The RespectAbility Report

New Program for Workers with Disabilities in Pennsylvania

New Program for Workers with Disabilities in Pennsylvania

Published by Philip Pauli on August 31, 2021

Harrisburg, PA, August 31 – Pennsylvanians with disabilities who want to earn an income and become independent have new options for doing so, thanks to a new program signed into law on July 1 by Governor Tom Wolf. Pennsylvania Act 69 means more workers with disabilities in Pennsylvania will be able to pursue employment and earn money without risking the loss of potentially life-saving benefits.

This is important news for the nearly 1 million working-age people living with disabilities in the Keystone State. In the economic expansion prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania had a 38.8 percent disability employment rate. However, hundreds of thousands of workers with disabilities lost their jobs due to the pandemic and they are now navigating a radically different labor force.

“After the pandemic that has reshaped our economy, it is time to devote significant attention to supporting the economic advancement of students, job-seekers, and entrepreneurs with disabilities,” said Olegario “Ollie” Cantos VII, Chairman of the national disability inclusion organization RespectAbility. “Pennsylvania has just expanded the type of program that directly helps people with disabilities enter the workforce without fear of losing the benefits that help them manage their disability. This is a win-win-win for Pennsylvania itself, Pennsylvania-based employers, and people with disabilities.”

Wildstar Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Nickolas Wildstar holding a microphone speaking at an event in front of trees

Wildstar Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 30, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 30 – Republican candidate, musician, entrepreneur, and father Nickolas Wildstar has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Wildstar’s responses follows:

Gallucci Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 27, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 27 – Republican candidate, pastor, CEO, and consultant Sam Gallucci has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Gallucci’s responses follows:

Baade Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 26, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 26 – Democratic candidate, mother, teacher, and small business owner Holly Baade has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Baade’s responses follows:

Collins Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 25, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 25 – Green Party candidate and small business owner Heather Collins has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Collins’ responses follows:

Kilpatrick Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 24, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 24 – Democratic candidate, actor, screenwriter, and producer Patrick Kilpatrick has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Kilpatrick’s responses follows:

Newman Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 19, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 19 – Republican candidate, farmer and psychologist Robert C. Newman II has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Newman’s responses follows:

California Disability Voter Guide

California Disability Voter Guide

Published by Philip Pauli on August 17, 2021

As Recall Election Arrives, 4,131,700 Californians have Disabilities

Candidates weigh in on the most important issues that impact the disability community

Sacramento, CA, August 17 – Ballots are already being mailed to voters and on September 14, 2021, Californians with and without disabilities will go to the polls to vote in the California Gubernatorial Recall Election. The eyes of the nation are on the Golden State as voters ultimately decide whether to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom and appoint a new leader in his place. According to the 2020 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium, there are 4,131,700 Californians living with some form of disability and they make up 10.6 percent of the state’s population.

Voters with disabilities want access in democracy, just like anyone else. At the same time, they have specific issues of interest. For example, in the economic expansion prior to COVID, only 38.2 percent of more than 1.9 million working age (18-64) Californians with disabilities, had jobs.

RespectAbility Advocates for California to Close Labor Force Gaps for People with Disabilities

Bar chart depicting the employment rates for working-age people with disabilities (PWDs) and without disabilities (PWODs) in California, disaggregated by race. Text: California Workforce Development Board Testimony

RespectAbility Advocates for California to Close Labor Force Gaps for People with Disabilities

Published by Morgan Davis on August 11, 2021

Cover slide for PowerPoint deck that was submitted with public comments to CWDB — Download the PowerPoint

Sacramento, CA, August 11 – This week, the California Workforce Development Board’s Executive Committee met to discuss the status of workforce practices of the Golden State. In response to this meeting, RespectAbility, a national, non-partisan nonprofit organization, submitted testimony on how to implement best practices, advocate for greater inclusion and improve the standing of people with disabilities in the workforce.

“When it was passed with broad, bipartisan support in 2014, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) invested unprecedented resources into efforts to get people with barriers to employment into the labor force,” said Olegario “Ollie” Cantos VII, RespectAbility’s new Chairman. “Now, after the pandemic that has reshaped our economy, it is time to devote significant attention to supporting the economic advancement of students, job-seekers, and entrepreneurs with disabilities.”

Symmon Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 10, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 10 – Republican candidate, community volunteer and author Joe Symmon has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Symmon’s responses follows:

Dr. Ross Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 9, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 9 – Democratic candidate, attorney and physician Dr. Brandon Ross has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Ross’ responses follows:

Dr. Hanink Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 9, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 9 – American Solidarity Party of California candidate and former professor Dr. James G. Hanink has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Hanink’s responses follows:

Ventresca Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Joel Ventresca in front of the Golden Gate Bridge

Ventresca Completes Disability Candidate Questionnaire for California Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on August 5, 2021

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Sacramento, CA, August 5 – Democratic candidate and retired airport analyst Joel Ventresca has responded to a detailed candidate questionnaire on disability issues. The questionnaire is from RespectAbility, a nonpartisan nonprofit disability organization that does not endorse candidates. The questionnaire is purely for educational purposes. RespectAbility has reached out to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The full text of RespectAbility’s questions and Ventresca’s responses follows:

RespectAbility Advises the National Council on Disability on the Imperative of Fighting Stigmas that Hold Back People with Disabilities

Published by Claudia Runk on August 3, 2021

Washington, D.C., August 3 – RespectAbility recently submitted comments to the National Council on Disability (NCD) discussing ways to improve our education system and expand opportunities in the entertainment industry for people with disabilities.

In the comments, RespectAbility recognizes the gaps in our education system which have been widened by the pandemic. RespectAbility called for a specific focus on black, indigenous and students of color with disabilities, who disproportionally face greater challenges in receiving an education. Additionally, RespectAbility proposed the addition of a 13th year in secondary education to provide a fluid transition for students before entering the workforce.

RespectAbility Responds to Request for Ideas on Promoting Access for Voters with Disabilities

RespectAbility Testimony for NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology US Department of Commerce

RespectAbility Responds to Request for Ideas on Promoting Access for Voters with Disabilities

Published by Gabby Marquez on July 19, 2021

Washington, D.C., July 19 – Last week, RespectAbility submitted comments to the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Request for Information (RFI) regarding voting access for voters with disabilities.

This RFI comes after President Biden signed the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting in March of this year. Within the Executive Order, President Biden called on the NIST, along with the Department of Justice, the Election Assistance Commission and other relevant agencies to “analyze barriers to private and independent voting for people with disabilities, including access to voter registration, voting technology, voting by mail, polling locations, and poll worker training.” This is a critical step towards understanding how to improve access for the 38 million eligible voters with disabilities in America who look to cast their ballots in future elections.

RespectAbility Releases 2022 Disability Voter Questionnaire for Senate and Governor Races

Three RespectAbility team members holding up signs that say "Earn My Vote".

RespectAbility Releases 2022 Disability Voter Questionnaire for Senate and Governor Races

Published by Philip Pauli on July 15, 2021

Washington, D.C., July 15 – RespectAbility, a nonpartisan national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community, is sending its nonpartisan voter questionnaire to candidates in competitive Senate and Gubernatorial races across the country. The outreach is being done in conjunction with RespectAbility’s online publication, TheRespectAbilityReport.org, which focuses on the intersection of disability and electoral politics. The answers to the questionnaire will be turned into nonpartisan voter guides in key battleground states across the country. This questionnaire builds on candidate outreach work done in 2020, 2018 and 2016.

RespectAbility Releases 2021 Disability Voter Questionnaire for California Governor Recall Election

Published by Philip Pauli on July 15, 2021

Sacramento, CA, July 15 – RespectAbility, a nonpartisan national nonprofit organization fighting stigmas and advancing opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community, is releasing its nonpartisan voter questionnaire to candidates in California’s critical gubernatorial recall election. The outreach is being done in conjunction with RespectAbility’s online publication, The RespectAbilityReport.org. The RespectAbility Report is dedicated to the tracking the intersection of disability and electoral politics. The answers to the questionnaire will be turned into a nonpartisan voter guide ahead of the recall election on September 14, 2021. This questionnaire builds on candidate outreach work done in 2020, 2018 and 2016.

The Census Bureau and Disability Data

Published by Ian Malesiewski on July 13, 2021

Washington, D.C., July 13 – Earlier this year, the US Census Bureau held a virtual news conference to release the first 2020 Census results. This is important because the Census determines the number of seats each state will have in the US House of Representatives for the next decade, and plays a pivotal…

Bipartisan Bill Helps Americans with Disabilities Seek Work without Losing Benefits

Bipartisan Bill Helps Americans with Disabilities Seek Work without Losing Benefits

Published by Gabby Marquez on July 9, 2021

Washington D.C, July 9 – On June 17, 2021, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) introduced the Work Without Worry Act. This piece of legislation would allow Americans with disabilities to take on employment opportunities without the fear of losing higher Social Security benefits.

Currently, if an adult has a disability that began before the age of 22, they may be eligible for Social Security’s Disabled Adult Child (DAC) benefit. This benefit considers these adults to be dependents on their parent(s) and as such their benefits, like any child under the age of 18, rely on their parent’s Social Security contributions and earnings.

Alabama Passes $5,000 Deductible for ABLE Account Holders

Alabama Passes $5,000 Deductible for ABLE Account Holders

Published by Claudia Runk on July 9, 2021

Washington, D.C., July 9 – Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed Act 2021-514 allowing ABLE Savings account holders to deduct up to $5,000 per year per taxpayer on State Income Taxes. The plan, announced by Alabama State Treasurer John McMillian, aims to make saving achievable for people with disabilities by allowing ABLE account holders to save without losing the public benefits which many individuals with disabilities depend on.

What are ABLE Accounts?

In 2014, the 113th Congress passed H.R. 647, the Stephen Beck Jr. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act), which established tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities and their families. The ABLE Act was designed to support people with disabilities who are required to meet means/resource tests to continue receiving potential life-saving benefits. Members of the disability community who are on benefits are restricted to having less than $2,000 in liquid resources. Millions of people with disabilities rely on public programs for income, health care, housing assistance and food security. ABLE Accounts allows people with disabilities to accumulate savings that do not affect their eligibility for these benefits.

The RespectAbility Report Posts

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

As Recall Election Arrives, 4,131,700 Californians have Disabilities

Candidates weigh in on the most important issues that impact the disability community

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

Key actions and positions posted on the intersection of disability and education, jobs, immigration, climate crisis, criminal justice and more

What are ABLE Accounts?