New York City Launches Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion to Support People with Disabilities in Careers

what to know

The announcement includes the launch of a Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion that will address the structural challenges many people with disabilities face when pursuing a career. It will also increase the city’s investment in direct employment services that help people with disabilities to prepare for and connect with jobs and careers. The $8.8 million plan will help 2,500 New Yorkers with disabilities find employment along their career pathways over the next three years. New Yorkers with disabilities can now receive virtual services from NYC: ATWORK staff, including help connecting to jobs at the city through the 55-a program, which allows qualified people with disabilities to obtain jobs with the city without taking the appropriate civil service exam.

NEW YORK — New York City Mayor Eric Adams on Wednesday announced a new two-part investment to support career advancement for people with disabilities and expand access to internships, training seminars, jobs, future careers and financial advice.

The announcement includes the launch of a Center for Accessibility and Inclusion in the Workplace that will address the structural challenges many people with disabilities face when pursuing a career. It will also increase the city’s investment in direct employment services that help people with disabilities prepare for and connect with jobs and careers. The $8.8 million plan will help 2,500 New Yorkers with disabilities find employment along their career path over the next three years.

According to data from the American Community Survey, two-thirds of adult New Yorkers with disabilities are unemployed, either because they are unemployed or not in the job market. Additionally, those living with disabilities experience poverty at a much higher rate than adults without disabilities: nearly 30 percent compared to 17 percent. The city’s investment today will address these challenges head-on.

“It is estimated that about two-thirds of working-age New Yorkers with disabilities are unemployed, whether or not they are in the labor market, not because they cannot work, but because they have often been denied the support they need to access and keep my job, but I am committed to being the mayor for all New Yorkers, including those living with disabilities,” said Mayor Adams. “Today, I am proud to announce a new two-part plan designed to promote career advancement for people with disabilities and create a more equitable and inclusive economy for all. The first part includes the launch of a Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion that will help people with disabilities prepare for and connect to jobs and careers. The second part of our plan is to expand NYC: ATWORK, our program to help people with disabilities connect with the jobs and careers that work for them. These changes will help remove some of the barriers to career success for people with disabilities and ensure that all New Yorkers can succeed here, not just anywhere. New York City has always been at the forefront of accessibility and inclusion. We want to empower people with disabilities, making sure they have equal access to meaningful and fulfilling careers, while helping all New Yorkers reach their full potential.”

The Center for Workplace Accessibility and Inclusion, located within the Office of Talent and Workforce Development, will be led by Interim Executive Director Martha Jackson. The Center, a public-private partnership, will address the structural challenges that have prevented New Yorkers with disabilities from entering the workforce. To do so, the Center for Accessibility and Inclusion in the Workplace:

Establish an advisory council comprised of employers, providers, funders, government agencies, advocates, members of the disability community, and others. You will partner with key stakeholders to identify the most pressing challenges, align public and private funding, and promote a shared agenda for policy change. You will centralize data tracking and identify, promote and scale best practices. It will partner with a service design firm and community organizations serving people with disabilities to co-design innovative new workforce programs, or enhance existing programs, to be tested and evaluated over three years. It will infuse accessibility design into computer science courses across the City University of New York curriculum to ensure the next generation of technologists understand why—and how—to design software and hardware products that are “born” accessible.

New Yorkers with disabilities can now receive virtual services from NYC: ATWORK staff, including help connecting with city jobs through the 55-a program, which allows qualified people with disabilities to get jobs with the city without taking the corresponding civil service exam. Interested individuals must indicate their interest, after which NYC:ATWORK staff will contact you to conduct an initial assessment and schedule an orientation.

People can connect in a number of ways, depending on their needs:

By calling 212-788-7559. Visiting the NYC:ATWORK website and completing the “Job Applicant Reference Form”. Using ASL Direct by emailing [email protected] or making a video call by calling 646-396-5830. Sending a text to 311-692.

Starting in October, people with disabilities will be able to access services in person or virtually from Brooklyn Workforce1 staff on the fifth floor of 9 Bond Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

“This investment will pay dividends in the future as it connects people with disabilities to the training, counseling and careers they need to succeed and thrive in this city,” said New York City Councilwoman Joann Ariola. “All New Yorkers should have the opportunity to find fulfilling careers, and this new plan represents a big step toward reducing unemployment in the Big Apple.”

2023-07-27 02:38:54
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