Amanda Ruggiero 
It’s that time of year again…time to shop ‘til you drop, find the perfect holiday presents, and cross out every person on your list.
Regardless of which holiday you are celebrating, unless you started shopping months ago, you still have a long way to go to find gifts everyone will love.
Do you want to vote in the 2022 midterm elections but are unable to get to your assigned voting place on Nov. 8, 2022? No problem!
By November 1, 2022 you can request a mail-in paper ballot. Start by pressing this link: https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/vote-by-mail.shtml
Be sure to follow all directions. Don’t forget to return your ballot! It must be put in a drop box, returned to your County Board of Elections or postmarked by Nov 8, 2022, for your vote to be counted.
You can also go to an in person early voting location from Oct. 26 – Nov. 6. You can find a location in your County and hours here.
It comes as quite a surprise to many business owners that the provisions detailed in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) extend to websites. Well, it most certainly does!
People living with disabilities have every right to live, learn, work, and play using the Internet, just like anyone else. They know all too well that many companies aren’t aware of updates made to the original 1990 ADA. Their failure to accommodate people who are blind, deaf, living with mobility issues, etc., has made it difficult for people with disabilities to use the web.
If you are super lucky, you love your work. Getting up every day is a thrill and you can’t wait to see what new information the day will bring. However, if you are, unfortunately, like most, you go to work to earn a paycheck. And, hopefully, you have more good days than bad.
If you find yourself “not fitting in” at work, stop and think. Does your company have a Diversity and Inclusion policy that protects you?
When it comes to hiring in the workplace, diversity is a rather easy area to measure. It’s not difficult to make goals and measure metrics to assure the Human Resources recruiters are hitting various targets.
On the other hand, measuring inclusion is far more difficult. In a sense, the only way to truly measure inclusion is by starting to have conversations with various teams at your company. From management down, ask questions and not only listen to answers, but create strategies to integrate new ideas for inclusionary practices into your company’s culture.
Asking these questions could include personal 1:1 meetings with teams and managers, managers sending out micro surveys to their teams, or by a companywide annual employee survey asking employees to share their opinions anonymously. Yes, you’ll have to ask the hard questions… so be ready to read what could be harsh responses. However, employee feedback is the only way to truly gauge if your company is doing its role to be part of the DEI solution, rather than adding to the problem.
There’s no doubt about it, some people think before speaking; their mind-to-mouth edit filter is in full functioning order, and some who suffer terribly from “open mouth, insert foot” syndrome. When this happens, it’s usually the listener who bears the brunt of the faux pas.
Since July is Disability Pride Month, we thought now would be a great time to look at how people communicate when talking about disabilities. Most people could use a refresher course in inclusionary language.
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the world hard. Life came to a screeching halt, and for almost two years everything we did, like how we work, our interactions, and even getting food and common household staples became challenges.
For the disability community, life became even harder and the world even narrower. Many with sensory conditions found themselves unable to wear masks and shop. People saw their services shuttered and their hard-won skill progression erode.
