August 23, 2012

Manchin, Rocefeller Announce Grant to Advance Employment for People with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin today announced $2.5 million in federal funding for West Virginia University (WVU) Research Corporation to manage and operate the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s (ODEP) Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a national technical assistance center that facilitates the employment and retention of workers with disabilities.

“WVU has been so helpful in connecting workers with special needs to jobs, and this funding helps the school continue its very important work,” Rockefeller said.  “Making workplaces more accessible to people with disabilities benefits employers and employees, and allows those workers to use their talents for the betterment of our businesses and communities.”

“As the economy continues to remain sluggish and our country struggles with high unemployment, it is so important to invest in programs that focus on job creation and retaining jobs,” Senator Manchin said. “This WVU program is a wonderful opportunity for people with disabilities to find jobs and keep the jobs that they do have. This only helps boost our economy even more.”

"The College of Human Resources and Education is extremely pleased to have been successful in its rebid for the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), which is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP),” said  Lynne Schrum, Dean, WVU College of Human Resources and Education.  “Since 1983, our College has hosted this nationally-acclaimed project that continues to be so successful in improving the employment opportunities of people with disabilities. We look forward to continuing our efforts with ODEP in this important work."

WVU has hosted JAN since the project first began in 1983.  JAN is a national service providing individualized accommodation solutions and technical assistance to employers, rehabilitation professionals, individuals with disabilities, family members, educators, and other advocates involved in improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities.  WVU’s JAN program receives more than 38,000 inquiries each year and employs nearly 30 professional staff.  This funding is provided by the U.S. Department of Labor.

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