News Release

ODEP News Release: [10/30/2009]
Contact Name:     Bennett Gamble       Clarisse Young
Phone Number:     202-693-4667         202-693-5051

US Department of Labor announces Web-based collaborative policy-making initiative to address disability employment barriers

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of ePolicyWorks – a collaborative, information-sharing initiative among national policy-makers and stakeholders designed to address specific barriers to employment faced by people with disabilities. Managed by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), ePolicyWorks is an unprecedented effort to tackle critical disability employment issues.

Web-based technology is being leveraged to facilitate real-time coordination and communication around key policy areas. Multiple federal agencies and national policymakers will work together to ensure that Americans with disabilities have equal access to employment and critical employment-related supports such as health care, education, employment, transportation, housing and technology.

ODEP plans to focus the initiative into targeted topic areas such as health care, technology and transportation. The first topic area is ePolicyWorks Health Care, the centerpiece of which is an online collaborative workspace for key stakeholders. The site incorporates many Web 2.0 features, such as RSS feeds that highlight up-to-the minute news on health care, disability and employment issues, as well as an announcements board where members can post important notices or messages and a conference room to begin discussion forums. ePolicyWorks Health Care also incorporates a social networking platform and eWorkgroup capabilities.

Launched in October as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the ePolicyWorks initiative establishes a model for future national policy-building efforts and serves to support the federal government’s pledge to “go green” by taking a small step to maximize efficiency and conserve valuable resources.

“This important effort delivers on the Obama Administration’s pledge to work together and actively engage with the disability community on priority issues,” said Kathleen Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. “It has the power to promote positive, lasting change and fulfill America’s promise of equal employment opportunity for all citizens, including those with disabilities.”

Partners in the ePolicyWorks initiative include the Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Transportation; the Social Security Administration; and others. National policymakers representing critical stakeholders also will play a central role in the dialogue, reflecting the administration’s commitment to open government, collaboration and participation on disability and employment-related issues.

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