Recognizing 2020 Disability Awareness Month
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990 by former U.S. President George H. W. Bush. Every October we celebrate the many contributions that people with disabilities make to our community and workforce here at King County. To honor these contributions, on Oct. 13, 2020, the King County Council officially proclaimed October 2020 as Disability Awareness Month. In a meeting held virtually to allow for safety and social distancing measures, the King County Council welcomed King County councilmembers and members of the… Read More
A Conversation on the Impacts of the Pandemic While Living with a Disability, October 29
The Disability Awareness Committee, Balanced You, and the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) are hosting a panel featuring employees with disabilities who will share their experiences and stories living through this pandemic. Resources to support employees with disabilities will also be shared during this panel discussion. All King County employees are welcome to join. Thursday, Oct. 29, from 10-11:30 a.m. Register here. If you have questions about this opportunity, please email JaChristensen@kingcounty.gov.
Building a Future that Works celebration, October 20
The U.S. Department of Labor will host a virtual celebration of the 75th annual National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) and the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The event will explore the crucial role of accessible technology in this year’s NDEAM theme of “Increasing Access and Opportunity” for people with disabilities, and the Labor Department’s work to ensure that emerging technologies are accessible to all in the workplace. Features will include insightful dialogues with thought leaders and a video showcase of the latest innovations in communications,… Read More
Media Representation of Race and Disability Lunch and Learn, October 21
The Department of Human Resources is hosting a Lunch and Learn discussion via Zoom that focus on Race and Disability. We will begin our discussion with a short captioned video and then have an open dialogue facilitated by Gloria Ngezaho, Jennifer Greenlee, Lili Stansberry, and Christina Davidson. All King County employees are welcome to join. Wednesday, Oct. 21, from noon to 1 p.m. Please email Christina.Davidson@kingcounty.gov to register for the Lunch and Learn session. You will receive an Outlook calendar meeting invite with the Zoom link post registration.
Commitment to people with disabilities and Employment First
People with disabilities face long standing barriers obtaining competitive employment. Recent pre-COVID-19 data shows the overall jobless rate for people with disabilities at two times that of people without disabilities, and if you experience a developmental disability, the rate is triple that of your peers who do not have a disability. As we honor Disability Awareness Month this October, we recognize King County’s strong network of people with disabilities, their families, employment service providers, school partnerships, and business champions who are upholding Employment First to help people with developmental disabilities overcome barriers and gain… Read More
Reasonable Accommodations for WA State DOC Prisoners, October 15
The King County Superior Court and Community Committee presents a facilitated panel discussion on the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and how it functions within Washington’s Department of Corrections (DOC), in particular how Washington State prisoners interact with the ADA-mandated reasonable accommodation process and the DOC’s duties in providing reasonable accommodations to prisoners with disabilities. Thursday, Oct. 15 from 12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Join via Zoom. Use passcode: 239752. To dial in, call 253-215-8782 and use ID# 91789390895. King County Superior Court Judge David Whedbee will host the discussion between Assistant Attorney General Candie Dibble, who regularly… Read More
Supporting Disability Awareness Month through the 2020 Annual Giving Drive
Each year King County employees help hundreds of nonprofit organizations do vital work in our community and around the world by donating to the Annual Giving Drive. The start of this year’s Giving Drive coincides with Disability Awareness Month, which King County celebrates each October. The following are four participating nonprofits whose work helps people with disabilities: Alliance of People with disAbilities (9438) – To provide independent living resources and advocate for the well-being and assure full exercise of human rights of persons with disAbilities. Center for Independence (9185) – Empowering people with disabilities to live independently… Read More
Lunch and Learn Sessions for Disability Awareness Month, October 7 and 21
In celebration of October as National Disability Awareness Month, the Department of Human Resources is hosting two Lunch and Learn discussions that focus on Race and Disability, to be held via Zoom. We will begin our discussion with a short video and then an open dialogue facilitated by Workforce Equity Manager Gloria Ngezaho, and employees Jennifer Greenlee, Lili Stansberry and Christina Davidson. All King County employees are welcome to join. Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 7 from noon to 1 p.m. – Discussion on the intersection of Race and Disability Lunch and Learn, Wednesday, Oct. 21… Read More
Celebrating Disability Awareness Month in King County
Dear fellow King County employee, Each October, we celebrate Disability Awareness Month in King County and the many contributions that people with disabilities make to our community. Every person deserves the opportunity to fulfil their potential, share their unique abilities, and fully participate in everything that our region has to offer. Disability Awareness Month reminds us that we must continue to break down barriers to promote inclusion and expand opportunity for all people with disabilities. The global COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the urgency of this work. COVID-19 is having a disproportionate impact… Read More
Supporting employees with mental health conditions
As we raise awareness for King County’s Suicide Awareness Prevention Month, it is important to remember that not all disabilities are visible. Among disabilities that are often not visible or as apparent are mental health conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about one in five American adults, or roughly 43.8 million adults, experience mental illness in a given year. Approximately 39% of employees in the U.S. workforce have a mental health condition. And, more than 50% of individuals with mental illness still avoid needed treatment. Untreated mental illness can result… Read More
Employee News 