Society for Pharmacists with Disabilities

We Can't Wait: Obama Administration Announces New Initiatives to Get Veterans Back to Work Having served and defended our nation, veterans are well-trained, highly skilled and will add value to any company. But today’s veterans face unique challenges: As of October, over 850,000 veterans were unemployed and the jobless rate for post-9/11 veterans was 12.1 percent. And as we end the war in Iraq and wind down the war in Afghanistan, over one million servicemembers are projected to leave the military between 2011 and 2016. Accordingly, there is more work to do to ensure these men and women can find jobs at home when they return. On November 7, leading veterans’ organizations joined President Obama at the White House to announce their support for the Returning Heroes and Wounded Warrior Tax Credits, two provisions in the American Jobs Act Congress is scheduled to consider that will help create jobs and strengthen the economy. The Returning Heroes Tax Credit provides firms that

Informational Video on FDA's upcoming Virtual Hiring Event on Thursday Nov 3rd 2011 Instructions on creating your Federal Resume, Navigating the NEW USAJOBS, and applying at HHS and FDA http://www.fda.gov/hiringevent

Store Fired Worker with Diabetes for Eating Chips to Stop Hypoglycemia Attack, Federal Agency Charges SAN FRANCISCO — Drugstore giant Walgreens violated federal law by firing a worker with diabetes instead of accommodating her, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit filed today under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). According to the EEOC, Josefina Hernandez, a cashier at Walgreens’ South San Francisco store, was on duty when she opened a $1.39 bag of chips because she was suffering from an attack of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Hernandez had worked for Walgreens for almost 18 years with no disciplinary record, and Walgreens knew of her diabetes. Nevertheless, Walgreens fired her after being informed that Hernandez had eaten the chips because her blood sugar was low, even though she paid for the chips when she came off cashier duty.

There are a number of different types of assistive technologies that can help pharmacists working in the retail or clinical environment. In both of these settings, you may be required to move around on a regular basis. If your disability is related to mobility, then you may benefit from assistive technology devices. Assistive technology or adaptive technology (AT) is an umbrella term that includes assistive, adaptive, and rehabilitative devices for people with disabilities and also includes the process used in selecting, locating, and using them. AT promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks that they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. Pharmacists who have a mobility-related disability would probably benefit by using one of the following: Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Seating products that assist peo

RxPATROL® is a collaborative effort between industry and law enforcement designed to collect, collate, analyze and disseminate pharmacy theft information. RxPATROL helps protect the pharmacy environment and ensure legitimate patients' access to life-sustaining medicines. Collaborating with Crime Stoppers further enhances RxPATROL's efforts to disseminate information regarding pharmacy crime. By working with local media outlets, Crime Stoppers reward offers can expedite the identification and apprehension of these suspects. Learn more here: http://www.rxpatrol.org/

The U.S. Department of Labor in partnership with The Federal Executive Board will hold a Job Fair for people with disabilities from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. on  June 9, 2011  in Richardson, TX. Two sessions will each present 'How to Apply “Schedule A” Authority in the Federal Government?' and 'Employment and Training Programs and Career Websites.' For more information, contact Blas Rueda-Caraballo at  (972) 850-4459  or  rueda-caraballo.blas@dol.gov  or  click here  (PDF)

Oklahoma City pharmacist Jerome Ersland is charged with first-degree murder in the May 19, 2009 shooting death of a would-be robber. The charge alleges Ersland shot Antwun Parker, 16, while he was incapacitated and lying on his back. You can follow stories from the murder trial here .

This case is from 2008, but it's an interesting story: "Wal-Mart Settles 14-Year Old Disability Lawsuit With Former Pharmacist" Wal-Mart pharmacist, Glenda Allen, was shot during a robbery at her second job. Doctors estimated her chance of survival as very poor. But survive she did. Doctors concluded she may never walk again. But walk she did. In the end, she suffered permanent injury to her spinal cord and required the use of a cane as a result of an abnormal gait caused by the shooting. When she sought to return to work, Wal-Mart fired her. More information about the story can be found here .

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Two years after her son was shot to death during an attempted robbery at an Oklahoma City pharmacy, the teenager's mother has filed a lawsuit alleging the shooting "was an act of gross negligence and deliberate indifference." Cleta Jennings filed the lawsuit against Jerome Ersland, 59, and the Reliable Discount Pharmacy over the May 19, 2009, shooting death of 16-year-old Antwun Parker. Jennings filed the lawsuit on Tuesday as jury selection was under way for Ersland's first-degree murder trial over Parker's death.

CIGNA Adds Pharmacist to Disability Management Clinical Team The pharmacist will focus on the role of medication impacts/effects in the disability management process Will identify prescription-related trends and strategies to help people stay at work or to be successful in returning to work from disability PHILADELPHIA, April 12, 2011 - Underscoring the importance of integrating clinical disciplines into the disability and absence management program, CIGNA announced today that it’s adding a pharmacist as a new member of CIGNA's disability management clinical team, focusing on the role of medication and medication adherence in disability management and stay at work and return to work strategies.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has released disability employment statistics for March showing that the percentage of people with disabilities in the labor force was 21.0. By comparison, the percentage of persons with no disability in the labor force was 69.7. The unemployment rate for those with disabilities was 15.6 percent, compared with 8.9 percent for persons with no disability, not seasonally adjusted. Click here for more information.

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace.

Pharmacists with disabilities may have a difficult time finding jobs in the retail or hospital sectors that don't require you to spend most of your workday on your feet. If you work in a pharmaceutical company, you'll probably spend most of your time sitting at your desk (unless you're traveling). Here's what the Bureau of Labor Statistics has to say about pharmacist jobs: Work environment. Pharmacists work in clean, well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. Many pharmacists spend most of their workday on their feet. When working with sterile or dangerous pharmaceutical products, pharmacists wear gloves, masks, and other protective equipment. Most pharmacists work about 40 hours a week, but about 12 percent worked more than 50 hours per week in 2008. In addition, about 19 percent of pharmacists worked part-time. Many community and hospital pharmacies are open for extended hours, so pharmacists may be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays. Consultant pharm

There are a number of job opportunities for disabled pharmacists who can work on a computer. Those who have strong writing skills can get involved in a number of medical and scientific writing jobs. Other pharmacists also get involved in pharmacovigilance and drug safety. Make sure to brush up on your computer skills so that you can work efficiently.