[blindLaw] Legal discussion topic regarding ADA (Americans with disabilities Act) and how it’s statutory intent could hurt disabled folks in the workforce in seeking and maintaining employment

Tue Jun 18 16:42:08 UTC 2024

This discussion has centered around people who get higher education degrees. Let's remember that most blind people do not do so. Employment is complex but I think it starts with high expectations for all of us. 

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-----Original Message-----
From: BlindLaw <blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of wmodnl wmodnl via BlindLaw
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2024 10:06 AM
To: Blind Law Mailing List <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Cc: wmodnl wmodnl <wmodnl at hotmail.com>; Paul Harpur <p.harpur at law.uq.edu.au>
Subject: Re: [blindLaw] Legal discussion topic regarding ADA (Americans with disabilities Act) and how it’s statutory intent could hurt disabled folks in the workforce in seeking and maintaining employment

Well, and unfortunately, the other issue that does come up that we all have to address as a community, is there are people out there who may want to go the extra mile to get that initial work experience but if part of that means leaving their town or city, or state, something prevents it, opposition from family who may need to assist because of other disabilities, inability financially to relocate and most importantly, lack of infrastructure wherever opportunities are. Lots of companies wanting to expand DEI, are in public transit deserts.
With Covid it wasn’t an issue overnight everybody worked from home, but because post Covid companies have to fulfill their obligations to comply with the American outdated tax system that requires people to be in physical offices the great possible job boom where transportation wasn't a barrier during Covid is now back to the way it was pre-Covid. I know people personally, who had to make that tough choice after working remotely ended either quit there, Employment or relocate to Indiana, Arizona, Texas.

> On Jun 17, 2024, at 4:37 PM, Lauren Bishop via BlindLaw <blindlaw at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> hello,
> I don’t know that reforming the ADA is necessarily the solution. I know that for blind people, the unemployment rate is really a complex issue.
> One thing that I see as a big issue in the Blind community is that it seems like blind people are pushed to get several advanced degrees, but not to get the work experience to supplement those degrees. It is one thing to show your employer that you can go to school, it is a whole Nother thing to be able to show your employer that yes, despite your blindness, you can be successful in the workplace. School is seen as this safe thing, but  school will also push a blind person through the system if they are struggling.
> Second, we do have other ways of getting help with accommodations besides working with our employers. However, it is getting more and more difficult to use the services. For example, I know many blind people who have active cases with vocational rehab, but those people might as well not exist unless they pick up the phone. Also , it is often not just one call, it is several calls and several fights to get voc rehab to do what they are supposed to do and help them get the tools they need to succeed in a job.
> Finally, I would venture to argue that blind people don’t receive adequate support to enter employment.  I hear a lot of people say, “I don’t know what jobs are accessible to me. “Reality is, as long as you’re not driving or playing some professional sports, there is a blind person that is done the job you have. You just have to find them. A lot of people  Are pushed away from networks because they don’t want to be in an organization. Yet, you don’t have to be a part of a blindness organization to be on list. Serve such as this one. Who have done the job I am doing are the reason why I’m in the job. I’m in today. I reached out to others in similar career paths and who have actually had the same job I have, and , I was successfully hired. Did it take longer for me than my sided pears? Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t, I really don’t know. The reality is we are no different sided people in the fact that it is not what you know, but who you know. Maybe they didn’t get you the job, but that person gave you the insight to know what it means to be successful in that career. 
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