October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is held each October to recognize the contributions of working people with disabilities. It was established by the U.S. Congress in 1945. The theme for 2015 is “My Disability is One Part of Who I Am.”
This blog post is dedicated to our clients who simply want a chance to earn a fair living. Unfortunately, discrimination against people with disabilities is common. Here is some information that employers don’t know but should.
Michigan’s workers compensation law allows companies to hire people suffering from specific disabilities and limit the amount of exposure to 52 weeks of workers’ compensation benefits should an accident occur. The Second Injury Fund assumes responsibility for all remaining payments.
“Vocationally disabled” means a person who has a medically certifiable impairment of the back or heart, or who is subject to epilepsy, or who has diabetes, and whose impairment is a substantial obstacle to employment, considering such factors as the person’s age, education, training, experience, and employment rejection. Only unemployed individuals who are new hires will qualify.
Certification from Michigan Rehabilitation Services is required. Regrettably, changes in the mid 1990s have made this process much more difficult. An employer must now certify that it refused to hire the worker because of his or her disability. This requirement raises all kinds of legal and ethical concerns that many employers want to avoid.
We need to make hiring of disabled workers a greater priority in Michigan. Fixing the workers’ compensation law to make it easier for employers is critical.
Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
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