Please share your comments, and send us employment-related events, topics or announcements for posting on the                   Work Pay$ Website.  

Click on Email Us on the side bar

Click on link below for full details

http://www.laddc.org/main/wp-content/uploads/Awareness-2010-Flyer-3.pdf

Federal Hiring Event 

For Persons with Disabilities 

Last year President Obama announced several initiatives to increase the employment of people with disabilities in the federal workforce. In support of this goal, on April 26, 2010 the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy, along with many other federal agencies, will host a day-long, invitation only Federal Hiring Event for People with Disabilities in Washington, DC. Representatives from federal agencies will be reviewing resumes prior to this event, and inviting prospective job candidates for interviews. 

This information has recently been updated, and can be read by visiting this link: http://www.disability.gov/employment/jobs_&_career_planning/federal_employment.

TOWN HALL MEETING

The U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) will host two days of town hall meetings in New Orleans, LA on Mar 17 and Mar 18 to provide an opportunity for interested parties to weigh-in on proposed changes to regulations and programs involving the responsibilities of federal contractors for employment of veterans, individuals with 

disabilities and women and minorities in construction.

 

The free “listening sessions”, chaired by OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu, Washington D.C., will convene on Wednesday, Mar 17 at University of New Orleans, Lindy C. Boggs International Conference Center, in New Orleans at 10 a.m. and will continue that day until 4 p.m.  The Wednesday session, at 10 a.m. will cover the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act.  The afternoon session will cover the Affirmative Action & Nondiscrimination Obligations of Contractors and 

Subcontractors under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation 

Act which addresses opportunities for persons with disabilities.

 

On Thursday, Mar 18, the 10 a.m. listening session will cover suggested and proposed changes to the Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act and potential amendments to that Act.  At 2:00 p.m., the conversation will change to possible amendments to the regulations for construction contractors’ affirmative action requirements.  Each session will last approximately two hours.

 

Please see below for registration information.

 

OFFICE OF FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS 

Please join OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu and OFCCP Acting Regional Director Melissa Speer as they host a Town Hall Meeting to provide a critical opportunity for stakeholders to provide suggestions to enhance the agency’s existing regulations and improve compliance.  Further details and registration information are listed below.

 

AGENDA

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Location:  University of New Orleans, Lindy C. Boggs International Conference Center, 2045 Lakeshore Drive, auditorium 152, New Orleans, LA  70122

                       

10am-12pm   Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act Presentation 

Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act

Presenter:  Melissa L. Speer

 

2pm-4pm  Listening Session on amending Affirmative Action &                                                                                            Non-discrimination Obligations of Contractors and Subcontractors under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act  

                                    Presenter:  OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Location:  University of New Orleans, Lindy C. Boggs International Conference Center, 2045 Lakeshore Drive, auditorium 152, New Orleans, LA  70122

 

                                    10am-12pm   Listening Session on amending the VEVRAA regulations          

                                    Presenter:  OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu

 

2pm-4pm  Listening Session on amending the regulations for Construction Contractors’ Affirmative Action Requirements  

Presenter:         OFCCP Director Patricia Shiu

 

REGISTER:   Please call the New Orleans Area Office at (504) 589-6575 or register via email at olivarez.linda@dol.gov.  If you require an accommodation, please advise at the time of registration.

Announcing

 

Greater Covington Center 

317 N. Jefferson Avenue, Covington, LA 70433

Work Pays Panel Presentation to be held on 3/26/10 from 3-4 PM

Speakers: Patty Ghiossi, Terry Kennedy

Please visit www.biala.org for further details on registration and agnda

Next Work Pays Meeting March 4th, 2010

POSTPONED

RESCHEDULING DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED

click on meeting minutes on side bar for details on the September Work Pays Meeting

WORK PAYS CREDO

Statements of Principle

 Mission

WORK PAYS is a consortium of agencies working together to increase the employment opportunities of persons with disabilities in Louisiana.

Vision

To address the employment barriers and obstacles to employment in Louisiana by understanding the available resources and services of the consortium agencies.

Philosophy

To promote a central message by communicating and demonstrating that people with disabilities make valuable contributions to Louisiana through employment.

Why Hire Individuals with Disabilities?

• Individuals with disabilities are a large and growing consumer segment representing approximately $175 billion in discretionary purchasing power
• They are a large pool of competitive individuals who are qualified and motivated to work, but are often overlooked.
• They are responsible and loyal individuals who are looking for a long term career - not just a short term job.
• There are many programs that support businesses who hire qualified individuals with disabilities.

Individuals with disabilities are looking for the same opportunities, no more or less, as other people in society.  Just like all members of society they are looking for the chance to work in competitive, gainful employment and thereby enhance the quality of their lives and their communities.

Source:  Louisiana Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG 2008).

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

WIPA is available to answer and provide assistance on how work affects 

Social Security benefits. 

Click on the link below to go to the on-line 

WIPA Referral form:

Click Below on WIPA Online Referral Form-

WIPA Online Referral Form

See below for the .pdf WIPA Referral form.  You may also print and Fax referral forms to David Gallegos at dgallegos@advocacyla.org

________________________________________

CHOOSE FULFILLMENT.

CHOOSE EARNINGS.

CHOOSE WORK.

 

Sign up for a WISE Webinar Today!

 

Thousands of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries have learned how to stay in control of their benefits while enriching their lives through employment. You can too.

 

Join us for a FREE Work Incentive Seminar Event (WISE) Webinar

March 24th, 2010 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm EST

 

WISE Webinars provide you and your family the opportunity to learn how to take advantage of Social Security Work Incentives, including Ticket to Work.

 

Register for this free WISE Webinar

Or

Find WISE events in your area

 

If you have questions, please email wise@cessi.net or call us at 1-877-7438237 (v/tty).

 

 

Click below to read APSE's Newsletter!

Visit SSA's Ticket to Work Recruitment and Outreach Website

http://www.cessi.net/ttw/index.htm#contentstart

 

See attached "Working for Tomorrow"  Center for Workers With Disabilities Newsletter Volume 10 below-

 

   _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Website Launched to Support Partnerships between State VR Agencies and Employment Networks

The Partnership Plus Online Toolkit is designed to assist State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies in taking advantage of the new service delivery option under the NEW Ticket to Work program.  Under the new Ticket regulations, the Ticket of a beneficiary whom a State VR agency served under the traditional Cost Reimbursement program (available only to VR agencies) still has value after the VR case is closed.  As a result, an EN that gets the Ticket assignment after VR closes a Cost Reimbursement case can qualify for Milestone and Outcome payments as the beneficiary attains specific levels of work or earnings.

 

The Toolkit, located at http://partnershipplus.cessi.net/, is designed to assist State VR agencies in:

- Assessing and choosing among agency options for serving beneficiaries with disabilities.
- Identifying potential partners and developing partnerships with ENs.
- Maximizing program income received from SSA.
- Communicating effectively with beneficiaries, partners, potential partners, and other interested stakeholders.
- Creating systems and processes associated with both the Ticket program and the Cost Reimbursement program.

Partnership Plus offers many benefits to all involved. It has the potential to be a win-win-win situation for beneficiaries, VR agencies and ENs. To learn more about Partnership Plus and the benefits to beneficiaries, ENs and VR agencies, check out the Toolkit at: http://partnershipplus.cessi.net/

 

Other Key Tools for VR Agencies

To learn more about the traditional Cost Reimbursement program and how State VR agencies work with Social Security beneficiaries with disabilities, visit SSA’s Work Site to access the most up-to-date version of the VR Providers Handbook: www.socialsecurity.gov/work/documents/VRProviderHandbook.doc.

 

For more information on the Ticket to Work Program, please visit:

 

www.ssa.gov/work - SSA’s Work Site
www.yourtickettowork.com - MAXIMUS, Ticket Operations Manager
www.cessi.net/ttw - CESSI, Ticket Recruitment and Outreach Manager