Disability Special Emphasis Program

John Jurgensen, Disability Emphasis Program Manager
Phone:(318) 473-7694
FAX: (318) 473-7747

Louisiana's Disability Emphasis Manager administers the program through tangible practices, which include:

• Assess the problems, needs, and opportunities critical to success;
• Develop and implement an annual plan of operations that identifies specific activities to be initiated and/or completed during the fiscal year;
• Monitor and evaluate progress in completing activities and meeting established objectives;
• Encourage the participation of individuals with disabilities in all NRCS-sponsored programs and activities;
• Ensure that persons with disabilities receive equal treatment in all aspects of employment; and
• Provide opportunities to participate in training and training programs such as career enhancement, graduate studies, and others.

October is Disability Awareness Month
Click on the image below to download a copy of the poster (in PDF format)   Author: Norman Patterson, Project Engineer, Hattiesburg, Mississippi NRCS	To recognize the contributions of Americans with disabilities and to encourage all citizens to ensure equal opportunity in the workforce, the Congress has designated October of each year (36 U.S.C. 121) as "National Disability Employment Awareness Month." On September 30, 2009 President Barack Obama proclaimed October 2009 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.  In his message the President emphasized that Americans should celebrate the contributions of individuals with disabilities to our workplaces and communities and to promote the employment of individuals with disabilities to create a better, more inclusive America. NRCS 2009 Disability Awareness Poster Contest 2009 National Disability Employment Awareness Month Proclamation   "Expectation plus opportunity equals full participation" is the official theme for the October 2009 celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.  The Winner of the 2009 Poster Contest (PDF; 906 KB) Winning Posters from Previous Years: The following documents require Adobe Acrobat. 2008 (PDF; 906 KB) 2007 (PDF; 479 KB) 2006 (PDF; 231 KB) 2005 (PDF; 348 KB)

Resources

AgrAbility Project: Assistive Technology for Farmers with Disabilities

The AgrAbility Project was created to assist people with disabilities employed in agriculture. It provides information to farmers or farmworkers, their families and caregivers on assistive technology and farm site modifications that enable people with disabilities to remain involved in production agriculture.
 

"The A-B-Cs of Disabilities in the Workplace" Slideshow

This slideshow is based on information pulled from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) and was created by Tracy Olsen from USDA-NRCS, ENTSC, in Royersford, PA. The slides present a number of helpful accommodation ideas for individuals that have a variety of impairments or medical conditions (not all these conditions are necessarily disabilities under ADA).

The following document requires Adobe Acrobat.

The A-B-Cs of Disabilities in the Workplace(PDF; 4.0 MB)

Links:

• Federal Employment of People with Disabilities
   
• Federal Government's Disability-Related Information and Resources
   
• U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Disability Employment Policy
   
• Job Accommodation Network
   
• Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act
   
• Notice Concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008
   
• TARGET Center - USDA, National Headquarters Center for Disabilities Resources

Additional Information:

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat.

List of Targeted Disabilities (PDF; 38 KB)

Disability Resources (PDF; 508 KB)

Disability Employment Checklist (PDF; 74 KB)

ADA Amendments Act of 2008(PDF; 45 KB)

Dos and Don'ts of Disclosure(PDF; 143 KB)


Reasonable Accommodation:

NRCS Reasonable Accommodation Procedure (PDF; 30 KB)

Reasonable Accommodation Fact Sheet (PDF; 25 KB)
 

Last Modified: 10/28/2009

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