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Introducing the Disability Equality Index (DEI)

January 8, 2013  |  Randy Cooper

I'm very excited to be part of the AAPD and USBLN Team responsible for producing a corporate benchmarking tool on workplace policies and practices regarding the employment of people with disabilities.  We anticipate the Disability Equality Index (DEI) will provide an objective way for companies to benchmark their progress and identify avenues for continued improvement.  It will keep practitioners informed of best and emerging practices and point them toward peers in the employer community that are already demonstrating exemplary efforts. 

We believe the DEI will become a unique tool that will focus on building relationships and consensus with executives in the private sector to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the workforce.  Let us know what you think should be included in a disability equality index.

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Comments

Submitted by mctrish at 03:13 PM on March 11, 2013
When a disabled person is covered under the ADA and works at a location with 25 people or more, an HR person should be required to have training in administration of the ADA and reasonable accomodations. The disabled person should not have to rely on a ADA compliance officer that is over 1000 miles away for help. There should be no excuse for a business that has over 5000 employees in the US and is on the top 10 list...for being a federal government contractor, to mainly rely on people located in the area of corporate headquarters. This location may be more than 2000 miles from some employees. HR people should be trained and divided up in a way that complements the companies organization. They should be required to travel to the smaller locations that have 25 people or more and train the HR people there. A physical location may have unique problems due to climate or type of building design that need to be viewed in person. Unique challenges and problems can not always be explained in an email, conference call, web cam conference etc.
Submitted by anand at 11:00 PM on March 3, 2013
i wil intrest to do the job in america ple help me thank u sir
Submitted by Carolee at DAWNcil at 10:32 AM on January 30, 2013
We are very much looking forward to examining this tool. We hope it will be useful in our discussions with local employers towards raise their awareness regarding the added value of an inclusive workforce, and towards dispelling myths about hiring/retaining people with disabilities.
Submitted by Meril at 08:40 AM on January 17, 2013
Do you know when a prototype will be availabe for viewing?
Submitted by lin at 12:48 PM on January 13, 2013
lets help strengthen the Business Enterprise programs for the Blind. Entrepreneurs across our country who run businesses ,such as restaurants & vending locations & coffee shops in federal & State locations. Ask our States to support this worthwhile program & keep the R.S.A. laws that protect these hard working Blind people.
Submitted by Sher at 12:17 PM on January 13, 2013
If you want to help people with disabilities to get a chance to make a decent living, then help them to have their own business, as this is the only option for those who can work less than full time or have had trouble getting a job because of their health problems.
Submitted by Ray at 12:59 PM on January 12, 2013
Pay equity, advancement equity, benefits equity (especially mental health services parity with other health insurance coverage), workplace accommodations, HR policy flexibility, workplace accessibility (physical & sensory), accepting coworkers, a culture of acceptance & encouragement.
Submitted by Tony at 12:18 PM on January 12, 2013
Washington State's lists many excellent points. I'd add being familiar with EEOC regs and ADA law,etc. as a benchmark. Also, there should be an emphasis on hiring, working conditions,training and accomodation of persons who have disabilties. In my experience, requests for reasonable accomodation have not been responded to in a timely manner, and in many instances the needed accomodation has not been provided. Thus, some guidelines about appropriate responses to reasonable accomodation requests must be included.
Submitted by Pudge at 02:16 PM on January 11, 2013
Love this Disability Employment Index development. It will possibly help federal contractors with complying with their affirmative action plans. But, perhaps AAPD should've used a different acronym, as DEI also stands for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) funded by the U.S. Department of labor. it could be confusing to stakeholders and employers, as to which DEI people are referencing.
Submitted by Eleana at 12:39 PM on January 11, 2013
I am really glad to see this is being done and wondered if this is being done via a survey and wondered what kind of data you are collecting?
Submitted by AAPD at 11:30 AM on January 11, 2013
Fitz- Thank you for sharing your story. I would love to share it with the rest of our readers. Please email me at communications@aapd.com Hien- Please see http://www.aapd.com/what-powers-us/work-at-aapd.html for current openings. Lou & Gary- Thanks for the great feedback.
Submitted by Fitz at 07:36 PM on January 10, 2013
I am an USAF veteran and a holder of an MA in Counseling from UT El Paso. My first and only professional counseling position came in Feb, 2011. However, I was terminated during my probationary work trial period coincidently within hours after disclosing to my employer that I had a disability and that I needed one hour to receive an injection at my clinic. You see I have what is called a "Schizoaffective D/O." Is this blatant discrimination or is it just me?
Submitted by Lou at 02:13 PM on January 9, 2013
This is great! As a standardizing measurement, it will create an equal playing field for companies enlightened enough about both the social justice and bottom-line benefits of employing people with disabilities. Since most businesses have able competitors, with DEI they can measure what they should be doing in this regard, and it will be like an arms race to get the highest DEI rating and market that to consumers. I have been asked to provide ADA training and learning about DEI will be part of my presentation!
Submitted by gary at 09:28 PM on January 8, 2013
I hope you'll include the public sector as well, to address the failure to address affirmative action and reasonable accommodation. Federal EEO programs are useless.
Submitted by Hien at 03:33 PM on January 8, 2013
Hello! I am interested in the employment that u guys have. Do u need experience and are there any jobs available online? Thank u

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