Welcome to our June 2026 newsletter!
Bringing you disability-related research, policy, events, training, consultation, and more.
June 2026 Highlights
June Is National Employee Wellness Month
LaWanda Cook, senior extension associate at the Yang-Tan Institute (YTI), introduces this newsletter issue.
National Employee Wellness Month is observed to encourage organizations to support workers’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This can benefit an organization through increased productivity and reduced health care costs. According to a fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults with disabilities are three times more likely to have heart disease, diabetes, stroke, or cancer than adults without disabilities, and YTI research suggests that workers with disabilities face challenges in accessing worksite wellness resources.
When workplace wellness initiatives are thoughtfully designed, accessible, and inclusive, they can support job retention and help create a positive workplace culture in which all workers can better manage work and life demands, including disability.
Researchers at YTI are examining how workplace policies, attitudes, and practices impact the employment experiences of justice-impacted individuals with disabilities. If you are an employer, manager, or HR professional in New York who has worked for your organization for at least two years, and you are involved in hiring, supervision, or personnel decisions and willing to share your perspectives on employment practices and workforce needs, you are invited to take the screening survey as a first step to joining an online, 90-minute focus group. For more details, see the full article about the study.
Also, please spread the word about this study to your networks.
YTI researchers are studying work-related caregiving from two perspectives: recipients and providers. “These issues matter when we think about moving the needle in terms of people with disabilities being able to get to work,” says LaWanda Cook, research team member. “We tend to think about just getting people jobs, and we do not stop to think about what it takes for them to get out of bed to go to that job.”
While care workers have relatively high rates of disability, a surprise from the team’s scoping review of existing research was that they found very little research about how care workers’ disabilities and health conditions impact them at work. “There is virtually nothing on accommodations, either informal or formal – and this is an area that we are really interested in,” Sarah von Schrader, co-principal investigator, said.
The researchers have assembled an advisory group of people with disabilities who use care assistance and professionals in this space. Next, they plan to conduct focus groups of care workers and recipients. If you would like to participate in a focus group and live in the state of New York, Oklahoma, or Washington, email Barb Gillen for further information.
Mental Health at Work for Gen Z
Members of Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, are bringing a stronger focus on well-being to the workplace. Supporting mental health for workers of all ages through workplace policies and culture can help employers attract top candidates, retain talented workers, and boost productivity and performance. Want to know more? Check out the free Learning Guide: Supporting the Mental Well-Being of Gen Z Workers. Available on the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) website and created by YTI experts at EARN, this toolkit offers quick tips, curated resources, and links to related research articles.
Inclusive Fitness: Information and Ideas
Disability inclusion in fitness spaces means people with disabilities have the same opportunity to participate as everyone else. That’s the principle behind a free toolkit from YTI, designed to help with offering welcoming, accessible fitness programming. The Inclusive Fitness Toolkit for Fitness and Wellness Professionals (PDF) covers interacting with people with different types of disabilities, following the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in fitness settings, strategies for welcoming “every body,” and more.
Recreation Accessibility and the ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) anniversary approaching on July 26 inspired us to include this bonus article about accessible recreation.
The ADA is a comprehensive, broad-reaching civil rights law that applies to many aspects of community life, including recreation. While most people understand that the ADA applies to the built environment and things like accessible parking and curb cuts, not everyone recognizes that true community participation is about much more. In fact, the ADA’s general non-discrimination provisions extend beyond “buildings” to recreation as well, in all its forms.
Continue reading this article to find fact sheets and infographics about pool access, beach access, golf courses, picnic tables, and more. (All these resources about recreation accessibility are from the Northeast ADA Center, which is housed at YTI.)
Upcoming Events
Building a Stronger Construction Industry: Recruitment, Retention, and Workforce Stability
July 1, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Free webinar from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN)
Explore current industry trends and practical strategies construction employers can use to build a supportive job site culture, strengthen their workforce, and improve overall retention.
Register for construction industry webinar
Overview of Accessible Parking
July 7, 2026, 1:00–2:00 p.m. ET
Free webinar from the Northeast ADA Center
Join the Northeast ADA Center as we bring back a popular topic – accessible parking! We will review the ADA Standards for Design that apply to accessible parking spaces and discuss some of the common questions we receive about accessible parking on our technical assistance line.
Strengthening the Manufacturing Industry: Recruit, Re-Train, and Retain Valuable Workforce Talent
July 22, 2026, 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET
Free webinar from the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN)
Learn about emerging trends and practical strategies manufacturers can use to strengthen retention, support employee development, and broaden recruitment pipelines.
Register for manufacturing industry webinar
YTIOnline & eCornell
Get credentials and education in disability and employment at YTIOnline, or advance your knowledge about disability at work as an HR professional with eCornell courses
Disability Workforce Development Center (DWDC)
DWDC provides professional development to practitioners supporting individuals with disabilities seeking competitive integrated employment.
Next Webinar
Practical Strategies for Ethical and Diplomatic Case Documentation
July 22, 2026 | 2:00–4:00 p.m. ET | $50 | CRC ethics credits, CVE credits
Work Incentive Support Center (WISC)
WISC provides training to benefits planners about government disability benefits and work incentives.
Next Webinar
Surviving Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs)
July 21, 2026 | 1:00–3:00 p.m. ET | $20 | WIP continuing education units
eCornell Offerings for HR Professionals
Disability at Work and Neurodiversity at Work are two eCornell courses created by YTI Academic Director Susanne Bruyère. You can take these online courses independently or as part of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for HR Cornell Certificate Program.
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Header image credit: Sreang "C" Hok / Cornell University