It’s been over a quarter-century since President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law, and more than eight years have passed since the act was amended to give employers and business owners greater clarity and guidance into the civil rights protections the ADA set in place.
The Beat Goes On: Healthcare Debate Reignites Complexities of ADA Accommodation Compliance
A Nuts-and-Bolts Guide to the ADA Interactive Process
If you’ve ever been confused or concerned about the complex requirements of the [American with Disabilities Act (ADA)](http://www.ada.gov/ada_intro.htm) and its supplement, the [ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA)](http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/regulations/adaaa_fact_sheet.cfm), you’re not alone.
To ensure that every qualifying employee receives effective and reasonable accommodations under the law, you need to implement and follow an interactive process.
Best Practices in Centralizing Your Employee Accommodation Process
*This week’s blog post is brought to you by Optis' Executive Vice President, [Rene Gates](https://www.linkedin.com/pub/rene-gates/6/a03/6b9), and previously appeared in the March issue of [DMEC’s @Work magazine.](http://dmec.org/work-magazine/current-issue-archives/)*
Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 mandates that federal contractors do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities and that they make a concerted effort to hire these individuals.
In addition to this clause, the regulations contain specific d
7 Steps to Keep in Mind When Managing Employee Accommodations
Check out our latest [video](https://voice.adobe.com/a/Wrv3d) for seven quick tips on managing employee accommodations under the ADA/ADAAA.
5 Best Practices to Keep in Mind When Managing Employee Accommodations
Last week, Optis attended [DMEC’s FMLA/ADAAA Employer Compliance Conference](http://dmec.org/compliance-conference/). After hearing several sessions regarding the ever-changing employment law landscape and compliance challenges, we thought it’d be beneficial to recap the best practices in managing ADA/ADAAA employee accommodations:
1. *Always engage in the interactive process*
Have open and transparent communication with your employees if they bring up a medical condition.
Five Reasons to Attend DMEC’s FMLA/ADAAA Employer Compliance Conference
This month, we’ll be heading to [DMEC’s FMLA/ADAAA Employer Compliance Conference]( http://dmec.org/compliance-conference/) in Washington, DC. This is one of our favorite conferences of the year, and we’re looking forward to connecting with absence and disability management professionals and discussing the complex challenges they face today.
The conference is taking place April 20 – 22, and registration is still open. Here are five reasons to attend:
1.
3 Steps to Evolve Your Disability Management Program
*This week’s blog is brought to you by Optis’ Business Development Analyst, [David Spring](https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspringoptis).*
According to a 2014 survey published by the [Employers Health Coalition](http://www.employershealthco.com/article-22-idea-survey.html?searched=mental+illness&advsearch=exactphrase&highlight=ajaxSearch_highlight+ajaxSearch_highlight1), there’s a likely chance that 2 out of every 10 employees in your organization have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime.
Optis Featured in DMEC's @Work Magazine: Best Practices in the Employee Accommodation Process
What are a few of the best practices in the employee accommodation process? Find out from Optis’ Executive VP, Rene Gates, in the [latest issue](http://bit.ly/1884psF) of [DMEC's @Work](http://bit.ly/1884psF) magazine (Members-Only Content).
Get Ahead of the Curve Before It’s Too Late
*This week’s blog post is brought to you by Optis’ National Sales Representative, [Scott Lenox]( https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=10504852&authType=NAME_SEARCH&authToken=WasF&locale=en_US&trk=tyah2&trkInfo=idx%3A1-1-1%2CtarId%3A1424361257209%2Ctas%3AScott+Lenox)*.
*“The secret to change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” - Socrates*
Routine is comfortable. It’s something that is humanly planted deep within our beings that the majority of us strive to create and to achieve. It’s the building of a process around our actions.
Knowing What's Next in the ADA Interactive Process
This week’s post is brought to you by Optis’ Business Development Analyst, [David Spring](http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidspringoptis).
In a previous [blog](http://www.optis.com/blog/top-10-challenges-managing-employee-accommodations) we shared that training supervisors to identify and work through accommodation requests and the interactive process is one of the top challenges in managing employee accommodations. The interactive process refers to making communication a priority throughout the entire accommodations process, from request to implementation.