United States Department of Labor

Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)

To develop and influence disability employment-related policies and practices, ODEP sponsors four research and technical assistance resources. One of these is the National Employer Technical Assistance Center, a collaborative that researches, influences and develops inclusive employer practices and policies and — through the Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) — helps employers hire and retain workers with disabilities.

Recent EARN activities and areas of focus include:

• INSIGHT into Diversity Magazine Article on 'Disability Inclusion'
  Published in INSIGHT into Diversity magazine, this article, authored by EARN staff, discusses the ways that businesses can maximize workplace efficiency by incorporating disability into their organization's diversity strategy.
• Guided Search Tool
  EARN's Guided Search Tool allows employers to quickly and easily obtain a customized set of disability employment resources based on their particular topics of interest and nature of organization. Resources include tips on recruiting people with disabilities, tax incentives and effective communication practices, among many others.
• Federal Workplace Mentoring Primer
  This toolkit is a rich resource for any federal government employee interested in learning the basics of workplace mentoring and how to apply them within the federal work environment.
• Toolkit for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Employee Resource Groups
  This informational resource outlines 12 steps on how to implement a disability-focused Employee Resource Group (ERG). ERGs, often called Employee Networks or Affinity Groups, are company-sponsored entities comprised of employees who have shared interests and experiences and have at one time felt underrepresented in the workplace.