March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month! Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a permanent condition that affects movement, balance and posture. It can range from mild to severe and can affect vision, speech and other functions.

Although it is the most common motor disability in childhood, CP is still widely misunderstood because it is so complex. Non-profit organizations around the world have responded by partnering to raise awareness of CP and to help people look beyond the disability.

Meet Shileta!

In honor of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, we introduce you to Shileta. Shileta is a Ticket to Work (Ticket) program participant with CP who has made a career out of guiding other young people with disabilities through self-discovery and life planning. With help from the Ticket program and mentors in her own life, Shileta was able to connect her passion for mentoring with a rewarding career. Read her success story today!

Accommodations for People with CP

Job seekers with CP can succeed with the right supports, such as mentors, training and education, and reasonable workplace accommodations. Reasonable accommodations are changes to a job, workplace or work process that help you perform required tasks in your role. You can talk with your employer about changes that will help ensure your success on the job.

Check out the Accommodation and Compliance Series: Employees with Cerebral Palsy (CP) from the Job Accommodation Network to learn more about workplace supports for employees with CP.

As you explore work, you may have questions about performing certain job duties or tasks. To make sure your needs are met, think about these important questions to ask yourself and employers:

• Can I telecommute?
• Is it possible to take additional breaks?
• Can the job requirements be changed to accommodate tasks I can’t perform?
• Can the current workstation or workspace be modified?
• Is the required technology available to perform the job?

The Ticket program has a variety of service providers that can help you consider these questions. Visit the Find Help tool to search for a service provider today.

Because March is National Nutrition Month, we encourage you to think about what you eat and make good choices for your health. As you begin looking for work, scheduling interviews and starting a new job, you want to be your healthiest self. Choosing healthy foods can help you focus and give you more energy to work toward your goals.

Healthy Choices

Learn what foods are best for you. It’s best to eat a balanced diet, filled with nutrients that keep you healthy and give you energy. Check out Eat Right at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for more information on nutrition. You may also want to talk with your doctor about which foods to add to your particular diet and which ones to avoid, that way you can create an eating plan that works for you. Below are a few tips:

• Increase energy: Fresh fruits have natural sugar that gives your body an extra boost throughout the day. And asparagus contains plenty of B vitamins to turn carbohydrates into fuel. Try adding asparagus to a lunch salad to give you energy through the afternoon.
• Increase bone health: Calcium helps keep your bones healthy and strong. Dairy, broccoli and almonds all pack a lot of calcium. Grab yogurt and a serving of almonds for a mid-morning or afternoon snack.
• Reduce inflammation: Inflammation happens when your immune system attacks anything foreign to your body. Avoiding some foods, like soda and fried foods, can help prevent inflammation. Adding other foods, like nuts and salmon, can also help. And drink plenty of water! Drinking water throughout the day helps a lot of body functions and can calm inflammation.

Making Nutrition Work for You

If you’re starting work or looking for work, it’s a good idea to think about what you eat and how it affects your daily schedule. For example, some types of disabilities, such as diabetes, renal or kidney disease, or an eating disorder, may require you to keep a specific food and/or medication schedule. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employees with disabilities can talk with their employers about reasonable accommodations. Consider talking with your employer to see if these options can help you transition to work:

• Flexible lunch break
• Additional and/or frequent breaks throughout the day
• Access to a refrigerator or other food storage to bring food from home

Additional Resources

• National Nutrition Month Resources from Choose My Plate
• Grocery shopping tips
• Small changes
• Commonly asked questions about nutrition

Throughout March, career fairs will be held nationwide, both in person and online. Career fairs are great places to meet with employers and recruiters who can tell you about their latest job openings. Advance your job search at a career fair this month!

Gallaudet University's Spring 2017 Internship & Job Fair (In Person)

Gallaudet University hosts a twice-yearly job fair aimed at connecting employers with students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Attend this in-person job fair to talk with more than 50 employers about job and internship opportunities.

• March 3 – Washington, D.C.

Bender Virtual Career Fair (Virtual)

The Bender Virtual Career Fair allows job seekers with disabilities and employers to connect online and network from the comfort of their homes and offices. Participants are able to share their skills and talents with employers who are ready to hire people with disabilities.

• March 15 – Nationwide

EOP’s STEM Diversity Career Expo (In Person)

Equal Opportunity Publications (EOP) has a Science, Technology and Math (STEM) Diversity Career Expo that connects industry and government with members of minority groups, women and people with disabilities in the STEM career field.

• March 24 – Los Angeles, CA

Diversity Virtual Career Fair (Virtual)

The Diversity Virtual Career Fair lets you meet with employers nationwide in an online setting. Connect with employers who believe that, “Great teams are powered by diversity and inclusion.” Ask questions about employment and show off your skills from the comfort of your own home.

• March 21 – Nationwide 

Annual Diversity Employment Day Career Fairs (In Person)

Annual Diversity Employment Day (DED) Career Fairs provide the chance for local and national employers to meet and interview qualified candidates from diverse communities.

• March 9 – Washington, D.C. / VA
• March 14 – New York, NY
• March 27 – Dallas, TX

Hiring Our Heroes (In Person)

Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, helps veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find meaningful employment. Hiring Our Heroes has hosted hiring fairs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

• March 7-8 – Fort Leonard Wood, MO
• March 8 – Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH
• March 15-17 – Dover, DE  
• March 15 – Washington, D.C.
• March 18 – Detroit, MI
• March 20 – Houston, TX
• March 22-23 – Fort Bliss, TX
• March 22 – Lake Charles, LA
• March 28 – Philadelphia, PA
• March 30 – Little Rock, AR

DICE Targeted Job Fairs (Virtual)

This online career fair connects job seekers with top employers in technology industries. Job seekers have the opportunity to talk with these employers via instant chat during the events.

• March 7 – Edison, NJ
• March 14 – Los Angeles, CA
• March 16 – Schaumburg, IL
• March 22 – Nationwide
• March 23 – Raleigh, NC

RecruitMilitary Veteran Job Fairs (In Person)

RecruitMilitary offers transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses the chance to meet with recruiters from dozens of companies. RecruitMilitary has hosted more than 900 events over 11 years.

• March 9 – Houston, TX
• March 9 – New York, NY
• March 9 – San Jose, CA
• March 9 – Fort Lee, VA
• March 23 – New Orleans, LA
• March 23 – Pittsburgh, PA
• March 23 – Kansas City, MO
• March 29 – Huntsville, AL
• March 30 – Columbus, OH
• March 30 – Philadelphia, PA

By Guest Blogger Tracie DeFreitas of the Job Accommodation Network

February 27 to March 5 is Telecommuter Appreciation Week. Not long ago, telecommuting – or working from home – was seen as a perk, special treatment, or a benefit available only to those in management. Now, telecommuting offers employers the chance to enhance productivity while meeting the changing needs of a diverse workforce.

Alternative work arrangements, like telework, can expand options and employment opportunities for many workers, but particularly for people with disabilities. Some people may have medical limitations that prevent them from commuting to work or performing job duties at a traditional worksite. Working from home offers the opportunity to choose how, when and where to best perform work.

Telework as an Accommodation

In some organizations, working from home is a common option for all employees. Even when it’s not, employees with disabilities can request telework as an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA is a federal law that provides civil rights protections for people with disabilities. It also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees to perform essential job duties.

Consultants for the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) commonly suggest telework as an accommodation solution to address a variety of medical impairments, limitations and work-related barriers. Working from home can help people with disabilities succeed in employment when limitations affect their ability to work.

Choosing telework as an accommodation requires a collaborative discussion with your employer. It’s useful to begin the conversation knowing some of the factors that will determine if telework is possible. Consider the following questions and concerns:

• First, think about the work you do and identify the essential job functions to determine if any or all tasks can be performed remotely and to what extent (i.e., as needed, part-time, etc.). Not all jobs can be performed outside of the traditional workplace, but many can.
• Next, consider the tools or equipment needed to perform the required tasks. For example, do you need a computer? What about internet access, telephone, a printer, etc.? Is there workspace in your home and can you use the required tools in that space? If a specific machine or equipment is needed, can you access or use it outside of the on-site work location?
• Consider if the position requires immediate access to documents or other resources located in the workplace. How will you access these resources?
• Employers are often concerned about a lack of supervision for people working at home. How will the employer measure performance? What will the employee accomplish each day? What supervisory methods will work for you and your employer?
• Finally, does the work require face-to-face interaction with other employees, clients or customers? Can you communicate with them in a different way?

Telework may be right for people with various medical impairments and in a number of disability employment-related situations. Working from home can address many work-related barriers, including:

• Difficulty commuting to and from work
• Limited access to parking
• Inflexible workplace policies
• Rigid work schedules
• Accessibility and environmental issues
• Lack of privacy or onsite support for personal medical needs like taking medication or using the restroom

Contact JAN to learn more about how to request and negotiate this type of accommodation to succeed in the workplace.

Additional Resources

• JAN’s Telework Resources
• Lori Success Story
• Ticket Talk Podcast: Things to Know about Work-from-Home Job Opportunities (transcript available)

Going back to work or working for the first time is a great step toward financial independence. When you’re setting employment goals, you may also have questions about managing money. In our monthly Money Mondays blog series, we’ll offer information, tips and resources for you to use on that journey.

Today’s blog post explains what credit is and how it might affect you as you search for a job.

Credit Basics

Credit is your ability to get goods (things like clothing, food, and computers) or services (cable television, internet access or vehicle repairs, for example) before you pay for them. Having good credit means banks and sellers trust you to make payment for those goods or services in the future.

As you think about joining or rejoining the workforce, consider the effect credit can have on your job search. You may find that you need to purchase a car to make getting to and from work easier; or as you start earning more money, you may want to look for an apartment or house closer to your job. If you haven’t started working yet, you may want to pay for tuition or training to prepare yourself for a job or career.

How you pay for these expenses can help you establish credit. If you already have a credit history, your current credit score may affect your ability to buy what you need. Some employers also consider your credit score when they are making hiring decisions.

Your Credit Score

As you begin your job search, you may want to find out your credit score. Credit scores range from 300 to 850. The higher your score, the better! Scores are based on the “Four Cs” of credit:

• Character – the likelihood you will repay your debt
• Capacity – your ability to repay your debt
• Capital – the savings you have available to pay for the debt
• Collateral – Property you own that can be promised as repayment. In the event that you are unable to pay back the debt, this property is given to repay the debt.

This information offers lenders, employers, and others a snapshot of your financial health. It can affect your ability to rent an apartment, or take out a loan and, in some cases, get a job. Employers want to know you have a history of making good financial decisions. You can check your credit score free at www.creditkarma.com. Also, remember to check your credit report. Your credit score will give you a single number and your credit report will include information about your debt.  You can check your credit report for free once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com. Through this site, you can access three credit-reporting agencies: TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. Each company will provide you with one free report each year.

Find Out More about Credit!

If you’d like to learn more about credit, check out the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Q&A on credit cards.

Next month, our Money Mondays blog post will cover how to establish or strengthen your credit as you journey toward financial independence.

The Ticket to Work (Ticket) program offers people with disabilities who are age 18 through 64 and receive Social Security benefits (SSI or SSDI) free access to a variety of service providers who can help them reach their employment goals. If you are starting your journey back to work or working for the first time, there are resources to help you succeed. In our two-part Meet Your Employment Team blog series, we look at who makes up your employment team and what each provider offers. This week, in Part 1, we introduce you to WIPA projects and PABSS organizations.

Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) Projects

A Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) project is a great stop on your road to employment. Community Work Incentive Coordinators (CWICs) are benefits counselors who work at WIPA projects. They are trained and certified by Social Security to help you make informed choices about work. This includes understanding the impact of earnings on all of the benefits you receive, knowing which Social Security Work Incentives you’re entitled to, and making a successful transition to financial independence. They can also dispel myths about benefits and working to make sure you have the right information for success.

Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS)

As you consider work, while you’re in training, or when you have a job, you may encounter what seem to be barriers to success. Maybe you need help requesting job accommodations, protecting your rights to housing and transportation to and from work, or understanding conditions of your employment. Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) organizations are funded by Social Security and offer free legal help and other services to make overcoming these types of barriers easier. Some other services that may be available through your PABSS organization include:

• Help accessing services from community agencies, including State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and Employment Networks
• Guidance on overpayments

Next Week: Part 2

Next week, we’ll look at how Employment Networks and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies can help you on your journey. Remember to join us on Wednesday, February 22, for our free WISE webinar, “Choosing the Service Provider that’s Right for You!” Register now! 

Ticket to Work: Choosing a Service Provider That’s Right for You
Wednesday, February 22, 2017, 3:00 - 4:30 PM, ET

If you receive Social Security disability benefits (SSI or SSDI) and want to make more money through work, Ticket to Work can provide the support that you need!

Join us on February 22, 2017, for the latest WISE webinar. We will be presenting information on Social Security programs and rules that may apply to you, including:

• Ticket to Work and Work Incentives;
• How to choose a service provider that’s right for you; and
• The importance of receiving long-term employment supports after you start working.

Register online at https://www.choosework.net/wise or call 1-866-968-7842 (Voice) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

You will receive a registration confirmation message with instructions on how to log in to the webinar. Please be sure to check your spam folder. Registration information will also be available online the day of the webinar.

Throughout February, career fairs will be held nationwide. Career fairs are great places to meet with employers and recruiters who can tell you about their latest job openings. Advance your job search at a career fair this month!

Annual Diversity Employment Day (In-Person)

Annual Diversity Employment Day (DED) Career Fairs provide the chance for local and national employers to meet and interview qualified candidates from diverse communities.

• February 15 – Denver, CO
• February 22 – Portland, OR

Hiring Our Heroes (In-Person)

Hiring Our Heroes, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, helps veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses find meaningful employment. Hiring Our Heroes has hosted hiring fairs in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia.

• February 15 – Los Angeles, CA
• February 15 – Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA
• February 24 – Washington, DC
• February 27 – St. Paul, MN
• February 27 – Montgomery, AL

RecruitMilitary (In-Person)

RecruitMilitary Opportunity Expo is an event where transitioning service members, veterans and their spouses can meet with recruiters from dozens of companies. RecruitMilitary has hosted 915 events over 11 years.

• February 2 – Atlanta, GA
• February 2 – Riverside, CA
• February 7 – Fort Stewart, GA
• February 8 – Savannah, GA
• February 9 – Baltimore, MD
• February 9 – Nashville, TN
• February 16 – Glendale, AZ
• February 16 – Richmond, VA
• February 16 – Jacksonville, FL

Veteran Recruiting (Virtual)

Veteran Recruiting is dedicated to serving the military community, including those with disabilities, by providing access to industry-leading employers through virtual career fairs and live video interviewing services. This event is exclusively for National Guard reservists, veterans and military spouses. You will research potential employers, visit employer booths, chat with recruiters, and browse a wide range of available jobs—all from your home computer! The career fair is virtual, but February’s event focuses on job openings and recruiters based in Texas.

• February 7 – Texas

Veteran’s Virtual Career Fair (Virtual)

This free recruiting event offers veterans the chance to connect with potential employers by live chat. Potential employers are looking for full-time employees, interns and jobseekers interested in co-op positions. Co-op positions offer you both classroom-based job training and work experience while working with industry professionals.

• February 28 – Nationwide