WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that its Office of Disability Employment Policy has awarded $2 million in funds to Cornell University to operate an employer-focused, disability policy development and technical assistance center.

The funds will support the first year of a cooperative agreement and build on prior work of the agency’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion. EARN helps employers, human resources professionals, and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility staff find the resources they need to recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities, including those from historically underserved communities.

“As employers continue searching for qualified workers to fill job openings, people with disabilities offer a motivated and skilled talent pool,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion will continue its efforts to strengthen America’s economy by helping employers build inclusive workplaces that afford all disabled workers access to good jobs.”

ODEP is committed to improving access to good jobs for all American workers. The agency works to develop and influence policies and practices that increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities. 

Learn more about ODEP.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of a $7.5 million, five-year cooperative agreement to continue support for a policy center aimed at boosting disabled youth employment.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the agreement will provide $1.5 million annually for the agency’s Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth. ODEP created the center in 2019 to enhance national, state and local workforce systems, focusing on improved outcomes for youth with disabilities, especially those from underserved communities.

“Expanding employment opportunities for disabled youth is critical to achieving workforce inclusion,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “This cooperative agreement will fund research, develop partnerships and share evidence-based best practices to help identify new career pathways and improve transition outcomes for these young people.” 

The center’s development and management will be overseen by the Council of State Governments, a nonpartisan organization that fosters collaboration between elected and appointed officials across the country and the six U.S. territories.

The Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth is a collaboration between ODEP, the Council of State Governments, the K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell University, San Diego State University Interwork Institute and the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.

Learn more about ODEP

BOSTON – Leaders of the U.S. Department of Labor convened yesterday in Boston for a roundtable discussion on the importance of mental health friendly workplaces, particularly in the building trades. The event was held at the Iron Workers Local 7 Union Hall.

The discussion highlighted the union local’s practices to promote workers’ mental health, part of the administration’s national strategy to transform mental health care and address the nation’s mental health care crisis. The roundtable also included leaders from New England-area unions and members, building contractors, and experts in substance use disorders and their prevention and treatment.

The department’s Deputy Chief of Staff John Towle, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker, Principal Deputy Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Ali Khawar and Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams participated in the discussion.

“At the core of our mission is supporting America’s workers, and that requires a holistic approach that recognizes the relationship between mental health and work,” said the department’s Deputy Chief of Staff John Towle. “This is the premise behind our Mental Health at Work initiative, which is leveraging resources from across the department to help employers and workers foster supportive workplaces that prioritize mental health and increase access to support, for all workers.”

“These discussions on mental health highlighted some of the excellent work that is being done in the Boston region to address a part of worker safety and health that hasn’t gotten enough attention,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. “Mental health, workplace stress and suicide have very real work-related implications. Worker safety and health should be holistic. It is one thing to focus on the physical hazards that workers face, but we must do more to protect the mental health of workers.”

“Work is a key factor in a person’s mental health. Whether we consider working conditions, culture, compensation, flexibility and leave, or the quality of benefits and insurance coverage, a person’s job has a real impact on their wellbeing – and their ability to access care,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “This is why the Office of Disability Employment Policy is helping employers and labor unions understand the steps they can take to promote mental health-friendly work environments for their employees and for their members.”

“Providing workers, retirees and their families access to the benefits they need for mental health care and treatment of substance use disorders is key to addressing the mental health crisis in America,” said Principal Deputy Secretary for Employee Benefits Security Ali Khawar. “At the Employee Benefits Security Administration, we will continue enforcing the laws to ensure access to those mental health and substance use disorder benefits.”

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of more than $69 million in funding over a five-year budget period to support the development of innovative strategies that will help youth and young adults with disabilities  transition to the workforce successfully.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the funding will be awarded in cooperative agreements with four recipients, subject to federal fund availability, at about $17 million per organization. Initial funding is expected to total $12.9 million or $3.2 million per agreement.

“When it comes to finding and exploring opportunities for employment, youth and young adults with disabilities have historically faced systemic barriers related to their disabilities,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “The funding opportunity announced today will help us identify policies and practices that enable these young people to transition to employment successfully and move us toward a more equitable and inclusive workforce.”

Aligned with the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to foster a more inclusive workforce, the grants will identify evidence-based solutions to help recipients to better address employment needs of youth and young adults with disabilities.

Applications must be submitted by Oct. 31, 2023.

Learn more about ODEP.

Read the full announcement for this grant opportunity.

WASHINGTON – Representatives from the Domestic Policy Council, Department of Labor, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Veterans Affairs convened today for a roundtable on Mental Health at Work at the White House. The discussion focused on the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to promoting best practices to improve worker mental health in federal workplaces.

Roundtable participants consisted of federal employees – including Employee Assistance Program and work life coordinators – union leaders, EAP vendors, and mental health experts and advocates. All discussed the importance of eliminating stigma, reducing stress, and strengthening and improving mental health supports at federal agencies, and offered their recommendations for best practices.

During the roundtable, Department of Labor representatives discussed the ongoing Mental Health at Work Initiative, highlighting a new public service announcement on the need to create mental health-friendly workplaces.

“Mental health-friendly workplaces can have an important positive impact on workers’ lives, and this certainly includes those of federal employees,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “At the Department of Labor, we are raising awareness to reduce stigma around mental health at work, and to connect workers and employers with the resources they need to manage everything from day-to-day stress, to treating diagnosable mental health conditions, including substance use disorders.”

The Office of Personnel Management discussed efforts to revitalize Employee Assistance Programs as an important part of employee wellness. Released today, OPM’s new Employee Wellness Program guidance, which incorporates advice on EAP within a broader set of wellness programming, establishes parameters for Employee Wellness Programs; provides agency leaders with resources for themselves, agency work life coordinators, supervisors, and employees; and equips leaders with the information needed to promote employees access to wellness resources.

“Employee Wellness Programs are an essential part of supporting our workforce," said Rob Shriver, OPM Deputy Director. "These programs give leaders at all levels the tools and resources they need to promote and sustain well-being. We know that EAPs play an important role in minimizing negative stigmas around seeking mental health treatment and foster supportive and safe workplaces.”

The roundtable was part of the administration’s recognition of Mental Health Awareness Month, and its broader commitment to making the federal government a model employer.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of $1.5 million in funds to support the first year of a cooperative agreement for the operations of a policy development center focused on advancing employment opportunities and outcomes for disabled youth.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the funding will continue the work of the Center for Advancing Policy on Employment for Youth. With ODEP funding, the department created the center in 2019 to improve employment outcomes for youth and young adults with disabilities by helping states expand their delivery of youth services and strengthening workforce systems.

The department anticipates the availability of $7.5 million in funds for a five-year budget period, subject to federal fund availability at $1.5 million per year.

Aligned with the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts toward a more inclusive workforce, the available funding will support research, engage with the workforce system and its partners, and identify effective policies and practices that support disabled youth employment. It will also help provide resources and training to help support their transition to adulthood.

“While the Office of Disability Employment has historically focused on the needs of disabled youth, rapid shifts brought on by the pandemic make education and employment especially critical today,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “This funding opportunity will help identify effective transition solutions for building an equitable workforce.”

The deadline for application is July 12, 2023.

Learn more about ODEP.

Read the full announcement for this grant opportunity.

WASHINGTON – To mark two significant events in 2023 for people with disabilities, the U.S. Department of Labor today announced its Office of Disability Employment Policy has selected themes to promote National Disability Employment Awareness Month and honor the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

ODEP has chosen “Advancing Access and Equity” as its theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 2023. Observed each October, NDEAM celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive policies and practices that benefit employees and employers alike.

Each year, the agency chooses an NDEAM theme for use by organizations around the nation to recognize the importance of ensuring people with disabilities have equal opportunity to prepare for and succeed in employment.

Similarly, ODEP will use “Advancing Access and Equity: Then, Now and Next” to celebrate the passage of the Rehabilitation Act a half-century ago and its importance in prohibiting discrimination based on disability in employment by federal agencies, federal contractors and recipients of federal funds, and in the delivery of federally funded programs and activities. ODEP will use the theme to promote activities to mark passage of the act, the first federal legislation to address access and equity for people with disabilities.

“National Disability Employment Awareness Month reminds us of the valued contributions people with disabilities make in our nation’s workplaces, and the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 marks a major milestone in our nation’s ongoing quest to advance access and equity for all Americans,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “So, from now through October, we will be exploring the act’s impact on everything from employment to community living to non-discrimination to accessible technology.”

The Rehabilitation Act laid the foundation upon which the more comprehensive Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 now stands. These laws continue to be vital tools used to advance access and equity for workers from historically underserved communities and meet the goals in the department’s Equity Action Plan.

Learn more about ODEP and NDEAM, including how different organizations can participate.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor announced today the availability of $2 million in funds for the first year of a cooperative agreement for an employer-focused, disability policy development and technical assistance center.

The announced funding availability is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement to manage the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion. EARN helps employers, human resources professionals, and diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility staff find the resources they need to recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the agency anticipates the availability of $10 million in funds for a five-year budget period, subject to federal fund availability at $2 million per year. The center aims to build upon EARN’s previous work by engaging with employers, labor-management partners, and intermediaries representing employers and historically underserved communities to identify and understand challenges to workplace disability inclusion.

“The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion is a core component of the U.S. Department of Labor’s ongoing work with employers and policymakers to advance disability inclusion in the nation’s workplaces,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “We look forward to working with a successful applicant to continue EARN’s success in helping more people with disabilities to use their skills and talents to strengthen America’s workforce.”

The center will also conduct research and policy analysis, provide technical assistance, and develop tools and resources for public and private sector employers of all sizes — including federal contractors — to recruit, hire, retain and advance people with disabilities.

The deadline for application is June 23, 2023.

EARN’s work has received several awards, particularly for its popular Inclusion@Work Framework, a seven-part guide for building a disability-inclusive workplace.

ODEP aims to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities by developing and influencing policies and practices. Read the full announcement for this grant opportunity.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced today that a new report finds that nearly half of workplace accommodations made for people with disabilities can be implemented at no cost to employers, and of those that do incur a one-time cost, the median expenditure has decreased when compared to previous reports to only $300.

The newly published report “Accommodation and Compliance: Low Cost, High Impact” by the Job Accommodation Network — a service of the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy — analyzes survey data collected from employers from 2019 to 2022. The survey collected cost information from employers using online questionnaires, which increased the number and diversity of responses significantly. Before 2019, JAN collected cost information via one-on-one phone calls. These employers, representing a wide array of industry sectors and sizes, contacted JAN for information initially about workplace accommodations and/or the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In addition to gathering information about accommodations’ costs, the survey explores employers’ motivations for making them, their effectiveness and the benefits they produced. The report includes the following findings:

• More than half of employers made accommodations to retain valued employees.
• 68.4 percent of employers said the accommodations made were either very effective or extremely effective after consulting JAN. Another 18.3 percent of employers said accommodations were somewhat effective after consulting JAN.
• The direct and indirect benefits of making accommodations included retaining valuable employees, improving productivity and morale, reducing workers’ compensation and training costs, and increasing workforce diversity.

“This report reinforces what Job Accommodation Network has repeatedly in its work observed, which is that accommodations for disabled workers are indeed a low cost, high-impact strategy for supporting and retaining valued talent,” explained Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “The report also reinforces the importance of JAN’s role in helping employers understand available options and implement viable solutions that work for both the employee and organization as a whole.”

An accommodation is a modification to the work environment or the way a job is customarily done to enable a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. Under the ADA, covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities, when requested, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship.

Funded by ODEP, JAN is the leading source of free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and other disability employment issues. JAN assists businesses of all sizes in determining effective accommodations for a broad range of conditions and on how to support workers with Long COVID. 

Learn more about JAN. 

Learn more about the work of ODEP.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor today hosted an online “think tank” on the use of artificial intelligence tools in hiring during which federal agencies, technology innovators, disability organizations and civil rights groups convened to explore strategies for ensuring that automated employment decision tools treat workers with disabilities and other underserved communities equally.

Many organizations now use artificial intelligence to screen job candidates, streamline the application process, monitor employee actions, and provide employee training. While its use offers employers efficiencies, AI tools must be designed with diverse users in mind to prevent workplace discrimination, including against people with disabilities.

Hosted by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology, the four-hour event included opening remarks by Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams.

“By collaborating with our cross-sector partners, we can harness the power of AI and create a robust risk management framework profile for automated employment decision tools,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “Our vision includes creating a profile that guides inclusive hiring for all Americans, including people with disabilities and other underserved groups.”

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Charlotte A. Burrows and the Associate Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Info Technology Laboratory Elham Tabassi also delivered remarks.

Today’s event aligned with the commitment of the Biden-Harris administration to make certain AI-powered employment tools do not harm employment prospects for America’s workers. In October 2022, the Office of Science and Technology Policy released its Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights to foster more equitable and inclusive digital hiring of workers with disabilities and other underserved communities.

An ODEP-funded initiative to promote collaboration in technology and build inclusive workplaces, PEAT will issue a report on the event to promote its findings and identify action steps.