Colorado Employment First Summits and Resource Fair Planning!

The Colorado Office of Employment First (COEF) in partnership with Colorado's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), are hosting three virtual Employment First Summits and one in-person Resource Fair in 2023.

The goal is to raise awareness about Employment First philosophy, Competitive Integrated Employment, and DVR programs and services.

We want to hear your thoughts on what will make these events successful and the best possible experience for Colorado's Employment First community. Please take our short survey to help inform our planning efforts. Click the link below:

Employment First Summits Survey

If you have questions about the Employment First Summits or Resource Fair, or need support to submit your survey responses, please contact Deirdre Sage from the Colorado Office of Employment First at [email protected].

Our mailing address is:
Colorado Office of Employment First
633 17th St Ste 1501
Denver, CO 80202-3615

Job Vacancy Announcements

Blue Cross/Blue Shield posted some job vacancy announcements on their website. Please feel free to share. 

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) News Brief
Driving Change | Creating Opportunity

JAN Employers' Practical Guide: Reasonable Accommodation During the Hiring Process

ODEP’s Job Accommodation Network recently released a new guide titled “Employers' Practical Guide: Reasonable Accommodation During the Hiring Process” that summarizes some of the most frequent situations employers face when handling accommodation requests from applicants and candidates with disabilities. Using the steps in JAN’s sample interactive process, this publication includes ideas and resources for providing accommodations quickly during the hiring process.
• Read the Practical Guide

Now Available: “Retaining Valued Employees with Disabilities: The Importance of Performance Coaching and Management” Webinar Archives

To celebrate NDEAM, the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion hosted the “Retaining Valued Employees with Disabilities: The Importance of Performance Coaching and Management” webinar in October. Attendees learned about the importance of regular coaching and feedback, as well as how to fairly address performance concerns with disabled employees. A supplemental Learning Guide provides additional resources on performance coaching and management to help employers retain and advance employees with disabilities.
• Watch the webinar recording.
• Access the Learning Guide.

Recently Launched: New and Improved ADA.GOV Website

The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced the launch of a new and improved version of its Americans with Disabilities Act website, ada.gov. The updated version of the website is designed to serve the public more effectively and help expand access for people with disabilities. The website works well with mobile devices, includes easy-to-use navigation tools, and is written in plain language. More information is available here. To find out more about the ADA, visit ada.gov or call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA information line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-833-610-1264 (TDD).
• Visit the updated website

In Case You Missed It: A Military Veteran Finds Her Career in Cybersecurity through Apprenticeship

The Partnership on Inclusive Apprenticeship published a new Apprenticeship for All podcast episode featuring military veteran and former apprentice, Kristin Strand. In the episode, Kristin shares how her experience as an apprentice in the Apprenti Tech Apprenticeship program helped advance her career and land her a job in the cybersecurity field.
• Listen to A Military Veteran Finds Her Career in Cybersecurity through Apprenticeship

ePolicyWorks Wins a 2022 MarCom Award

ePolicyWorks won a 2022 Gold MarCom Award in the “Digital Media, Web Element, Microsite Event” category. These international awards are given to creative marketing and communication professionals who stand out among more than 6,000 competitors from the United States, Canada and 43 other countries. ePolicyWorks was chosen by a panel of judges for its high standard of excellence and work that serves as a benchmark for the industry.
• View the 2022 MarCom Awards
• Visit the ePolicyWorks website

U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Disability Employment Policy
DRIVING CHANGE • CREATING OPPORTUNITY