What's new at VDRS?
- Virginia named "Best State for Business" by Forbes.com
- CNBC ranks Virginia as "Top State for Business"
- Program puts the ‘able’ in disabled
- Governor Tim Kaine's acceptance speech
- State Agency Honors Governor and Eight Others with New Award
- Virginia's AmeriCorps & DRS: A Partnership for Disability Inclusion in Volunteer Service
- New Resources Focus on Safety during Emergencies for Workers with Disabilities
- Secretary Chao Announces 2005 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Theme, "Workers with Disabilities: Ready for Tomorrow's Jobs Today"
- On-Line Video for Employers: 10 SMALL BUSINESS MISTAKES
Governor Tim Kaine's acceptance speech
Watch a video of Governor Tim Kaine accepting the award for being a "Disability Employment Champion".
Hi, I'm Tim Kaine. I regret I am unable to be with you in person, but would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services for selecting me as the first person to be honored as a "Disability Employment Champion".
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Here is the full text transcript of the speech:
Hi, I'm Tim Kaine. I regret I am unable to be with you in person, but would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services for selecting me as the first person to be honored as a "Disability Employment Champion".
As many of you know, I have long been an advocate for persons with disabilities as a lawyer and as a public servant. I firmly believe that persons with disabilities are a vital part of both the commonwealth, and our nation's workforce. That is why I wholeheartedly supported the Virginia Medicaid Buy In Program when I was chairman of the Virginia Disability Commission. I want everyone to have the freedom to work without having to worry about losing their Social Security benefits.
I would like to give a special thanks to my fellow awardees for your commitment to "championing" the employment of people with disabilities. Your partnership with the Department of Rehabilitative Services is vital to realizing the agency's mission to empower individuals, so that they can maximize their employment, independence and become fully included in all aspects of our commonwealth. Thanks, and again to the other award recipients: congratulations.
State Agency Honors Governor and Eight Others with New Award
Richmond - In commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) and Dominion Resources, Inc. co- hosted the First Annual Disability Employment Champions Awards Breakfast on October 24, 2006 at Virginia Crossings Resort in Glen Allen, Virginia. Read the entire report in Word Format.
Virginia's AmeriCorps & DRS: A Partnership for Disability Inclusion in Volunteer Service
Persons with disabilities contribute a wide range of talents to our communities and desire opportunities to serve in significant ways. Virginia's AmeriCorps has developed a partnership with the Department of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) to expand volunteering opportunities to persons with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability (or work with persons with disabilities) interested in volunteering time to community service, please visit http://www.vaservice.org/americorps/inclusion.html.
New Resources Focus on Safety during Emergencies for Workers with Disabilities
Assistant Secretary Roy Grizzard has announced the issuance of Preparing the Workplace for Everyone, a comprehensive template of guidelines to help federal agencies integrate the needs of workers with disabilities into emergency preparedness plans. The template was developed by the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities' Workplace Subcommittee, which is chaired by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). ODEP has also launched a new web page on Emergency Preparedness, which includes the template of guidelines as well as additional resources.
Secretary Chao Announces 2005 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Theme, "Workers with Disabilities: Ready for Tomorrow's Jobs Today"
Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao this week announced the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month. To read the News Release, please go to http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20051102.htm
On-Line Video for Employers: 10 SMALL BUSINESS MISTAKES
New thirteen-minute video identifies common mistakes that small businesses make when trying to comply with the ADA and addresses the importance and value of doing business with 50 million people with disabilities. The video features statements by store owners expressing their doubts or misunderstandings about the ADA, followed by explanations about the law in common sense terms. To view video, go to http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/videogallery.htm.
