Department of Labor
Employer Assistance & Referral Network (EARN)
The Employer Assistance & Referral Network (EARN) is a nationwide program to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities. EARN offers two free services for employers: technical assistance to help employers understand the business case and practical approaches for integrating people with disabilities into their workplace, and recruiting services to help employers find qualified job candidates with disabilities.
Under a subcontract with CESSI, New Editions staff members work with employers, recruits providers to sign up with EARN, and, most recently, recruits people with disabilities to apply for EARN jobs. Staff members also educate, train, and assist employers in establishing policies and procedures and in recruiting and hiring qualified candidates with disabilities.
New Editions staff members have broadened EARN’s nationwide network of disability employment service providers through increased marketing efforts. They have created materials for a Web site and distributed a monthly newsletter explaining EARN’s services and giving access to disability employment resources.
New Editions staff assisted in completing a Business Case for Hiring
People with Disabilities. This effort involved researching and developing
two business cases: one relevant to private-sector employers and one
for Federal employers. The business cases reflect current research and
studies as well as employer experience and input. Key points of the business
case are supported by a number of citations, including research studies,
news articles, and other materials. The Business Cases reside on the
EARN Web site (www.earnworks.com).
In addition to smooth program operations and accelerated growth of the
program, New Editions and CESSI has met ODEP goals for supporting research
activities through development of employer surveys, conducting employer
focus groups, initiating industry-specific research, and mining program
data to support ODEP activities.
