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Tax Credits for Inclusive Employers

There are numerous benefits to being (or becoming!) an inclusive employer and actively seeking out a diverse workforce. It can give your business a different perspective on how to innovate and solve problems. A team that includes people with disabilities provides a wide breadth of experience to draw from. It creates an efficient and effective group of workers that treats everyone as equals. It can provide very real, very measurable benefits to productivity and profitability (here are some examples.)

The fact is: a diverse workforce — along with treating people as equals and with...

Remote Interview

2020 has been a calendar year that will live on in the history books for decades to come, and for many has been the most difficult year in recent memory. The crisis caused by the COVID-19 epidemic is one of the major factors contributing to this. The epidemic has created a need for rapid change for individuals, organizations, and companies across the entire world. Part of this change has been a swift move to remote work, with offices closing and employees either on quarantine or choosing to stay home.

One of the results of this shift to remote work has been a very quick and thorough...

Microsoft Accessibility Logo

Technology has been a key component of empowering persons with disabilities, especially in the last 10 years, where we've seen an explosion of innovation. Whether you are an individual living with a disability yourself — or you have friends, family, employees, or co-workers who are — there's no doubt of how technology helps everyone reach their full potential. Maybe you've used voice-activated smart devices to execute commands without using your hands, or you've utilized a screen reader to view webpages, for example. Employers are also catching on and rapidly adopting accessibility...

Disability Focus Series, Autism Spectum Disorder(ASD);

Autism presents significant challenges for many children born both in the US and in countries around the world. Consequently, more resources are needed, both on a national and global scale to fund medical research into the causes of Autism. If not, we are facing a grim future for generations to come.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction, verbal and non-verbal communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior. The Centers for Disease Control reports the following...

Free Access to National Parks with Access Pass

What better way to enjoy and explore your abilities than to visit national parks and recreation sites throughout the United States? Persons with disabilities who are citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. may be able to obtain a free lifetime pass that allows access to over 2,000 “Federal Recreation Sites.” Here’s some info to get you started on your next adventure.

What are Federal Recreation Sites?

Well, the whole reason you might want to apply for this pass! These sites include National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and other federal recreation lands such as...

Keys to a More Inclusive Workplace

How To Create a More Inclusive Workplace

National Disability Employment Awareness Month happened in October; our hope is that the drive to create more inclusive and diverse workplaces persists beyond just one month! For non-disabled persons, it might be easy to assume that getting all the components in place for an inclusive workplace would be a daunting and difficult task. However, it's actually very straightforward—and beneficial for everyone! Here's some of the various things employers can do to get started, many of which can be done right after...

Laptop Computer

Starting a Business: Tips for Parents with Disabilities

Starting a new business is a big undertaking, and for those who are parents, it can be a stressful one. You want to make sure you can still provide for your family while also creating a business that is successful and meets your needs, but there’s a lot to think about. From ensuring that you have enough funding to get up off the ground to deciding whether to set up a storefront or work from your home, there’s a lot to think about.

Fortunately, there are several simple things you...

Stair Lift

For many Americans, finding the right home is a long and arduous process. There are so many things to take into consideration, from the location to the price to the school district, and when you’re a senior or an individual who is living with a disability, making sure the home is accessible is one of the most important aspects of the hunt.

 

A truly accessible home is one that not only ensures safety, but allows you to move around freely in every room. This means a lack of stairs, doorways that are wide enough to permit a wheelchair, kitchens and bathrooms that have lower...

It has been documented that Chicago is one of the best diversity and inclusion cities in the United States regarding all facets of disability. Recently, the Chicago’s Mayor's Office for People for People with Disabilities has focused on bringing together disability leadership through the Chicago Community Trust with the program ADA25 Leadership Institute.

On December 7th, 2017, Helene Gayle, CEO of The Chicago Community Trust alongside Karen Tamley, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, announced the 2018 ADA 25 Advancing Leadership Fellows Class. The...

The opportunity for people with disabilities to become leaders in the workplace is a chance not to show your skills, but to provide a team with insight, confidence and excellent networking in the city of Chicago. When the inaugural group of the ADA25 Advancing Leadership program was launched 2 years ago, I saw such a great opportunity for people with disabilities and the civic engagement community to learn from each other, and the chance to learn about all facets of diversity.

The Chicago Community Trust diversity pipeline does not just talk about people with disabilities, but...

Head shot of man with tie and blue shirt

With our low unemployment rate across the board for US citizens, people with disabilities have been seeing results that bring optimism in finding not just a job, but an ideal job. After missing out on an opportunity that you were excited about, rejection seeps in and it is tough for anyone to be rejected.

As you have that sinking feeling of rejection, you are not alone. Many business leaders have been rejected many times with their ideas, only to analyze what can be better in their ideas or even abandoned the idea altogether. When it boils down to is, successful people extract...

Lauren Bryant

Lauren Bryant is a University of Illinois student who volunteered as an AbilityLinks blogger this summer. I was pleased to supervise Lauren and serve as her editor. Here is Lauren's final blog post of the summer. - Bill O'Connor

In the interest of being completely honest with the readers of this blog, I’m going to make a confession: I have trouble focusing on work more often than not. I am a chronic multitasker: usually those other tasks are not work related.

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