ADALive‪!‬ Southeast ADA Center

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-130.The Southeast ADA Center and the ADA National Network get a lot of questions about workplace accommodations. This includes questions about when and how employees can stay at work or return to work after a disabling illness or injury.

The U.S. Department of Labor reports that millions of workers experience an injury that puts them at risk of leaving the workforce. While some injuries are work related, many happen off-the-job. These injuries impact not only workers, but family members, employers, and the economy. Many workers can return to work when the get timely and effective help. The RETAIN project, an initiative of the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), seeks to aide injured workers in the recovery process and return to economic self-sufficiency.

Our guest for this episode is Kimberly Wickert with RETAIN Kentucky. Kimberly will be talking about the ways the RETAIN demonstration projects help employees and employers, along with other partners, work together so that employees facing illness or injury remain in the workforce.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-129. Each month, the 10 ADA Centers receive hundreds of calls and emails asking for disability-related information and guidance on their legal rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many people ask about their employment rights or about an employer’s duty to an employee with a disability.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or the EEOC is responsible for enforcement of various employment rights laws. The EEOC handles complaints of employment discrimination that are based on issues such as a person’s disability, age, gender, race, or religion. In this episode, we will focus on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and employment discrimination against people with disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-128.
It’s April and in recognition of Autism Acceptance Month, we will talk about the rights autistic people have under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many people who are autistic or are neurodivergent have difficulty with social situations and personal interactions. We will also offer strategies for coping with workplace and community barriers. Our guest for this episode is Stacey Hoaglund, the President of the Board of Directors for the Autism Society of Florida.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-127.
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, when we raise awareness and promote acceptance of people with developmental disabilities.
In thinking about the barriers faced by people with developmental disabilities and their families, it can be hard to find up-to-date information on the quality services and programs you need to live independently in the community. One important resource for this information is the state Developmental Disabilities Councils, often called “DD Councils.”
Our guest for this episode of ADA Live! is Johnny Callebs, the Executive Director of the Kentucky Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-126/.
Synergies Work is the largest non-profit in the United States that enables entrepreneurs with disabilities to build sustainable micro-enterprises. They provide end-to-end business solutions and bridge the opportunity gaps between the disability and the business communities. Synergies Work believes that empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities can create a more inclusive society and a better world for all.

Synergies Work is a personal mission of its founder, Aarti Sahgal. Her vision stems from her life experiences as a parent of a young adult with Down syndrome, who constantly challenges the bias of low expectations that excludes people with disabilities from living their true potential. In this episode of ADA Live! Aarti talks about the organization she founded, Synergies Work, and her personal mission to create inclusive communities and workforce strategies for people with disabilities.

More information, transcripts, bios, and resources available at adalive.org/episodes/episode-125/. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), a significant number of individuals with disabilities spend their day receiving public services in sheltered workshops and facility-based day programs. In a report titled, Beyond Segregated and Exploited, the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) estimates that over 400,000 people are sent to sheltered workshops where they earn less than the federal minimum wage. This environment results in stigmatization and a lack of economic independence. These settings segregate individuals from the community and provide little or no opportunity to interact with people without disabilities, other than paid staff.

The Department of Justice implements the “integration mandate” of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires public entities to “administer services, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of qualified individuals with disabilities.”  The ADA’s “integration mandate” makes clear that public entities must provide reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures to avoid discrimination. On October 31, 2023, the DOJ issued guidance that the “integration mandate” applies to sheltered workshops and day centers, putting them in violation of the ADA and the Olmstead decision.

In this episode we will discuss the most recent guidance on the ADA’s “integration mandate” and the Olmstead decision and its application to employment and day services for people with disabilities. Our guest is Julie Kegley, Staff Attorney & Program Director - Georgia Advocacy Office (GAO).