February 19, 2013
In a continuing effort to support job seekers with disabilities and provide employers with relevant information regarding the employment of people with disabilities, the National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at The Viscardi Center and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) have signed a formal agreement. NBDC is a comprehensive resource for Fortune 1000 companies seeking to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace, marketplace and supply chain. JAN is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, and a recognized leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.
“NBDC and JAN have collaborated on valuable initiatives for over twenty years,” explained Laura M. Francis, Executive Director at the National Business & Disability Council at The Viscardi Center. “We look forward to exploring new ways to work together to reduce the high unemployment rate of people with disabilities, whether it be by expanding our corporate education efforts so that companies actively tap into this large pool of talented professionals or providing a means for individuals looking for employment to get their resumes in front of HR departments through our national resume database.”
“The JAN team is proud to partner with NBDC and its members in order to fulfill a shared vision of inclusion for people with disabilities in the nation’s workforce. Both of our organizations date back almost thirty years and both have been vital in assisting employers to open their doors for this talented pool of employees. Today, this vitality is expressed in quarterly Think Tanks where NBDC members along with JAN staff focus on resolving inclusion related issues in the workplace,” said Lou Orslene, JAN Co-Director.
NBDC’s services are offered through tiered membership levels or on a consultant basis and assist businesses in developing strategies to implement, grow, measure and create solid disability programs. These include talent acquisition, advancement and retention strategies; customized training seminars and workshops; facility and IT accessibility surveys; and an information hotline for disability-related employment issues. The NBDC National Resume Database® expands its’ members recruiting resources by giving them access to resume listings 24/7 so they can target the specific job applicants they need.
Founded by Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr., who served as disability advisor to eight U.S. presidents and became one of the world’s leading advocates, The Viscardi Center provides Pre-K through High School education, school-to-work transition services, vocational training, career counseling and placement, assistive technology and workforce diversification assistance to children, adolescents, and adults with disabilities and businesses. A global leader, it employs more than 300 professionals, including experts in education, human resources and technology. Learn more at viscardicenter.org