IBM and West Virginia’s University’s Center for Disability Inclusion have developed a Mobile workplace accommodation case management app. The Mobile Accommodation Solution is designed to help employers create a more inclusive workplace environment for employees with disabilities. As of March 2017, only 20.4% of people with disabilities were employed, while 68.7% of people without a disability were employed. There are many reasons for this disparity, but one of the reasons is that employer’s do not know what accommodations are necessary for a person with a disability, and they also don’t know how to request those accommodation’s. Employees also often don’t know how to request accommodations. The app provides an accessible environment on iOS or Android for employers and employees to fill out the appropriate forms and get them to the correct people to handle the requests. The MAS app will also leverage the deep knowledge and tools of the Job Accommodation Network, a leading source of free and expert guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Even if an employer has met the accommodation needs of an employee, things change over time. An employee who has never needed workplace accommodations, or a different employee who has had accommodation need met, may later find that they need additional or different workplace accommodations. This app intends to tackle those issues as well.
The iOS version of the app is expected later this year, and the Android version will be available in 2018.
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