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Purpose
The purpose of this Center is to build the capacity of Federal and State public agencies and private entities to support people with disabilities in achieving self-employment, business ownership, or telecommuting as employment outcomes. Two specific objectives will guide the Center's activities.
1) Increase the supply of trained personnel available to public and private agencies.
2) Maintain and improve the skill, knowledge, and quality of rehabilitation personnel.
Self-Employment Policy Paper
The Center on Self-Employment researched and summarized self-employment policies for the 50 States plus the District of Columbia. In total, 73 State VR Agencies were included in this research: 29 Combined VR Agencies, 22 General VR Agencies, and 22 Blind VR Agencies. This paper represents the background and impetus behind the policy review, summarizes the findings, and offers initial considerations and recommendations for state VR policymakers. The report identified four key opportunities that VR agencies can pursue to increase equitable access to self-employment services.
A Practical Approach To Telework As A Reasonable Accommodation During The Pandemic
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), telework has long been considered a form of reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the EEOC provides useful guidance about telework as an accommodation, the pandemic has created a multitude of new telework issues for employers to consider. For employers who are looking for guidance on how to address these issues, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers the following practical suggestions.
Virtual Conference
Catch the Wave: Increasing Self-Employment Access to Drive Innovation. This virtual conference will explore self-employment topics including effective policy and innovative practices that facilitate access to self-employment for people with disabilities. Learn from rehabilitation professionals as they discuss their experiences and discover how impactful self-employment has been for the success of individual business owners.