Oregon Business Leadership Network - Employment and Disability

Welcome to the website of the
Oregon Business Leadership Network
The Oregon Business Leadership Network (OBLN) provides Oregon businesses with networking opportunities, education, and resources to effectively increase understanding and awareness of disability issues in the workplace. Find out more about us. Click Here

Looking for something specific? Search our Site by Keyword

World wide Web OBLN WEBSITE

This Month's Featured Resource from our Website:

INTERNSHIP CENTER FOR EMPLOYERS
linking corporations and leading employers (large or small)
with the talents of students with disabilities.

From the JUNE 2009 issue of

LEAD STORY - Portland's Ride Connection Gears Up for Two New Interns in Summer '09

James Uyeda - Ride Connection "The partnerships that Incight/OBLN has developed, allows us to recruit highly qualified and motivated candidates, that we may have not been able to attract otherwise. "

- James Uyeda, Development Director, Ride Connection

In This Issue:

Portland's Ride Connection Gears Up for Two New Interns in Summer '09 - after a great experience in recruiting an intern with a disability in 2008, Ride Connection adds a second internship position.

New Video Highlights the Services of the Job Accommodation Network

Oregon's Governor Proclaims July 2009 as Americans With Disabilities Act Awareness Month

Kathy Martinez Confirmed as the New Assistant Secretary for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

“Expectation + Opportunity = Full Participation” - 2009 National Disability Employment Awareness Month

A Positive Strategy for Expanding Market Share - Customers with Disabilities

Deaf Barista Serves up Diversity
at Starbucks

Deaf Barista signs to customer This short YouTube video profiles a Deaf employee at a Starbucks location in British Columbia, Canada. Nothing sensational, it is just an informative little piece about how easily accommodations were put in place in order to carry out business as usual.

Watch the video on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?gl=CA&hl=en&v=X66eTwt31NM

On The OBLN Calendar:

Month of July, 2009 - Americans with Disabilities Act Awareness Month in Oregon

July 14, 2009 - The Business Case for Hiring People with Disabilities - Teleconference

July 29, 2009 - “Special Employers-Only Event – "The Disability Dividend for American Business". For more information, contact the OBLN: lucy.baker@obln.org.

August 11, 2009 - Employee Resource Groups/Affinity Groups - How can one focused on disability be beneficial to your company? - Teleconference

September 15 -18, 2009 - Connecting The Dots: Business Solutions - 2009 US Business Leadership Network Conference

More on the OBLN Calendar of Events..

OBLN & Steve Hanmura team up to develop new Diversity Video
The OBLN in partnership with Steve Hanamura, a well known speaker, author on diversity and leadership issues is seeking financial support for th Steve Hanamura & couple running

e production of a new teaching video on diversity and disability. Based on Steve's annual participation in the grueling Hood-to-Coast Relay, the video will be a powerful training tool for Oregon companies - demonstrating the relationship between leadership, diversity and disability. Click here for more information on the video, to see the trailer, and for your opportunity to support its production: Diversity Video

The OBLN is pleased to have developed a strong and mutually supportive involvement with the Oregon Business Plan. Click here
to see their 2008 Policy Playbook - be sure to see the OBLN profile on page 24!

Newest Additions to our Site:

Inclusion@Work - June 2009 OBLN e-Zine - Portland's Ride Connection Gears Up for Two New Interns in Summer '09.
Diversifying Your Workforce - A four-step guide from the U.S. Department of Labor for employers who want to ensure that people with disabilities are effectively included in their workforce diversity initiatives.
Diversity & Disability - New resources from the OBLN.
Recruiting Disabled Veterans - Resources for employers.
Look At My Abilities - New video on the largely under-tapped skilled labor pool of Oregonians with disabilities.

The Upcoming Labor Shortage

Businesses across North America are beginning to experience a shrinking pool of qualified job applicants. This labor shortage was predicted and we are only beginning to see its impact as the available labor force will continue to shrink. Happily, for proactive companies, people with disabilities represent a talented and largely untapped labor pool. Click Here to learn more

Visit our new eStore! Explore our selective collection of publications and videos that support the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workforce.
Now available in our store! Hidden Talent: How Leading Companies Hire, Retain, and Benefit from People with Disabilities $36.95 Editor: Mark L. Lengnick-Hall Based on a multi-year research project by a team of experts in human resource management, economics, and communications, Hidden Talent showcases the innovative practices of organizations that are actively hiring, training, and retaining people with disabilities--and thriving as a result. The authors reveal the roots of disability discrimination, and demonstrate the benefits, to employers and employees alike, of investing in disabled workers, featuring in-depth case examples. Go to the OBLN's online Store for more details...

Please bookmark our site - and plan to revisit us soon!