New England ADA Center

January Newsletter

Submit an Activity Proposals by February 28 for the ADA 25 Boston Celebration!

ADA 25 Boston We invite you to submit an activity proposal to help celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Boston Common in July. Proposals are due by February 28, 2015. 

 

Suggest an activity that you think will add to the fun and information we will share on this important day! If you have questions, contact Stacy Hart at shart@IHCDesign.org or 1-800-949-4232. Apply now!

Disability Rights Movement Gets the Spotlight in Augusta, Maine

ADA at 25 ExhibitThe Holocaust and Human Rights Center (HHRC) in Augusta, Maine will be home to ADA at 25: Show me the Incredible. The exhibit is dedicated to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and tells the story of the disability rights movement by focusing on ten Mainers. Held at the Michael Klahr Center on the campus of the University of Maine, the exhibit will run from January 17th through March 13th, 2015. Read more

New Hampshire Decision Clarifies Accommodation Request Threshold and Stresses Importance of Manager Training

Seal of United States District Court in New HampshireThe District of New Hampshire allowed an ADA claim to proceed to a jury in a case that highlights the importance of supervisor training about appropriate ways to discuss the impact an employees disabilities may have on job performance. In the dispute at issue, a supervisor stated: "Your Asperger's got in the way of your ability to interact with your boss, and we are tired of it," while informing the former employee that his employment contract would not be renewed. Read more.

ADA Field-Based Training Day Application Deadline Extended to January 31 - Apply Now!

Stair Lift in Use We invite New England cities and towns to submit proposals to become the recipient of an ADA Field-Based Training Day for 2015. The Field-Based Training Day offers hands-on experience in conducting an accessibility review and identifying solutions that would improve accessibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

 

The deadline for applications has been extended to January 31, 2015. See more details and apply now!  

Easton Children's Museum Open Exclusively to Families with Children 10 and Under on Autism Spectrum 2/6/15

Children's Museum in North Easton Massachusetts The Easton Children's Museum in North Easton, Massachusetts will be open exclusively to families with children 10 and under on the Autism Spectrum on Friday, February 6, 2015 from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.  Learn more about the family autism night

News From Outside New England

Pledge to Support the Next 25 Years of the ADA and Beyond!

25 Years of the ADAJoin others in their commitment for another 25 years of the ADA and beyond!

Take 1 minute and Sign the Pledge

Act Now by Using your smart phone, tablet, or computer and visit ADAanniversary.org

The National ADA Symposium is Open for Registration

National ADA Symposium The National ADA Symposium, the premiere conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act, is open for registration. Taking place May 10-13 in Atlanta, Georgia, the 19th annual ADA Symposium will offer an opening reception, keynote, 72 break-out sessions, advanced discussion groups, exhibits, and hands-on learning activities. Visit the Symposium web site.

EEOC Targets Incentive-Based Wellness Programs as Violating the ADA and GINA

EEOC SealThe EEOC asked a federal district judge to issue a temporary restraining order enjoining Honeywell International, Inc. from assessing penalties against employees who refused to undergo biometric testing in conjunction with Honeywell's wellness program. The EEOC argued that the significant penalties assessed against employees for nonparticipation in the program's medical testing renders the program involuntary and that the testing constitutes a non-job-related involuntary medical examination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Read the full story

Disability Employment Advisory Committee Adds 17 Public Members

Thomas E Perez U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez announced 17 public members who will serve on the new Advisory Committee on Increasing Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities, a key provision of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Read the full press release.

 

Photo: Thomas E. Perez, U.S. Secretary of Labor.

Apply for 2015 National Veterans Wheelchair Games - Deadline April 15

Veterans Wheelchair Racer Graphic The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is accepting applications for the 2015 National Veterans Wheelchair Games. This sports and rehabilitation program for veterans with spinal cord injuries, amputations or certain neurological problems will take place June 21 - 26, 2015 in Dallas, Texas. Learn about volunteer opportunities. Register by April 15, 2015.

The future of Sport is Going to Involve Athletes With and Without Disabilities Competing Together

Eli Wolff The future of sport is going to involve athletes with and without disabilities competing in sports together, writes Eli Wolff, Director of the Inclusive Sports Initiative at the Institute for Human Centered Design. Sports traditionally designed for athletes with a disability present a tremendous opportunity to open up and include all participants. Read the full story

 

Photo: Eli Wolff, Director, Inclusive Sports Initiative, Institute for Human Centered Design


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New England ADA Center, a project of the Institute for Human Centered Design


The New England ADA Center is a member of the ADA National Network funded by US Department of Education through National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research Grant # H133A110028.


Institute for Human Centered Design / New England ADA Center | 200 Portland Street | Boston | MA | 02114