Episode 37: Investing in the Success of Employees with Disabilities

You First: The Disability Rights Florida Podcast

Today on the podcast we have guest Neil Romano, a member and former chair of the National Council on Disabilities where he is serving his second three-year term. A former Communications Director at the White House, Neil was nominated by President George W. Bush to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy where he developed a series of outreach programs to help Americans and businesses understand the value of people with disabilities in the workplace. He also served as a member of the President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the United States Access Board and the Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled. We're thrilled to have Neil on today, and we will talk about employment for people with disabilities and the barriers, options, and hopes of employees with disabilities.

Before we get started, we want to review a few important terms relevant to this podcast:

• Sheltered workshop work centers: A segregated place where only people with disabilities work. People that work in sheltered workshops make less money than the minimum wage. (Source: Autistic Self Advocacy Network)
• FLSA 14c: FLSA stands for Fair Labor Standards Act. Section 14c of this law allows employers to pay people with disabilities less than the minimum wage. (Source: The Collaboration to Promote Self-Determination)
• Supported employment: Support provided to individuals with disabilities before and during a job. Resources such as job coaching, accommodations, job training, and support keeping a job are all examples of supported employment. (Source: CIL workforce glossary)
• Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE): People with disabilities have the same right as people without disabilities to work at a job that pays them minimum wage or more, in a place that has people with and without disabilities working together and provides chances to get raises and promotions. (Source: Disability Rights California)
• Adult Day Training programs: Programs that provide adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities with activities that will support them in all parts of their lives. Example activities could include computer skills trainings, art classes, recreational activities, interpersonal skills, and more. (Source: The ARC of St. Johns)
• Transition planning: Transition planning is a process to help students with disabilities decide what they want to do after high school. The purpose is to help teens prepare to be independent young adults. (Source: Disability Rights Florida)

Links

• National Council on Disability website featuring Neil Romano's bio
• National Council on Disability website
• Employment Disability Topic on Disability Rights Florida website
• Videos on Competitive Integrated Employment
  • What is Competitive Integrated Employment? (English)
  • What is Competitive Integrated Employment? (English & ASL)
  • Qué es Empleo Integrado Competitivo? (Español)