ODEP

Mission of the Office of Disability Employment Policy

In the FY 2001 Department of Labor appropriation, Congress provided funding for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) within the U.S. Department of Labor, to be headed by an Assistant Secretary. ODEP’s mission is to provide leadership to increase employment opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities. ODEP’s customers include individuals with disabilities and their families; private employers and their employees; federal, state, and local government agencies; educational and training institutions; disability advocates; providers of services and government employers. 

ODEP focuses on both the supply and demand sides of the labor market as they relate to employment of people with disabilities. 

On the supply side, ODEP works to increase opportunities by expanding access to training, education, employment supports, assistive technology, integrated employment, entrepreneurial development, and small business opportunities. On the demand side, ODEP builds partnerships with employers and state and local agencies to increase awareness of the benefits of hiring people with disabilities, and to facilitate the use of effective strategies to address retention and accommodation issues.

This information is accurate at the time of publication. 

Readers should check the Office of Disability Employment Policy’s website at www.dol.gov/odep for new developments.

This publication is available in alternate formats.
July 2002 
Office of Disability Employment Policy
Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20210
www.dol.gov/odep

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