Deborah J. Hendricks

Outcomes of reasonable accommodations in the workplace

A sample of Job Accommodation Network cases was examined to describe accommodations made in the workplace. An analysis of successful accommodation cases from an informal survey was conducted to determine the accommodation outcomes. The surveys revealed that businesses are making reasonable accommodations that they perceive as effective, economically beneficial, and that improve worker productivity and satisfaction. Accommodations are made across types of industry, types of jobs, and job functions. Most accommodations in this sample involved purchase of a product. Over half of the accommodations were for those in professionaIjpara-professional and clerical job classes. A variety of disabling conditions were included in the sample, but individuals with upper extremity limitations as a result of amputation, arthritis, and repetitive strain injuries represented the highest proportion of the sample. The cost figures for these accommodations as reported by the employers were consistent with accommodation cost information found in the literature. Copyright

Job Accommodations for Adults with Learning Disabilities: Brilliantly Disguised Opportunities.

The job accommodation needs of adults with a specific learning disability (SLD) are examined through an analysis of cases handled by the consultants at the Job Accommodation Network, an international accommodation information service of the Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. Case examples are included, which provide practical solutions to common situations involving adults with a SLD in the employment environment. The final section lists useful resources available to those involved in making accommodations for people with a SLD.

Promoting cognitive support technology use and employment success among postsecondary students with traumatic brain injuries

OBJECTIVE: This article applies positive psychology principles to the purpose and objectives of a five-year, federallyfunded initiative to provide cognitive support technology (CST) training and career preparatory services for undergraduate college students with mild and moderate traumatic brain injuries (TBI). METHODS: A total of 48 students with TBI have participated in the project during its first 18 months of operation – 14 of whom are military veterans with disabilities who were in the Iraq and/or Afghanistan theaters. CONCLUSION: Positive psychology interventions such as Best Possible Self, Intensely Positive Experiences, and Assetbased Assessments provide a framework for examining the activities of this multi-site development project.

Real-Life Issues in Job Accommodation

Over 2, 000 recent cases from the files of the Job Accommodation Network were examined to expose the relationships among the issues discussed, the type of lob involved, and the career progression of individuals with disabilities for calls by employees with disabilities and calls by their employers. Six types of issues (understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], impact of the accommodation, cortjlict between employer and employee, cost, government agency problems, and other) were identified. Both employers and employees cited understanding the ADA as their most critical concern. As implementation of the ADA proceeds, it is expected that issues of concern will shift from definitions of ADA terminology to more practical implementation strategies.

Project Career STAR web portal provides key information on supporting college students with traumatic brain injury

Project Career is a multi-site, multi-disciplinary demonstration grant funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). Kent State University serves as the program’s prime contractor with additional operational sites at Boston University and West Virginia University. JBS International, LLC is the fourth partner, managing the project’s data collection and analysis efforts. Project Career’s goal is to improve academic outcomes of college students who have incurred a traumatic brain injury, ultimately leading to enhanced employment opportunities. The project’s web portal is divided into stakeholder-driven categories for students, veterans, educators, service providers, and employers. Each section provides information pertinent to that specific audience. Referred to as STAR, the portal provides information about:

Accommodating individuals with traumatic brain injury: An analysis of employer-initiated cases handled by the Job Accommodation Network

BACKGROUND The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has provided customized accommodation information to employers, individuals with disabilities, and their representatives (e.g., family, rehabilitation counselors, union representatives) since 1983. For each inquiry where such information is sought, detailed records are maintained regarding the type of inquiries made and the information provided. OBJECTIVE The objective of the current study is to present a descriptive analysis of the employer-initiated cases related to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) handled by the accommodation specialists at JAN during the five years from 2012 through 2016. METHODS Records related to instances of TBI as recorded by the JAN accommodation specialists were reviewed. Information pertaining to the type of business, occupational category, limitations being experienced by the individual, and issues discussed with the accommodation specialist are presented. RESULTS The type of businesses and the occupational categories indicated by the employer were broad ranging, although there was a preponderance of cases in the area of Public Administration. Limitations related to cognition were the most frequent for which employers sought accommodation information. The largest category for the type of issues discussed was related to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other disability-pertinent legislation. CONCLUSIONS The incidence of employers seeking accommodation information for individuals who have incurred a TBI is very low (0.5%). Findings support those of other authors such as Ponsford and Spitz (2015), in that accommodation information was most frequently requested for individuals in professional (i.e., office-type jobs), rather than for laborer positions.