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“Disability” – What does it mean in the context of the American Job Centers? It’s a broad term encompassing many different physical or medical conditions that impact a person’s life. It describes a person who cannot work. It describes someone who is “crippled; incapacitated; injured.”

Wrong… People with disabilities CAN work. Please try again… It is important for you, as Job Center staff and partners, to NOT let a disability diagnosis become THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC of the job seekers you serve who experience a disability. Focus on the abilities, strengths and interests of all of the people with whom you are working. Help is available to identify reasonable accommodations and resources for job seekers with disabilities through the Job Accommodation Network. Please try again…

Incorrect… Please try again! While you might find this negative definition of the adjective “disability” on Dictionary.com, the definition of disability when describing an individual or groups of job seekers who experience disability within the context of the Job Center, is more encompassing and less limiting. There is a better answer… Please try again!

CORRECT! When considering how best to serve people with disabilities, a great deal of emphasis is often placed on physical access. While this is clearly important for people who use wheelchairs, or people with sensory disabilities (such as those who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf), there are people with other types of disabilities for whom physical access is not an issue. For people with learning disabilities, mental retardation, mental health issues, head injuries, and many other conditions, the issue is not necessarily access to facilities as much as access to programs and services. In considering the needs of people with disabilities, the Job Center’s focus should take a holistic approach and focus on access to programs and services as well as physical access. For more information check out: One-Stop Career Centers: Serving People with Disabilities This 30-Second Training has been developed using Federal funds from the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration under Contract No.: DOLJ131A22067. The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations Click here to end show