“I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” This time it might be true, at least for one U.S. Dept. of Labor Web site that points you toward help in figuring out disability accommodations – and how to avoid complaints and lawsuits that arise from accommodation mistakes.
Site name: The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)
URL: http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/jan.htm
Who runs it: The U.S. Labor Department
What it provides: You’ll have to fight your way through about three paragraphs of government-speak, but the struggle is worth it for HR managers who want to learn more about employee disabilities and accommodations.
First, there’s an 800 number that hooks you up to a network of disability experts, such as vocational-rehab specialists or ergonomics advisors. Here’s the best part: After
encountering a brief “press 1 if …” menu, it took us less than a minute to get a real, live human being on the phone at midday on a Tuesday.
If you don’t like using the phone, the site has a bunch of links and tools for getting help with your questions about disability-accommodation planning.
For instance, there something called the “Accommodation Toolbox” Click on it and you’re whisked to a page, run by West Virginia University, that provides further links to publications and other information broken down by type of disability – from Attention-Deficit Disorder to Wheelchair Use.
All in all, your tax dollars seem to be getting a bargain here.
