Just-in-Time Disability Toolkit™

Overview

The Just-in-Time Disability Toolkit project creates research-based “toolkit” websites for organizations interested in enhancing their disability inclusiveness. Each toolkit is customized to an organization’s policies and practices. We use the organization’s images and language to talk about disability at work and reinforce organizational messages about inclusion, and we link to organizational resources that support disability inclusion. 

These toolkit sites divide complex disability issues into standalone “tools.” Each tool is crafted to provide helpful and accurate information, understandable advice, and best practices within a specific disability-related topic. The tools support communication about disability inclusion within the organization and are designed to be an always available resource that complements existing training efforts in this area. Topics include inclusion, etiquette, hiring, disability disclosure, self-identification, mental health, and more. 

We offer two toolkits. One is aimed at the unique concerns of managers and the other focuses on questions typically posed by employees:

• Just-in-Time Toolkit for Managers: Did you know that 60% of employees are more likely to disclose a disability to their direct supervisor than to HR? These frontline managers and supervisors provide crucial support to an organization’s disability diversity efforts. The Just-in-Time Toolkit for Managers helps an organization develop a culture for people to feel safe identifying their disability to managers, allowing all employees to have the potential to contribute fully to the organization’s goals. This toolkit prepares managers to support employees around disability disclosure, reasonable accommodation, and performance management.
• Just-in-Time Toolkit for Employees: Did you know that although people with disabilities represent the largest diversity population in our country today, many organizations are still working to develop a culture that is inclusive of those with disabilities? Also, many employees are struggling to develop comfort in working alongside people with disabilities. The purpose of the customizable Just-in-Time Toolkit for Employees is to highlight an organization’s commitment to including people with disabilities and reinforce the idea that diversity includes disability. It will also educate employees about supporting co-workers with disabilities and accessing information about the accommodation process, should the need arise. The toolkit is an excellent way to reinforce an organization’s self-identification campaigns.