Introducing the 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge

Greetings NAST Colleagues,

The National Association of State Treasurers’ (NAST) ABLE today initiative, in collaboration with the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the U.S. Department of Labor and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), recently announced the launch of a new partnership centered on the 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge.

The 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge aims to provide HR professionals and business executives with the necessary resources and tools to create more inclusive workplaces for disabled workers including the opportunity to highlight how employers can promote ABLE accounts in the workplace.

For three years, NAST, through our ABLE Employer Workgroup has been working to develop a strategy to engage employers and develop resources to help employers educate people about ABLE accounts.

For ABLE programs, corporate affiliates and the larger NAST community, this partnership is a game changer to ensure a coordinated effort in ABLE program’s outreach to employers. ABLE today is grateful to have support from Wells Fargo, Transamerica and Vestwell to expand its employer programming and partnerships.

The 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge encourages organizations to commit to fostering a culture of inclusivity, increasing representation, and providing support for employees with disabilities By signing the pledge, businesses demonstrate their commitment to creating equitable opportunities for all workers, regardless of their abilities.

We know people with disabilities are ready, willing and able to work. Our goal through this partnership is not only to increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in our workforce but also educate employees with disabilities and their caregivers about ABLE accounts and how employers can offer information about ABLE account as a part of their  benefits package in a workplace to promote disability inclusion and recruit new talent.

The launch of the 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge is accompanied by a suite of resources, including ABLE today’s employer resources, designed to support organizations in implementing these best practices. Resources include educational materials, training sessions, and expert guidance to help businesses build inclusive cultures and develop effective disability inclusion strategies.

The ABLE Savings Plans Network (ASPN) and ABLE today are excited about the potential  that this partnership brings to help educate more people about ABLE accounts and support greater account adoption nationwide.  If you know of any individual, business or company interested in signing the 2023 Disability Inclusion Pledge, learning more about how ABLE accounts can support their employees and accessing the available resources please share with them the following link  https://www.abletoday.org/for-employers for more information.

Sincerely,

Bette Ann Mobley
Vice Chair, ASPN
Director, Maryland ABLE