Good Bulbs, Bad Jobs: Workers and Conditions Behind Your New Compact Fluorescent

The study highlights labor violations at a Xiamen Topstar Lighting Co. Ltd. factory, a joint venture in which GE has a stake. The report recommends that GE follow its own policies and ensure that its bulbs are made in a way that does not compromise the health and rights of workers who make them

Jaqalanka Limited and Free Trade Zone Workers Union (FTZWU) Dispute Settlement Process: Progress Report from Centre for Policy Alternatives

This document is part of a digital collection provided by the Martin P. Catherwood Library, ILR School, Cornell University, pertaining to the effects of globalization on the workplace worldwide.  Special emphasis is placed on labor rights, working conditions, labor market changes, and union organizing.FLA_Jaqalanka_Progress_Report.pdf: 25 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Employers and the ADA: Myths and Facts

[Excerpt] The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark federal law that protects the rights of people with disabilities by eliminating barriers to their participation in many aspects of living and working in America. In particular, the ADA prohibits covered employers from discriminating against people with disabilities in the full range of employment-related activities, from recruitment to advancement, to pay and benefits. The foundation for the ADA is America’s promise of equal access to opportunity for all citizens. Being inclusive of people with disabilities—in recruitment, retention, promotion, and in providing an accessible environment—gives businesses a competitive edge. Below are some of the common myths about how the ADA affects employers and research and facts that negate them

Customized Solutions for Today\u27s Workforce: The Job Accommodation Network

[Excerpt] The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free and confidential consulting service for employers that expands employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities by providing: ■ Individualized worksite accommodation solutions ■ Technical assistance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability-related legislation A service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), JAN also educates about self-employment and small business ownership opportunities for individuals with disabilities

Diverse Perspectives: People With Disabilities Fulfilling Your Business Goals

[Excerpt] By fostering a culture of diversity, or a capacity to appreciate and value individual differences, in all aspects of their operations, employers benefit from varied perspectives on how to confront business challenges and achieve success. Although the term is most often used to refer to differences among individuals such as ethnicity, gender, age and religion, diversity actually encompasses the infinite range of individuals’ unique attributes and experiences. As the nation’s largest minority—comprising almost 50 million individuals—people with disabilities contribute to diversity, and businesses can enhance their competitive edge by taking steps to ensure they are integrated into their workforce and customer base

Opening Doors to all Candidates: Tips for Ensuring Access for Applicants with Disabilities

[Excerpt] The goal of the hiring process is to attract and identify the individual who has the best mix of skills and attributes for the job available. Ensuring that all qualified individuals can participate in the process is key to achieving this goal. By examining their hiring procedures and implementing some simple steps, employers can widen their pool of potential talent and ensure that they do not miss out when the best person for the job happens to have a disability

Europe and the Unitary Patent: Progress Towards Reshaping the European Patent Landscape

It is surprising that the European Union has failed to create a Unitary Patent which would fully liberalise the flow of ideas as the single market facilitated the flow of capital and people. This is apparent when one considers that the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union explicitly mandates the Council and the Parliament of the EU to “establish measures for the creation of European intellectual property rights to provide uniform protection of intellectual property rights throughout the Union and for the setting up of centralised Union-wide authorisation, coordination and supervision arrangements”. It is true that a European Patent has existed since 1973, but nomenclature should not be mistaken for reality. The European Patent Convention (EPC) in fact serves only to make the fragmentary nature of intellectual property law tolerable for those intent on seeking patent protection across the European Union. It does so outside of European Union mechanisms, which is made plain by the fact that several non-member states are signatories. More importantly, the EPC does not create anything which resembles a single patent title. In light of this, recent attempts by the Commission and the Council of the EU to create a unitary patent are welcome. Recent patent disputes, both in Europe and across the Atlantic, have been hailed as a sign of inadequacies in the current system of patent application and protection. The size of settlements and legal fees has led commentators, lawmakers and members of the judiciary to question whether the current approach is desirable from the point of the consumer or even sustainable. In particular, certain groups of patents are maligned, whether they are software or business method patents, or those owned by so-called patent trolls

Q & A on Customized Employment: Assistive Technology as a Workplace Support

[Excerpt] Despite the promise of assistive technology, many people with significant physical disabilities remain in facility-based employment programs. Underutilization of AT to facilitate competitive employment is related to a number of critical issues. This includes lack of information on available technology; lack of coordination across services; lack of training on how to use devices for users, families, and professionals; and lack of coordination in the evaluation and selection, as well as lack of funding of assistive technology alternatives. This fact sheet will provide some general information about assistive technology and provide resources that the reader can access for more information

Maximizing Productivity: Accommodations for Employees with Psychiatric Disablities

[Excerpt] Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to a work setting that make it possible for qualified employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. The majority of accommodations can be made for minimal (if any) cost and a small investment of time and planning. Moreover, effective accommodations can be good for business. They help employees return to work more quickly after disability or medical leave, eliminate costs due to lost productivity and can be key to recruiting and retaining qualified employees. Not all employees with psychiatric disabilities need accommodations to perform their jobs. For those who do, it is important to remember that the process of developing and implementing accommodations is individualized and should begin with input from the employee. Accommodations vary, just as people’s strengths, work environments and job duties vary