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| September 14th is National Attention Deficit Awareness Day |
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| 9/14/2005 |
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ROBIN'S PERSPECTIVE: Employers may not realize that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is considered a "disability" covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Therefore, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) is encouraging businesses to learn more about AD/HD on this, the second annual National Attention Deficit Awareness Day -- Wednesday September 14, 2005.
In order to comply with federal law, employers may need to make reasonable accommodations for employees diagnosed with AD/HD. On National Attention Deficit Awareness Day, the ADDA is offering free teleseminars to help business owners and managers understand the affects of AD/HD on employees’ work habits. They will also learn what they can do to make their workplace "AD/HD friendly."
Workplace legal expert and ADDA Board of Directors member, Robin Bond, Esq., explains, "Employees with AD/HD can be valuable team members because of their high energy levels, creative problem solving skills, and ability to hyper-focus on a task. However, short attention spans and forgetfulness are common among people with AD/HD and may lead to disorganization, difficulty prioritizing goals, and chronic lateness."
"Fortunately," notes Bond, "employers don’t have to spend a lot of time or money to 'accommodate' AD/HD employees. Instead, very small adjustments can have a huge positive impact, resulting in a win-win for both employer and employee." Bond suggests these tactics to help employers work effectively with AD/HD employees:
1. Give instructions clearly – preferably in writing.
2. Provide structure in long-term tasks, such as checklists and deadlines for each stage.
3. Offer frequent and specific feedback on performance.
4. Provide extra clerical support.
5. Reduce distractions by placing the employee in a cubicle or office away from high-noise areas.
To learn more about AD/HD and National Attention Deficit Awareness Day, visit http://www.add.org/ |
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