1 Policy Matters: Public Policy & Accessible Workplace Technology Corinne Weible, Deputy Director Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) Coleman Conference 2017
What is PEAT? The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology 2 www.peatworks.org
The Employment Lifecycle 3
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Interviews www.peatworks.org 5
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Buy IT! Buy Accessible Workplace Technology 7
TechCheck Tool Benchmarking for your workplace 8
TalentWorks Accessible erecruiting for Employers 9 www.peatworks.org/talentworks
Policy Matters Public Policy & Accessible Workplace Technology 10 www.peatworks.org/policy-matters
Resource Library Policy Matters 11 www.peatworks.org/policy-matters
Topic Areas Policy Matters 12 Americans with Disabilities Act The Department of Justice has made 167 rulings in recent years that affirm that digital accessibility is a civil right. Section 508 Refresh Updates to these accessibility standards take effect January 2018 for technology procured for the federal government. Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Resources at American Job Center (AJCs) must be physically and virtually accessible to individuals with disabilities. Section 501 Federal agencies must provide equal access to jobseekers and employees, including ICT needed for applying for or performing a job. Section 503 Covered federal contractors must take affirmative action to recruit, retain, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities.
How is DOJ Addressing Website and ICT Accessibility? Policy Matters 13
Section 508 Refresh Policy Matters 14
WIOA Guide for AJCs Policy Matters 15
Why Stakeholder Input Matters 16 Tech development often outpaces the development of standards and regulations for industry. Emerging technologies today may have a huge impact on employment for people with disabilities: Driverless Cars Internet of Things (IoT) 5G & Smart Cities Accessibility should be a priority from the beginning of the development lifecycle for all tech products.
Who is a Stakeholder? 17
Public Comments Policy Proposed rules and final rules 18 Industry guidance Best practices/codes of conduct for business End results: Accessibility features built into mainstream wireless technologies Better products and an improved user experience Improved access to and utility of devices and services for a wide range of users Increased adoption of new technologies More accessible workplaces may help to increase employment rates for people with disabilities
Opportunities for Public Comment 19
Making It Happen: Increasing Awareness of Accessible Workplace Technology Online Dialogue October 11-21, 2016 20
Stay Informed on Policy Matters 21 PEAT Newsletter: sign up at www.peatworks.org/content/peatdistribution-list Wireless RERC Technology and Disability Policy Newsletter: http://www.wirelessrerc.org/tdph-monthly-newsletter Federal Registrar Postings: set up keyword search alert to monitor news with a content reader such as Inoreader, Feedly, or Google
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