The Choice Group

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans live with some type of disability and asking for accommodations or disclosing your disability is a unique situation in the workplace.  This is great advice from the job searching website, Monster.com on just that topic! Talking About your Disability at Work: How to Ask for Accommodations By Dan Woog When it comes to communicating about disabilities in the workplace, the best approach depends on your particular disability, job, supervisor, and personality. Peter Blanck, chairman of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University, says such discussions are tricky, because how and when you disclose a disability at work can have significant career repercussions. This is particularly true if the disability is hidden, such as a mental illness, or has no visible physical symptoms. So should you tell? And if so, how do you conduct the conversation so you get the accommodations you need? Read this expert advice. Considerations Before Disclosing Your ...

Many recent news articles are pointing toward the future of technology when it comes to making the world more accessible to those who have disabilities.  Lots of billion dollar corporations are spending large amounts of money on research and development in this arena.  That is great news!  At The Choice Group, we utilize all of the current technology we have available when it comes to assisting our clients such as training clients on apps that help them stay organized with their schedules, contacts, and transportation! Google Challenge Initiative: Disability, has awarded millions of dollars in grants to these 30 organizations to innovate a more accessible world.  From 3-D printed prosthetics to mapping accessible locations to interactive job interview training, many of these non-profits are looking to make a huge difference. Here's the latest article we've come across from DisabilityScoop.com (Photo from Google.org) Google Awards Millions For D...

A great story from one of our counselors, David, about a most recent success working with a talented individual such as Patrick Dunbar. Patrick Dunbar is currently working for the Clean Machine in Charlottesville where he washes, dries, vacuums, and details all types  of vehicles.  I started supporting Patrick on January 21st.  Patrick was  diagnosed with ADHD, and he had an extremely limited work history.   In a way, the Clean Machine is his first official job.  When reaching out  to other employers, some of the challenges that Patrick faced were not  having a driver’s license, living an hour away from where he wanted to  work which was Charlottesville, lack of work experience and limited  education.  It was my job to  assist Patrick with obtaining his driver’s license, finding a job, and  moving into his own place closer to town.  Shortly after working with  Patrick, I sup...

One of our clients, Kimberly, found fulfilling employment with Michael & Son after much trial and tribulation.  She has an amazing and persevering spirit and wanted to share her story! My name is Kimberly Martin and I work as a Customer Service Representative at Michael and Son Services. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be in this place right now. A place where I can help others and also help myself. At one point I could only imagine this, looking back over my life and hearing people say “Kim, you can’t work anymore” and doctors saying “your health is not good anymore”, as this was being told to me, my mind was saying “God, you got this and I can’t just stop living”. For seven years my mind was so congested because all I knew was how to get up and go to work. I didn’t know how to just sit and do nothing. As my mind wandered, I went into a deep depression. I would not leave the house unless I needed to go to the store or pay bills. Life for me was ov...

A recent article from DisabilityScoop.com  by Shaun Heasley points to hope for unemployment among people with disabilities!  Unemployment dropped by almost 2% from February to March.  While this isn't a monumental change, it is the beginning of what is hoped to be a larger trend. Disability Unemployment Rate Sees Improvement by Shaun Heasley April 1, 2016 An increasing number of Americans with disabilities are finding work, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor. Figures released Friday as part of the agency’s monthly employment report indicate that the unemployment rate for those with disabilities fell to 10.8 percent last month. That’s a drop from 12.5 percent the month prior. The change reflects a growing population of people with disabilities who are seeking out work and finding it. At the same time, unemployment for the general population remained largely unchanged at 5 percent as the economy added 215,000 jobs last month. Federal of...

Today is the 8th Annual World Autism Awareness Day!  The Light it Up Blue Campaign is meant to spread awareness about Autism and you can, too, if you Light it Up Blue! What is World Autism Awareness Day and Light It Up Blue? World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), observed on April 2, was adopted by the United Nations in 2007 to shine a bright light on autism as a growing global health priority. Every year on World Autism Awareness Day, Autism Speaks celebrates its international “Light It Up Blue” campaign. Thousands of iconic landmarks, skyscrapers, schools, businesses and homes across the globe unite by shining bright blue lights in honor of the millions of individuals and families affected by autism. Individuals everywhere wear blue in honor of our community. Light It Up Blue -Spreads awareness and understanding of autism -Celebrates and honors the unique talents and skills of people with autism -Brings attention to the needs of all people with autism