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology organized the Sight Tech Global panel, “Virtual Reality and Inclusion: What does non-visual access to the metaverse mean?” Panelists discussed the challenges that people who are blind or have low vision face when using virtual reality in its current form, especially in workplaces. In addition, panelists shared their personal experiences and advice for how to improve the technology so it can support all users.

• Access the Non-Visual Access to Metaverse Panel Recording

Reminder: Become a NEON Core State

ODEP’s National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network has released a solicitation for States and State Government Agencies to apply through a competitive application process to improve employment outcomes within their statewide systems that serve individuals with disabilities. States selected as NEON Core States will be offered intensive policy consulting, capacity building support, and ongoing mentoring to support the strategic aims of their efforts to increase competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities in their state. The application deadline is Wednesday, December 28, at 6pm ET.

• View the application here

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy
DRIVING CHANGE • CREATING OPPORTUNITY

View this newsletter on our website

Community of Practice Webinar Series
Apprenticeships: Understanding the Benefits and Funding Opportunities
Wednesday January 11, 2023 (Corrected Date) 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET

The National Employment First Community of Practice (CoP) Webinar Series augments the technical assistance areas of Employment First systems change (Capacity Building, Provider Transformation, School-to-Work Transition, Employer Engagement, and Policy/Funding Alignment). CoP participants benefit from national subject matter experts (SMEs) presenting information and resources to support Employment First efforts.

This Webinar takes a deeper dive into apprenticeships, providing opportunities to learn its benefits, systems of successful implementation and possible funding sources. Join ODEP and Subject Matter Experts working with ACCSES, as they share insights and narratives from successful community based apprenticeship models, and learnings from on-the-ground training and technical assistance given to providers pursuing apprenticeships as part of their Competitive Integrated Employment offerings.

Webinar Objectives:
• Learn about the apprenticeship model of employment opportunity creation and how it benefits members of the Intellectual and Developmental Disability community and local business alike
• Become familiar with successful models of implementation for providers interested in pursuing apprenticeships for those they support
• Understand what funding sources and opportunities are available for those interesting in pursuing apprenticeships as part of their employment programs
• Receive information about other resources available to help providers to create effective apprenticeship programs.

***Register for the Webinar Here***

Please email any accommodation requests to [email protected]

Facilitated By

Rachel Pollock
Senior Program Advisor & Former COO
Job Path Inc.

Rachel Pollock, J.D., is the Senior Program Advisor and formerly Chief Operating Officer, at Job Path Inc, a not-for-profit provider agency in New York City (NYC) that provides competitive integrated employment and a range of individualized day and residential supports services for people with developmental disabilities. She has extensive experience, in the implementation of employment and day services, with a particular focus on program development and the effective use of funding streams to develop quality programming. Through federal and state initiatives, Ms. Pollock has provided technical assistance to states and individual providers, in the areas of strategic planning, braiding and blending funding, rate reimbursement, State as Model Employer, staff restructuring, workforce development and recruitment, customized employment, job development, community- based day supports, and stakeholder engagement. Ms. Pollock also is the parent of a young man with autism who is working in a job in New York City.

J W Gibbs
Apprenticeship Development and Alignment Coordinator
Institute for Community Inclusion - UMass Boston

JW Gibbs has spent over two decades in the finance and consulting space and has dedicated the last ten years in the Provider space. In 2017, working with a small but passionate team, set up an employment provider program based on the Registered Apprenticeship, Pre-Apprenticeship, and Vocational Rehabilitation Employment services. He has worked as a Community Living Director, Director of Employment Services, and provides Subject Matter Expertise in the area of Apprenticeship and workforce development strategies focused on creating an Inclusive workforce. JW Gibbs is a father of a son with Autism and actively pursues opportunities for advocacy.

Kate McSweeny
President and CEO
ACCSES

Since May 2016, Kate has led ACCSES’s national advocacy efforts, including legislative and regulatory policy and member advocacy. Prior to joining ACCSES, Kate practiced law at the law firms of Chadbourne & Parke (now Norton Rose Fulbright) and Dilworth Paxson in Washington, D.C., while also legal research and writing as an adjunct law professor. Kate’s pre-law career was spent in the broadcasting industry, including many years as Vice President of Programming and Development for Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta. Kate moved to Virginia in 1996 to take an executive position at America Online, and later had a successful consulting practice in broadcasting and media. Kate is magna *** laude graduate of George Mason University School of Law (2004), and a *** laude graduate of Boston College (1980). Kate has served on several boards including the Historical Society of the Courts of the D.C. Circuit board, the Woolly Mammoth Theatre board (secretary), the George Mason University School of Law Alumni Association board (president), and the George Mason University Alumni Association board (vice president of advocacy). In December 2021, Kate was named President & CEO of ACCSES.

Employment First Webinars are recorded, and the links are distributed to the listserv within two business days following the webinar. Please share this announcement with your colleagues! If they are not a current subscriber to ODEP's Employment First mailing list, they can register here.

Our mailing address is:
Economic Systems Inc.
3120 Fairview Park Dr
Suite 500
Falls Church, VA 22042

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