Labor Department Releases Free Database on CD

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is now offering a free database of 1,900 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and full-time employment. This CD-ROM database can be used by employers to search from a pool of pre-screened applicants from over 45 states and territories who have skills in disciplines ranging from computer sciences and business to communications, engineering, office administration and more.

"The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is an excellent resource of well-educated and highly skilled job candidates for employers to choose from," said Dr. W. Roy Grizzard Jr., assistant secretary for disability employment policy. "The program also offers an opportunity for college students and graduates with disabilities to contribute their talents to organizations large and small."

ODEP, in cooperation with the Department of Defense, is offering the database of job seekers through its Workforce Recruitment Program. The program also fulfills President Bush's New Freedom Initiative pledge to promote employment opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the nation.

Information about WRP is available by clicking on Workforce Recruitment Program at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employer/recruit_and_hire/recruitment.htm or by calling (202) 693-7880. To request a free copy of the entire WRP database on CD-ROM, send your name, company name and mailing address to wrp@dol.gov.

The Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network (EARN) is available for employers who have job vacancies and are actively looking to find and recruit qualified workers with disabilities in their localities. EARN is also able to provide support, technical assistance and employee screening for the WRP database CD-ROM. EARN can be reached at 1-866-Earn Now (1-866-327-6669) or by clicking on Employer Assistance and Recruiting Network at http://www.dol.gov/odep/categories/employer/recruit_and_hire/recruitment.htm. More information about ODEP can be found at its Web site at www.dol.gov/odep, and a cross-governmental portal of comprehensive disability-related information can be found at www.DisabilityInfo.gov.

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Awards Recognize Exemplary Efforts to Employ Workers With Disabilities

WASHINGTON — Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today called upon non-profits, small businesses, corporations and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts to improve the employment and workplace environment of people with disabilities to submit their entries for the 2006 Secretary of Labors New Freedom Initiative (NFI) Award. This will be the fifth anniversary of the NFI awards, which so far have been presented to 13 companies, 13 non-profits and 4 individuals.

President Bush and I are committed to advancing employment opportunities for workers with disabilities, said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. The New Freedom Initiative Awards recognize individuals, nonprofit organizations and private sector companies that have improved the employment prospects for people with disabilities.

The award recognizes public-private partnerships and programs that have had a positive impact on the employment of people with disabilities through access to assistive technologies, the use of innovative training, and hiring and retention strategies. It also recognizes organizations, businesses and individuals who develop comprehensive strategies to enhance the ability of Americans with disabilities to enter and advance in the 21st century workforce.

Additional information on the award and specific nomination criteria are available in the March 2 Federal Register or at www.dol.gov/odep/newfreedom/nfi06.htm under the New Freedom Initiative tab. The information is also available by calling the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), Education and Outreach Section, at (202) 693-7880. The deadline for receipt of nominations is May 31.

President Bush introduced the New Freedom Initiative Feb. 1, 2001, within a month of taking office. The initiative contains a comprehensive set of proposals designed to ensure that Americans with disabilities have the opportunity to learn and develop skills, engage in productive work, make choices about their daily lives and participate fully in their communities. ODEP has primary responsibility for implementing the employment-related aspects of the New Freedom Initiative.

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WASHINGTON-Innovations such as high technology vehicles for wheel chair users in Europe and new information technologies that level the playing field for working people with disabilities on both sides of the Atlantic were among many topics covered during a meeting here this week of government and private sector officials from the European Union and the United States.

The Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) hosted the Information Exchange, Exploring Employment and Retention Strategies for People with Disabilities, in collaboration with the department's Bureau of International Labor Affairs as part of a trans-Atlantic agreement between DOL and the European Union. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of the agreement between the two agencies and represents 10 years of collaboration and cooperation on employment and labor-related issues.

"This Information Exchange reflects the value of cooperation and the ongoing need to jointly explore and discuss our efforts, our successes and our challenges," said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy. "Our combined effort will ensure that workplace doors continue to open for people with disabilities."

Participants at the exchange heard about unique strategies used by employers from the United States and Europe to increase and promote the employment of people with disabilities, including transportation and assistive technologies.

Lisa Pavan Woolfe, director of the European Union's Equal Opportunities European Commission said, "Efforts to improve disability employment are important and are not discussions in generalities, but are about real people, real jobs and real companies."

The Information Exchange was a follow-up to the first meeting on disability employment held in Brussels in 2003. For decades, both the EU and the United States have implemented policies designed to promote independence and work opportunities for their citizens with disabilities.

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WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced today that one individual, three non-profits and three businesses have been selected to receive the Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative (NFI) Award for outstanding support of employment for people with disabilities.

Today's New Freedom Initiative Awards recipients have demonstrated great commitment to helping Americans with disabilities enter the workforce and build solid career paths, said Chao during a ceremony for the winners at the department. In facilitating the workplace to be more friendly and accessible to workers with disabilities, these employers are also tapping an underutilized pool of talented workers.

The Secretary's NFI Award recognizes exemplary and innovative efforts to train, recruit and hire people with disabilities and to incorporate into workplaces the principles of President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative. Introduced in 2001, the NFI is a comprehensive set of proposals designed to give people with disabilities the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of community life, including employment.

Biographies about the winners are available at www.dol.gov/odep/newfreedom/nfi05.htm. A list of winners follows:

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WASHINGTON—DisabilityInfo.gov, a one-stop Web site for disability-related information and resources, has received the Web Content Managers Best Practice Peer Award. The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), which manages DisabilityInfo.gov, accepted the award that honors the Web site's outstanding "citizen-focused online services.

The Web Content Managers Forum is a peer group comprised of more than 900 federal, state and local government Web managers. The Web Managers Advisory Council established the "best practice peer" awards this year to showcase innovative and successful Web practices that can be replicated across government. The Council received over 70 nominations from more than a dozen government agencies.

With over 70 federal representatives across 16 agencies lending their program and policy expertise to DisabilityInfo.gov, the volume and quality of the information on this one-stop Web portal is impressive, said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor Roy Grizzard, who heads ODEP. We are very proud of this honor and will continue to ensure that DisabilityInfo.gov serves our citizens well.

A part of President Bush's New Freedom Initiative, DisabilityInfo.gov was created to provide people with disabilities easy access to the information and resources they need to live full, independent lives. Through an Executive Memorandum, the President directed the development of DisabilityInfo.gov as the citizen-centric entry point to federal, state and local programs. The Web site is a collaborative effort among 16 federal departments and agencies. Since it was launched in 2002, DisabilityInfo.gov has received more than 4.4 million visitors from 180 countries, averaging more than 3,000 users a day.

Earlier this year DisabilityInfo.gov was awarded Disability Network's 2005 Outstanding Web site Award. Disability Network is an information resource for people with disabilities and their families. The Outstanding Web site Award is presented to Web sites disability network leaders feel offer a tremendous benefit to those who access and use the Internet on a daily basis.

To view the Web site, visit www.Disabilityinfo.gov.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

WASHINGTON—Human service agencies in Maryland, District of Columbia, Illinois, Georgia, and North Dakota have been selected to take part in training and technical assistance programs for people with disabilities, the U.S. Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announced today.

Today's agreements with these five states will help build effective partnerships between employers and employment service providers that will result in better jobs and career advancement opportunities for people with disabilities, said ODEP Assistant Secretary Roy Grizzard.

The five agencies were chosen under the Training and Technical Assistance to Providers (T-TAP) national technical assistance center, which is funded by ODEP. T-TAP helps community rehabilitation providers apply customized employment strategies for people with disabilities who are seeking competitive jobs within their communities. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, and the Institute for Community Inclusion, located at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, partner with ODEP on this project through a cooperative agreement.

The five sites selected to participate are:

• The Arc of Northern Chesapeake Aberdeen, MD.
• The Arc of DC Washington, DC
• Anixter Center Chicago, IL
• Coastal Center for Developmental Services, Inc. Savannah, GA
• Friendship Inc. Fargo, ND

Each site will receive an individually-developed technical assistance plan; guidance from a mentor agency with the Community Rehabilitation Provider Leadership Network; on-site consultation from project staff and consultants; and access to online courses, web casts and discussions with other providers who have successfully assisted individuals with disabilities in achieving competitive employment outcomes.

Additional information about the T-TAP project is available at www.t-tap.org. Information on ODEP programs is available on www.dol.gov/odep.

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WASHINGTON—Assistant Secretary Roy Grizzard, head of the Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), participated today in a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The event, held at the Marriot Metro Center from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., featured workshops focusing on various disability-related issues.

Dr. Grizzard addressed disability employment issues at today's event. He presented key findings from focus groups of employers and employment data among participants of ODEP's customized employment initiatives.

ODEP will continue to advance the issues that will put more and more people with disabilities into the workforce by listening closely to the sources -- workers with disabilities and the employers who hire them, said Dr. Grizzard.

A leading authority on disability employment issues, Dr. Grizzard reported on ODEP's efforts, during its first four years of existence, on both the supply and demand sides of the employment equation to enable employers to take advantage of the strengths and skills of individuals with disabilities as a source of reliable, qualified workers.

The seminar in which Dr. Grizzard participated featured leaders of federal agencies in the forefront of disability employment. These experts presented the fundamental and ground-breaking work, policy to practice, they have undertaken to increase the recruiting, hiring, retention and promotion of people with disabilities. Panelists discussed candidate education, preparation and support, in addition to workforce conditions and employer expectations.

ODEP's mission is to develop research-based policy that results in lowering barriers to employment for youth and adults with disabilities.

The ADA, enacted in 1990, prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the areas of employment, state and local government services, public accommodation, transportation and telecommunications services. For more information about the ADA and other disability-related issues, visit www.Disabilityinfo.gov, a one-stop website for disability-related information and resources. Disabilityinfo.gov is managed by ODEP in collaboration with 16 federal agencies and averages over 3,000 visitors a day.

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WASHINGTON—U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor Roy Grizzard, who heads the department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), today announced a comprehensive guide and related Web site to ensure federal government workplace emergency plans address the needs of individuals with disabilities.

In compiling these guidelines, we found that emergency preparedness plans that include enhanced communications and mobility and disability awareness actually improve safety for everyone in the workplace, not just individuals with disabilities said Dr. Grizzard. By implementing effective practices, the federal workplace will serve as a model workplace — one that ensures a safe and secure environment for everyone."

Dr. Grizzard unveiled the new resources at the first anniversary meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities held at the Federal Communications Commission. ODEP chairs the Council's Workplace Subcommittee.

In its first year, the subcommittee developed Preparing the Workplace for Everyone, a template of guidelines to help federal agencies integrate into emergency preparedness plans the needs of workers with disabilities. This comprehensive guide, available on ODEP's Web site at www.dol.gov/odep, addresses employer and employee perspectives, viewpoints of first responders, successful practices and legal considerations. In connection with today's announcement, ODEP is launching a new Web page specially dedicated to workplace emergency preparedness issues and related resources.

Among the agencies contributing expertise to this collaborative effort are the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice. The guidelines set forth in the template can be used to interest other employment sectors — state and local governments, non-profit organizations and the private sector — in replicating effective practices and policies that can be modified easily for their use.

At today's meeting, other federal departments providing leadership to the council also announced their accomplishments over the past year and their future plans to promote emergency preparedness policies and procedures to ensure the safety of all of the nation's citizens, including individuals with disabilities.

The Interagency Coordinating Council on Emergency Preparedness and Individuals with Disabilities was established by Executive Order 13347, issued by President George W. Bush on July 22, 2004, to facilitate cooperation among federal, state, local and tribal governments, private organizations and individuals in the implementation of emergency preparedness plans as they relate to individuals with disabilities.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

WASHINGTON—Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao this week announced the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month — Workers with Disabilities: Ready for Tomorrow's Jobs Today.

This year's theme emphasizes that people with disabilities are a vital part of America's workforcethey are important to our country's future economic success! said Chao. The President's New Freedom Initiative recognizes the tremendous contributions and potential of persons with disabilities and promotes greater job opportunities in high growth sectors of the economy, such as healthcare and advanced manufacturing.

The theme will be used by the private sector, federal, state and local governments, and advocacy organizations to plan events and programs that showcase the abilities and skills of job candidates who have disabilities.

People with disabilities are and will continue to be an important part of the nation's labor pool, and this year's theme reflects that fact, said Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is the nation's first assistant secretary-level office specifically addressing policies that impact the employment of people with disabilities. Collaborating with other Labor Department agenciesthe Employment and Training Administration and the Civil Rights CenterODEP has developed methods, including a disability checklist, to make the 3500 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide better serve people with disabilities.

Public Law 176, enacted by Congress in 1945, designated the first week in October as National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week. President Harry S. Truman designated the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities to carry out the law. Congress changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 1988. The responsibility for leading the nationwide recognition was transferred to ODEP in 2001.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Labor's Workforce Recruitment Program has placed more than 300 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities in summer positions. The placements were made using a free database of more than 1,900 candidates seeking summer and full-time employment. The database was distributed on a CD-Rom beginning March 16.

President Bush's New Freedom Initiative recognizes the employment potential of Americans with disabilities and the need to increase opportunities for them to join the workforce, Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao said. The Workforce Recruitment Program is helping students with disabilities launch successful careers.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the Department of Defense jointly sponsor the Workforce Recruitment Program. This year the program celebrates its tenth year of helping public and private sector employers meet their staffing needs and diversity goals.

Using the complimentary database, employers can search from a pool of pre-screened students and recent graduates who have skills in a broad range of areas including computer science, business, public relations, science, engineering, law and office administration. Searches generate candidate profiles, academic and demographic data and contact information for students from more than 200 colleges and universities in over 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition to all federal agencies, ODEP has sent the CD-ROM to over 380 interested private sector companies.

The Workforce Recruitment Program offers employers a larger pool of skilled job candidates to choose from, while providing students and graduates with disabilities more opportunities to explore or begin careers, Roy Grizzard, assistant secretary of labor for disability employment policy said.

To request a copy of the CD-ROM, send your name, company name, address and phone number to wrp@dol.gov or call ODEP at (202) 693-7880.

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Archived News Release — Caution: Information may be out of date.