PBATS Renews Alliance With U.S. Department of Labor

PBATS Renews Alliance With U.S. Department of Labor

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On April 10, 2018 Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary, ODEP and Mark O’Neal, President, PBATS renewed the alliance. Photo Credit: Department of Labor / Shawn T Moore

The Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society visited the United States Department of Labor on April 10th in Washington, D.C. PBATS President Mark O’Neal joined Deputy Assistant Secretary Jennifer Sheehy to formally renew the alliance between the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and PBATS.

Throughout the past three years, PBATS members have worked with ODEP to promote the value of people with disabilities in the workplace. This year, the two groups will continue their collaboration by producing another public service announcement — the fourth produced by the groups since the beginning of their alliance.

The previous three public service announcements featured former Major League Baseball players who have performed at the highest level in their workplace without regard for their disabilities. Former MLB stars Jim Abbott, Curtis Pride and Bo Jackson have all appeared in previous PSAs for PBATS and ODEP, and these talented professionals helped to bring a message to the American public about the importance of inclusion in the workplace and in every facet of life. The 2018 installment of the ODEP and PBATS public service announcement will focus on people with disabilities on the job.

Joining Mark O’Neal during his visit to Washington, D.C. was former Assistant Secretary of Labor Neil Romano, PBATS Senior Advisor.

Photo Credit: Department of Labor / Shawn T Moore

About the event, PBATS President and Chicago Cubs Medical Director Mark O’Neal said, “PBATS is extremely proud of this relationship with the Office of Disability Employment Policy. O’Neal continued, “People with disabilities deserve every opportunity to partake in real jobs with real pay. And when all people with disabilities are seen for their talents, they always prove to be excellent employees.”

PBATS membership believes that their Ability Transcends Challenges program will help educate the American public about the true value and importance of disability employment. Members believe that from a medical and scientific point of view, and as leading advocates for the sports medicine field, disability is not, and should not, be a barrier to any human’s success.

To view the previous public service announcements, please visit: https://pbats.com/atc/

To learn more about the United States Department of Labor Alliance, please visit: https://www.dol.gov/odep/alliances/pbats.htm