News Worth Noting

The Sierra Group Foundation's commitment to driving up employment for Americans with disabilities is based on two complimentary beliefs:

Collaboration is Key.

Knowledge is the Answer to Action.

As such, this News Worth Noting site is provided as a 'jumping off point' for our readers who come to us as their FIRST STOP toward disability and employment success!


Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) quotes Sierra Group's Janet Fiore on AT used for Employment!

New Assistive Technologies Aid Employees with Disabilities


BREAKING NEWS: INTRODUCING The Sierra Group Certified Disability Recruiter Program.

As a leading expert in the areas of disability and employment practices, The Sierra Group has developed a hands-on training suite that leads to certified disability recruiter (CDR) credentialing.

The recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities goes beyond regulatory compliance; it’s a skill and expertise essential to all businesses wanting to stay competitive. We know because we’ve advised companies for 25 years on the best methodologies, techniques and current requirements.

The 10-module course program was created from our clients’ most requested areas of education:  COMPLIANCE, FINDING TALENT, ETIQUETTE, ACCESSIBILITY, TEAM INTEGRATION, THE APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PHASES, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, COMMUNITY IMMERSION, & TALENT ATTRACTION.

Classes start in January 2017 – Limited enrollment/Early Bird discounts

For more information – PDF.

To Register Today!


AFTER Disability Awareness Month: Is Your Business Any Closer to Hiring a Person With a Disability?

AFTER Disability Awareness Month: Is Your Business Any Closer to Hiring a Person With a Disability?


Why our business Includes workers with disabilities


Janet Fiore gives Janet Lewis
of Locks Law Firm Summit Award

Why our business Includes workers with disabilities


News on Integrated Employment – US Department of Justice gives new guidance.

On Monday, the US Department of Justice released extensive guidance on the application of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Supreme Court's 1999 Olmstead decision to employment and day services.

US Department of Justice gives new guidance PDF


PSA on Assistive Technology in the Workforce


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!!

For more information and to register.

The Sierra Group Academy attending OVR's PETS program to help students reach their goals as they TRANSITION from high school.

Sierra Group Academy promoting their Pre Employment Transition Services program at Martin Luther King High School's Unity Day .

For more information and to register.


You're invited to Delaware Business Leadership Network DEBLN Job Accommodations Seminar (Sep 22, 2016)

Event to be held at the following time, date, and location:

Thursday, September 22, 2016 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EDT)

Goodwill
300 East Lea Boulevard
Wilmington, DE 19802

Sign up for the seminar.

If you want to learn more about accommodating jobs for people in your workforce as well as implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, then please join the Delaware Business Leadership Network for a training seminar focused on developing a repertoire of best practices in various accommodation situations.

Janet Fiore, CEO of the Sierra Group, Inc., will present information through an interactive Accessible Workforce Diversity Training. This training is designed to help you learn what accommodations are necessary and how to provide them.

Janet is a leader, practitioner, woman with a disability and a corporate recruiter/consultant. As CEO of the Sierra Group she has many years of experience consulting with businesses, vocational rehabilitation agencies and working with individual consumers to assess their need for accommodations.


How Hiring People with Disabilities Works for Businesses, Too

Read the article


Janet Fiore, President/CEO KEYNOTES for Venago County Human Services annual Awards Banquet. "The Power of Community starts with You"

Read The Derrick newspaper account PDF.


Hiring and Disability from PhillyCAM on Vimeo.

The Sierra Group Foundation discusses hiring and disability with Jill Fisher, Esq and Janet Fiore. Learn first-hand ways to obtain Financial Incentives from the Government, Recruit, Hire and Retain Workers with Disabilities; Meet Diversity Hiring Goals.


You're INVITED to a COMPLIMENTARY WEBINAR: Accommodating Non-Apparent Disabilities in the Workplace

The Sierra Group Foundation

Funded in part by a Grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council

Wednesday, February 10, 2016 at 1 PM

More information and to register PDF.


Accessible Social Media

Making Social Media Accessible PDF


BusinessWeek's CEO Handbook for Assistive Technology

5 Articles on AT in the Workplace including "Getting People with Disabilities Back to Work" which quotes The Sierra Group's CEO, Janet Fiore. "At RecruitDisability.org we are committed to providing resources like this to the hiring community as they find talented candidates with disabilities on our national job board".


Businesses weigh in on active recruiting and retention of workers with disabilities! New study by The Conference Board

Workers with Disabilities and Business Benefits

Janet Fiore, CEO The Sierra Group/President RecruitDisability.org is a contributing presenter to the Conference Board on the topic of diversity and disability.


10 Top Jobs For Candidates With Disabilities

10 Top Jobs For Candidates With Disabilities


"The Spotlight is on Website Accessibility and other 508 requirements for Federal Government Sites"

More than a decade after it became law, the Federal Governments Office of Management & Budget (OMB) is putting some strong guidelines into place to see that all IET (information and electronic technology) used by the federal government is made accessible to people with disabilities who use assistive technology.

"To me, this matters most when it comes to Web site accessibility," said Janet Fiore, President of The Sierra Group/Recruit Disability.org. "The OMB's requirements will truly be 'one more way' to drive up employment for Americans with Disabilities, including veterans. The 508 standards are also widely followed by the private sector as Web accessibility guidelines. This is progress!"

CIOs told to improve Section 508 standards


Strategic Plan for Improving Management of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Announced

The new strategic plan provides a more comprehensive and structured approach to further improve agencies’ management of the requirements of Section 508. This approach includes actions agencies need to take to (1) increase transparency, (2) strengthen accountability, and (3) improve collaboration regarding accessible EIT.

Read the memorandum on the strategic plan PDF.


Disability.gov Update: Seafood Restaurant to Settle Lawsuit for Harassing & Firing Employee Who is Deaf

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant, Inc. will pay $47,814 and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency announced today.


Putting Wounded Warriors to Work - Hire a Hero!

As of November 5, 2012 there were a total of more than 50,000 soldiers wounded in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation New Dawn.

It has been estimated that as many as 300,000 will return with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, along with another 60,000 estimated to be diagnosed with a combat related Traumatic Brain Injury. This totals roughly 410,000 men and women who have become disabled in the line of duty, and now are seeking to re-career into America's already overcrowded job market. And, an estimated one million more are estimated to be transitioning out of the military over the next five years. This article is intended to take a look at this issue as it is currently understood and reported in the mainstream press, and to shed some additional light on both existing government funded benefits and resources that are available to assist both veterans and businesses.

Read more about Putting Wounded Warriors to Work.