Powered through connections, The Sierra Group’s ONE MORE WAY Collaborative is a FREE, million member strong community. We serve job seekers, vocational rehabilitation professionals, and businesses. Together, we are driving up employment for Americans with disabilities, including veterans! Education, training, connections and more - BE SEEN, BE HEARD, BE HIRED! TO JOIN
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Unemployment Reaches Record High For People With Disabilities
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"ONE MORE WAY "
BE SEEN, BE HEARD,
BE HIRED
Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) quotes Sierra Group's Janet Fiore on AT used for Employment!
Pre-Employment Transition Services for Students with Disabilities – P.E.T.S
Sierra Group has expanded and is NOW serving all 14 – 21 year old youth in Transition – P.E.T.S. Workforce Readiness and Self Advocacy after school classes and more!!
NEW Job Board for Americans with Disabilities RECRUITDISABILITY.ORG goes live!
Philadelphia, PA– A new diversity Career Site went live today to help combat the high unemployment rate! Designed to LINK millions of unemployed and underemployed Americans with disabilities to employment opportunities, The Sierra Group is pleased to announce the launch of our FULL SERVICE JOB BOARD -- RecruitDisability.org.
Sierra Group Academy eager to work with kids ages 14 – 21 for after school Pre-Employment training services! (P.E.T.S.)
Janet Fiore, The Sierra Group, was featured in Business Journal
Janet Fiore, The Sierra Group, was featured in this week’s Business Journal CEO Profile! In fact, she made the front page!! The article shares her life motto, yardstick of success & more. Check it out at: The Philadelphia Business Journal CEO Profile.
Janet was also recently featured on Executive Leaders Radio program! Read some insights into the woman behind The Sierra Group!
The Sierra Group Foundation's One More Way Collaborative is re-releasing a POWERFUL new job board!
- Looking for applicants with disabilities, including veterans? Look no further! RecruitDisability.org is your number one LINKAGE to this diverse talent pool.
- The best link between jobs and talented job seekers with disabilities, including veterans.
- The #1 Linkage between your job openings and diverse candidates with disabilities, including veterans.
- /OneMoreWay/to LINK your job postings with Americans with Disabilities, including Veterans
- /One More/LINKAGE to job seekers with Disabilities! The RecruitDisability.org Job Board is here to stay. American businesses have heard the message and are clamoring to FIND talented applicants with disabilities, including disabled veterans. The Sierra Group Foundation's OneMoreWay Collaborative is pleased to ANNOUNCE the release of a new and improved tool to serve the ever growing demand to match talent with jobs! The "Recruit Disability Job Board" www.RecruitDisability.org is FREE to job applicants! Post your resume today.
First Annual ONE MORE WAY Award
Larry Slagel, VP of Sales for RecruitMilitary, accepts the 2011 First Annual "One More Way" award from Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group at the RecruitMilitary Veteran Opportunity Expo on February 23, 2012. RecruitMilitary was recognized for their support which resulted in awareness and job opportunities for people with disabilities.
Read the press release in PDF format.
Please help us with our 2013 annual appeal!
Please help us continue to help drive up the rate of employment for persons with disabilities, including veterans, with your charitable tax deductible donation. For more information, go to The Sierra Group Foundation Annual Appeal.
An innovative employment collaborative helping to match diverse candidates with disabilities, including veterans, to over one million businesses, agencies and service providers.
"Connecting Job Seekers with disabilities
to businesses looking to hire
is what we do."
-- Janet Fiore
CEO, The Sierra Group, Inc.
Board Chair, Founder - The Sierra Group Foundation
Vickie Peirano Thompson is the Columbus Branch Manager, UCB, Inc. Vickie's company proactively recruits and hires people with disabilities.
"As a Business Ambassador to the One More Way project, I encourage hiring managers, agencies and Job Seekers across the country to tap into this diverse recruiting resource" - Vickie Peirano Thompson
BREAKING NEWS!
Janet Fiore will present at The National Rehabilitation Association 2012 Annual Training Conference
Chosen for her ability to speak the languages of vocational rehabilitation leader, practitioner, woman with a disability, and corporate recruiter/consultant, Janet D. Fiore will train other leaders and job placement professionals at the upcoming professional development conference of the country's premier VR association – The National Rehabilitation Association. As past president of NARL (The National Association for Rehabilitation Leaders) and past Ortale Lecturer for the JPD (Job Placement Division) Fiore will share tips and tricks from the world of corporate recruiting. Her presentation will balance the 'dual customer' ethical responsibilities of the VR/CRC professional with the growing need to artfully disclose disability in order to meet the growing affirmative DEMAND for job seekers with disabilities. OFCCP compliance is giving the VR leader, and the VR placement professional a brand new opportunity. And, some tricky issues to navigate as we rethink our personal and professional views on disclosure in the application process.
Fiore will share her experiences as a featured speaker at the recent AAAA conference on the topic of Linkage Agreements between Federal Contractors and job placement professionals. For registration information.
When: August 24-26, 2012; Pre-conference sessions on August 23rd
Where: Hyatt Regency McCormick Place 2233
S. Martin Luther King Drive
Chicago, IL 60616
Can't make it to Chicago? Contact us for a custom training at your location. Webinar options available by request. Email info@thesierragroup.com or call 800.973.7687 x110 to book a training.
Janet Fiore is 2012 Mid-Atlantic Region Professional Development Award Recipient
The award is presented to an individual National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) Mid-Atlantic Region member for significant contributions in the professional preparation and upgrading of rehabilitation personnel. The award signifies dedication and leadership in the pursuit of quality services to individuals with disabilities.
"Janet Fiore is very deserving of this award. She has demonstrated outstanding leadership not only in Pennsylvania, but also at the National level. Janet is hard working, compassionate and fun person. She has great follow through and has graciously offered her skills, resources and expertise to help improve the National Rehabilitation Association. Most recently Janet has served as NARL president and led a committee researching office options. It is clear to me that Janet is committed to the members of the National Rehabilitation Association as well as a great advocate for people with disabilities. I am honored to know Janet and I am so happy she is a part of the NRA family. Thank you for all you do! Congratulations " – Susan Sundeen, President of NRA
U.S. Census Bureau released a new report entitled "Americans With Disabilities: 2010"
The U.S. Census Bureau released a new report entitled "Americans With Disabilities: 2010," which states that 56.7 million Americans or 1 in 5, has a disability, with more than half of these individuals reporting the disability as significant.
Included in the findings was that between 2005 and 2010, the number of individuals with disabilities increased at the same rate as the general population.
Read the "Americans With Disabilities: 2010 " in PDF format.
Councilman David Oh Inspires Job-Seekers at The Academy
Councilman At-large, David Oh motivated students at The Academy at Liberty Resources with a visit on Wednesday, March 21st. From humble beginnings in the Cobb Creek section of Philadelphia, Councilman Oh shared how he was inspired to start his own law practice and, ultimately, serve the people of Philadelphia. “It was tough, but my father instilled in me the values of persaverence and dedication,” said Councilman Oh.
Read more and see photos of Councilman Oh's visit at Liberty Academy.
Access Achievement Award
On October 21, 2011, The Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities recognized Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group, with an Access Achievement Award for her work and dedication to people with disabilities.
Video of Janet Fiore's acceptance speech at the Philadelphia Mayor's Commission Access Achievement Award on October 21, 2011.
Sierra Group Foundation Liberty Academy & Philadelphia Business Journal
In conjunction with Disability Mentoring Day, The Academy had representatives at The Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Places to Work event in October. For the first time, this event honored companies that hired people with disabilities.
New reports and estimates on DisabilityStatistics.org
- 2009 Disability Status Reports for the US, all 50 states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico (pdf & accessible HTML versions).
- Spanish language versions of all 53 Disability Status Reports for 2008 and 2009.
- Enhanced interactive disability statistics search tool now includes both 2008 and 2009 ACS estimates as well as 2010 CPS work limitation disability estimates.
EEOC Publishes ADAAA Final Regulations – Effective May 24, 2011
"The EEOC’s final regulations implementing the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) were published in the March 25, 2011 Federal Register. They become effective May 24, 2011. The major focus of the regulations is the definition of a disability."
"The Act and the new regulations will make it easier for individuals to claim protection under the law, as the definition of a disability is broadened and easier to meet. This will result in the need for employers to provide more accommodations, and will require employers to shift their focus from whether an individual has a disability to whether discrimination occurred." – EHS & Safety News America
Read the full article from EHS & Safety News America,EEOC Publishes ADAAA Final Regulations – Effective May 24, 2011.
National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo Offers Networking and Federal Contracting Opportunities
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will host the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo, August 15-18th, 2011, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. The largest nationwide conference of its kind, the National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo provides Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs and SDVOSBs) with an opportunity to learn, network and market their businesses. The conference will offer a variety of sessions on navigating the Federal acquisition process including finance, compliance, business development, marketing, strategy, contract management, human resources, technology, and program management. A VA Open House has been added to the event to give Veterans from both the conference and local region the opportunity to experience the wide range of resources available to the Veteran community. The National Veteran Small Business Conference and Expo is open to both government and non-government personnel. For more information and to register for the conference, go to www.nationalveteransconference.com.
Now Microsoft Wins with Accessible Recruiting
The Sierra Group thanks Suzanne Robitaille of www.abledbody.com for this article summarizing a few of the highlights from our teleseminar on "Accessible Recruiting, Part I".
Hiring a diverse workforce has many benefits, such as giving a company a more multicultural perspective that can enhance their product offerings. When hiring a candidate with a disability, however, there are a few extra steps a company can take to make sure the experience is accessible – and successful — for everyone.
You can find out more about our teleseminars at onemoreway.org/tele-seminars.htm and workforcestrategy.net.
One More Way Mentioned as a Resource in the Job Accommodation Network's (JAN) December 14, 2010 Webcast "Customized Employment".
Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and Title III take effect March 15, 2011
Revised regulations implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) take effect on March 15, 2011. The regulations apply to the activities of more than 80,000 units of state and local government and more than seven million places of public accommodation, including stores, restaurants, museums, sporting arenas, movie theaters, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, hotels, jails and prisons, polling places and emergency preparedness shelters.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Announces Final Bipartisan Regulations ADA Amendments Act
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) final regulations to implement the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) have been released. Like the law they implement, the regulations simplify the determination of who has a “disability” and will make it easier for people to establish that they are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). EEOC has several fact sheets that explain the ADAAA, including Questions and Answers on the Final Rule Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 and Questions and Answers for Small Businesses: The Final Rule Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.
Excerpt from the blog of Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President:
The ADAAA sent the message to the American people that individuals with disabilities must be full and equal members of our society. With the release of the EEOC’s regulations, employers across the country will have a clear set of guidelines and rules of the road to ensure equality for Americans with disabilities. This will help ensure civil rights protection for people with “invisible disabilities.” Moreover, the EEOC’s regulations restore the original intent of Congress to cover many disabilities that had been excluded by the courts such as multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, epilepsy, diabetes and many others, meaning that more people will be able to reach for the American dream.
Approximately 1 out of every 6 Americans lives with a disability. And millions more have a family member or friend who lives with a disability. Thanks to a bipartisan spirit, with these EEOC regulations, millions of people will be able to successfully put their American work ethic to use helping our businesses, our governments and our schools out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the global competition to win the future.
Veterans Hiring Toolkit for Employers
Interested in developing or enhancing a Veterans hiring initiative for your company but don't know where to begin?
This Veterans Hiring Toolkit for Employers can help. It is designed to assist and educate employers who have made the proactive decision to include transitioning Service Members, Veterans and wounded warriors in their recruitment and hiring initiatives.
On the 20th anniversary of passage of the ADA Jim Langevin breaks barriers and fights for all of us - proud he's a Member of the US Congress.
On Monday, July 26th - the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act - he became the first Member of Congress in a wheelchair to preside over the House of Representatives.
Quadriplegic To Preside over a House
See MSNBC Video clip of this historic event!
Jim Langevin talks to CNN's John King as they discuss his historic day prisiding over the House.
NOW FEATURING – OneMoreWay to find Federal Job opps!
SEE many of the federal government jobs posted in response to OPM’s new and innovative selective hiring initiative! Be Hired!
ADA Amendments Act - What you NEED to know! READ this article by leading experts, Janet Fiore, CEO & Jill Fisher, Esq.
The July 2009 edition of Counterpoint, The Official Publication of the
Pennsylvania Defense Institute features an article written by subject matter
experts Janet Fiore, The Sierra Group, and Jill Fisher, Esquire, Zarwin, Baum,
DeVito, Kaplan, Schaer, Toddy, P.C. Pennsylvania Defense Institute Counterpoint July 2009
This published article is a quick reference for any hiring manager, human resource or rehabilitation professional who needs a clear, factual update on the changes to this important piece of civil rights legislation. Fiore and Fisher consult and speak on this topic locally, regionally and nationally. Contact us for more information on a presentation or consultation.
Read the full article in PDF format. 
372 K (opens in a new browser window)
Many veterans with PTSD struggle to find supportive employment
Experts say simple accommodations can greatly improve their success in the workplace, but many employers are still wary of hiring those with mental disabilities.
Read the full LA Times article.
GIFT WILL HELP SIERRA GROUP FOUNDATION FIND JOBS FOR VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES
The Sierra Group Foundation has announced that in 2010 it will reach out to job-seeking veterans with disabilities via a holiday gift from the military-to-civilian recruiting firm RecruitMilitary, LLC. The Sierra Group Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization whose mission is to cut the high unemployment rate of people with disabilities.
Read the full press release in PDF format. 59 K (opens in a new browser window)
The Equal Opportunity Commission Votes to Approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has voted to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to conform its ADA regulations to the Amendments Act of 2008. The NPRM was just published in the Federal Register on September 23, 2009.
Janet Fiore, CEO, The Sierra Group Inc. says "I concur with Congress that this new law restores the intent of ending civil rights discrimination for this, the largest group of unemployed/under employed Americans."
For assistance regarding accommodations, stay at work, return to work or to find qualified applicants with disabilities contact www.thesierragroup.com – 800.973.7687. “Together, we will drive up employment shipping for four, to for Americans with Disabilities, including Veterans.”
ADA Amendments Act of 2008 Publications
The USBLN® is pleased to announce that Robert "Bobby" Silverstein, a principal with the Washington, D.C. law firm Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville, is available to provide consultations on the employment provisions of the final regulation implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008. In addition to his law practice, he also serves as director of the Center for the Study and Advancement of Disability Policy. Prior to joining the law firm, Mr. Silverstein spent over ten years on Capitol Hill where he was staff director and chief counsel to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy where he was the behind-the-scenes architect of 20 bills enacted into law including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Mr. Silverstein prepared the attached three documents for the USBLN® members. These highly informative publications include an "Overview of the EEOC Final Regulation Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008," a detailed "Description and Analysis of EEOC's Final Regulation Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008," and "Resource Materials for the ADA Amendments Act of 2008" that includes several important links.
ADA Amendments Act resource material - MS Word.
Overview of EEOC Final Regulation Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - MS Word
One More Way Member United Collection Bureau, Inc. (UCB, Inc.) Ohio Employer of the Year for Hiring People with Disabilities!
Photo: left to right - Vickie Periano-Thompson - UCB, Inc.; Terri Zeigler - UCB, Inc.; Dustin Grand - staff; Jeff Horner - UCB, Inc.; Jennifer Brunner - Ohio Secretary of State; Janet Fiore - The Sierra Group, Inc.
The Sierra Group applauds One More Way Member UCB, Inc. on receiving Employer of the Year from the Ohio Governors Commission on Disability. "UCB, Inc. has been both dedicated and profitable as a result of hiring candidates with disabilities through us," said Janet Fiore, CEO of The Sierra Group. "using our business to business consultative recruiting model, UCB has integrated more than 30 employees with disabilities into their Ohio workforce." In a tight economy when layoffs prevail, and candidates are numerous, UCB's Vickie Thompson stated that "we always recruit more candidates with disabilities. They've strengthened our workforce in more ways than I ever expected."
See the press release ( PDF 22K) to learn how UCB, Inc. and The Sierra Group plan to take the model to the community at large.
Read the ThisWeek newspaper article, State names local firm UCB as Employer of the Year.
For more information please go to the Program Archives tab of WUAR Upper Arlington Radio to hear an interview with UCB's Columbus manager, Vickie Thompson, and Janet Fiore of The Sierra Group, Inc.. Once the On-demand player pops up select show which is labeled: Talk@Ten 9 3 09.
Are you a Veteran with a disability currently enrolled in college or graduate school?
Put your knowledge, skills and experience to work in a paid summer internship with a major U.S. corporation.
For more information and to apply. MS Word - 80 K (opens in a new browser window)
FROM CAPITOL HILL TO CONSUMER, AND BACK AGAIN – One Man’s Journey
Kent Keyser, Chief of Staff, Congressman Nick Rahall, & Janet Fiore, CEO, The Sierra Group.
Photo of Kent Keyser, Janet Fiore, Eleanor Williams, NARL President, and Bonnie Hawley, President National Rehab Association
We at The Sierra Group are committed to driving up employment for people with disabilities including veterans. In our Candidate Sourcing, Workforce Strategy and Vocational Rehabilitation divisions we have the privilege of serving businesses, agencies and consumers on a daily basis.
Never has that privilege touched me more than when I had the opportunity to assist Kent Keyser in his journey back to work. All of us at The Sierra Group fully support Kent’s desire to engage in research that can help him continue working full time, while helping others in the future to be more able to do the same. Please read the below letter written by a group of Kent’s friends. We hope that Kent’s story will inspire you to share and support the benefits of extensive and ongoing physical therapy as part of the vocational rehabilitation process. Janet Fiore.
Read KENT’S STORY – from the viewpoint of some friends. MS Word - 24 K (opens in a new browser window)
US Labor Department Helps Employers Understand Responsibilities under Disability Nondiscrimination Laws
New online tool helps further equality and full access for people with disabilities
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor unveiled a new tool to help America's employers ensure their employment policies and practices do not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities.
"Today, we made it easier for employers of all sizes to access the talents of the 36 million Americans with disabilities," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez. "By providing this interactive and easy-to-use online tool, both workers and employers can readily access and understand their rights and responsibilities under our federal disability nondiscrimination laws."
The online Disability Nondiscrimination Law Advisor, available at http://www.dol.gov/elaws/odep.htm, helps employers quickly and simply determine which federal disability nondiscrimination laws apply to their business or organization and their responsibilities under them. It asks users to answer a few relevant questions in order to take into account relevant variables, such as nature of organization, size of staff and whether the business or organization receives federal financial assistance. Based on the responses provided, the advisor then generates a customized list of federal disability nondiscrimination laws that likely apply, along with easy-to-understand information about employers' responsibilities under them.
One More Way was created by The Sierra Group, Inc., a national consultancy on disability policy and procedures for business.