Disability Employment Policy RRTC

What drives disability employment outcomes across different communities? And what can policymakers do to create more all encompassing workplace opportunities?

On the latest episode of Let's Get to Work!, Dr. Purvi Sevak, Senior Director at Mathematica, joins Peter Blanck to discuss her path into disability employment policy research and the factors shaping employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

Their conversation explores:
✅ The importance of education and support systems
✅ The role of Social Security and vocational rehabilitation
✅ How transportation and broadband access affect employment outcomes
✅ Why all encompassing employment policies benefit everyone

Tune in for an insightful discussion on evidence-based strategies that can help expand opportunity and strengthen your workforce.

🎧 Listen now: https://bbi-dep-rrtc.org/resources/podcast-series/lgtw-purvi-peter-25/

Newest ADALive episode in collaboration with the Southeast ADA Center. Details below

One of most exciting ADALive episodes just dropped and you do not want to miss it! Episode 153: Disability Studies and Ethics as a Path to Equality and Justice https://adalive.org/episodes/episode-153/

We are pleased to share a news release about the latest episode of our Let's Get to Work Reimagining Disability Employment Policy RRTC The Business Case for Employing People with Disabilities: A Conversation with Beth Sirull. Featuring Beth Sirull President and CEO of the National Organization on Disability. The release includes links to the podcast recording and transcript.
https://bbi-dep-rrtc.org/newshighlights/lgtw-beth-peter/

Myth: Employers must always grant the requested accommodation.
Fact: Employers must consider the request and can offer effective alternatives if available.
Tips: Check-out JAN’s "Finding Alternatives to Telework as an Accommodation.”

Finding Alternatives to Telework as an Accommodation: Interactive Process Tips Learn how to find alternatives to telework as an accommodation

Peter Blanck Featured In SU News: Focus on Disability Rights: Q&A With BBI’s Peter Blanck https://bbi.syr.edu/2025/11/peter-blanck-qa/
Syracuse University has long been a leader in disability policy, rights and advocacy. For the past 20 years, the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) and its chairman, University Professor Peter Blanck, have been at the forefront of this work. A nationally recognized expert in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws, Blanck joined BBI at its founding in 2005. He is principal investigator on a recent $4.6 million grant from the U.S.

Peter Blanck Featured In SU News: Focus on Disability Rights: Q&A With BBI’s Peter Blanck - Burton Blatt Institute – Syracuse University Syracuse University has long been a leader in disability policy, rights and advocacy. For the past 20 years, the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) and its chairman, University Professor Peter Blanck, have been at the forefront of this work. A nationally recognized expert in the Americans with Disabilitie...

📣 Exciting news from The Ability Center! 📣
Employers can now join the 2026 Employment Training Program cohort to gain tools and resources for inclusive hiring and workplace practices.
Through 11 expert-led courses, participants will learn strategies to employ and support people with disabilities.
Register today at abilitycenter.org/employment-training

Small business owners or managers who have questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can find answers in a new website created by the Northeast ADA Center, which is based in Cornell ILR’s Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability.

New Website Helps Businesses Follow the Americans with Disabilities Act Research-based website explains how small businesses can best follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and welcome customers and employees with disabilities

Emerald Publishing Limited has announced the release of Disability and the Future of Work, a groundbreaking edited volume that examines how disability intersects with the rapidly changing world of work. Edited by DEP investigators—Fitore Hyseni, Lisa Schur, Douglas Kruse, and Peter Blanck—the book brings together leading scholars and practitioners to explore how technological, economic, and policy transformations are reshaping employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
https://bbi.syr.edu/2025/10/fhyseni-future-of-work/

BBI Awarded $4.6M Grant to Lead Disability Employment Center
The national center contributes to the next generation of federal and state employment policies and serves as a hub for forward-looking research, education and training. https://news.syr.edu/2025/10/03/bbi-awarded-4-6m-grant-to-lead-disability-employment-center/

September Is National Recovery Month
As many as 1 in 6 Americans reports experiencing a substance use disorder (SUD), but with the right treatment and support, recovery is possible. Employers can be a significant source of that support by offering effective workplace accommodations and access to recovery options that can save a person’s life. This National Recovery Month, check out EARN’s “Substance Use Disorder in the Workplace” page to learn more about creating a mental health-friendly, recovery-ready workplace.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the Workplace Understanding substance use disorder in the workplace helps both employers and workers.