This edition of Breaking Waves includes items on: Resources that talk about the rights of and protections for individuals with disabilities when traveling by plane, bus, and/or rail. The Pacific ADA Center’s CASp Exam Prep Course offered January 8 – 11, 2024. Justice Department agreements to improve services for individuals with disabilities in Arizona and … Continued
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has introduced an “accessibility” map for its recreation sites to help people with mobility or accessibility needs. This map is part of Disability Awareness Month and is the first step in a bigger effort by the BLM. A team of experts has improved the online map, allowing users to … Continued
A new resource from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) talks about options an employer should consider if they can’t identify a reasonable accommodation after making a good-faith effort to do so. They could: Talk to the employee and review past attempts. If the employee can’t provide more ideas, look for help from outside resources like … Continued
Jan Garrett, Deputy Director of ADA Programs at the Pacific ADA Center, was recently interviewed by the L.A. Times. She shared guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Act on service animals in public spaces. Here are some key points: Service animals are trained to help people with many different types of disabilities. They don’t have … Continued
The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) has put out a new webpage talking about why it’s good to have flexible work options. It talks about: Who benefits from a flexible workplace Types of workplace flexibility Things for employers to think about when making workplaces flexible There are also links to reports … Continued
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) and its partners are working together to help older adults and people with disabilities vote by providing resources, services, and legal assistance. Check out ACL’s updated voting resource hub for more information.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act, a law made in 1973. This law makes sure that people with disabilities can use federal programs and have jobs. The federal government updated the law in 1986 with Section 508. Section 508 makes sure that information and communication technology (ICT) in the federal sector … Continued
People in the communities affected by natural disasters, including the fire in Maui, are beginning the hard task of recovery. This includes people with disabilities, who may need to find accessible temporary housing, replace assistive devices or medical equipment, and eventually rebuild or find new homes. Check out NARIC’s list of disaster information and services
A recently updated mental health toolkit from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) provides an easy-to-follow framework for building a mental health-friendly workplace. It is built around 4 A’s: Awareness Accommodations Assistance Access Employers can take actions to improve worker well-being, including providing education, a flexible work culture, and employee assistance … Continued
The Access Board has published new guidelines under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA). They cover: Access to sidewalks and streets Crosswalks Curb ramps Pedestrian signals On-street parking Other parts of public rights-of-way These guidelines also review shared-use paths, which are designed mainly for use by bicyclists and pedestrians … Continued
