WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the launch of a series of online dialogues to gather ideas and other public input on how health policies can support workers’ mental health most effectively.

The crowdsourcing will focus on four areas of concern for people with mental health conditions, including benefits policies that meet their needs, access to workplace care and supports, the reduction of related social stigmas, disparities faced by people in underserved communities, shortages of behavioral health professionals, and the establishment of state resource systems.

Part of the department’s ePolicyWorks initiative, the dialogues will remain open until April 3. Input received will inform the next meeting of the Mental Health Matters: National Task Force on Workforce Mental Health Policy. The State Exchange on Employment and Disability – an initiative of the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy – is convening the task force in Chicago from April 29 to 30.   

“The State Exchange on Employment and Disability’s Mental Health Matters Task Force has yielded useful insights so far, and we expect these new online dialogues will add to our perspectives,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “The experiences and ideas shared by people who participate in these dialogues will help the task force develop resources and policy frameworks needed by state and local policymakers to support workers’ mental health needs and meet the increasing demands on our nation’s behavioral healthcare workforce.”

The dialogues invite the public to submit ideas, and to react, comment and vote on opinions shared.

Learn more about the State Exchange on Employment and Disability.

WASHINGTON – As part of its year-long commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act, the U.S. Department of Labor today hosted an online roundtable discussion and launched a new web page to inform workers about federal regulations for job-protected leave to care for a family member.

For 30 years, the FMLA has provided eligible workers with the right to take job-protected leave with the continuation of health benefits so they can care for their family member with serious health conditions or to address a family member’s military service. While millions of caregivers have taken advantage of the act’s protections, research finds many workers remain unaware of their legal protections under law and others chose not to use the leave, fearful of being treated at work differently.

Today’s discussion, “Working While Caring: A Discussion on Barriers to Workplace Leave for Family Caregivers,” provided participants with an opportunity to learn about the challenges caregivers face when they must take unpaid leave from work to care for family members. Hosted by the department’s Wage and Hour Division, Women’s Bureau, Office of Disability Employment Policy, and Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, the discussion welcomed workers, employers and representatives from AARP, the American Association of People with Disabilities and Blue Star Families.

“Our nation’s family caregivers provide critical care and comfort,” said Principal Deputy Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman. “For three decades, the Family and Medical Leave Act has allowed millions of workers to take time away from work to care for their family members without fear of losing their jobs or access to group health insurance. The Wage and Hour Division is committed to empowering workers to take leave to care when they need it.”

As part of its ongoing efforts to empower workers to use FMLA-protected leave, the department’s Wage and Hour Division has launched a webpage and updated resources to help workers seeking to take time off from work to care for a family member. The site includes the following information:

• A guide on how to talk to your employer about taking job protected FMLA leave.
• Updated fact sheets on using FMLA leave when your family member has a serious health condition, must respond to military service duties, or must care for an adult child with a disability.
• FAQs on taking FMLA leave and other resources for family caregivers to navigate their responsibilities.

“The Family and Medical Leave Act enables the U.S. Department of Labor to support disability-inclusive workplaces, for workers with disabilities and those with family members with disabilities,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “Workers shouldn’t have to choose between their job and managing a serious health condition, nor should they have to choose between their job and caring for a loved one with a serious health condition.”

“By some estimates, 60 percent of caregivers also have to work. Since 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act has provided many people with important protections when they needed it most, but we need to do more,” said Women’s Bureau Director Wendy Chun-Hoon. “Just as parents with new children have access to paid leave, workers with serious mental or physical illness or those whose aging relatives need care should have the same protections and benefits.”

Learn more about the Wage and Hour Division, including its search tool to learn if you are owed back wages collected by the division. For confidential compliance assistance, employees and employers can call the agency’s toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243), regardless of where they are from. Help ensure hours worked and pay are accurate by downloading the department’s Android and iOS Timesheet App for free, also available in Spanish.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced its selection of 10 states and the District of Columbia to participate as “core states” in its National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network initiative.

The selection will help connect government agencies in California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Rhode Island and Tennessee to consulting, capacity building support and ongoing mentoring as they seek to increase Competitive Integrated Employment for individuals with disabilities in their areas.

Until now, NEON has focused primarily on advancing CIE by offering national provider organizations technical assistance from recognized subject matter experts and support for local provider organizations. By expanding participation to core states, NEON seeks to focus on promoting positive changes in state-level policies and systems. The department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has administered NEON since its 2019 launch.

In January 2022, NEON released the National Plan to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment in concert with five national provider organizations: ACCSES, ANCOR, The Arc, the Association of People Supporting Employment First and SourceAmerica.

“The addition of 10 core states and the District of Columbia to the National Expansion of Employment Opportunities Network will help support policymaking and other efforts to make Competitive Integrated Employment a reality for more people with disabilities,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “Now, effective practices used by service providers can support strategies such as blending, braiding and sequencing of funding, strategic planning, benefits counseling, and effective data collection and analysis to promote greater workplace equity.”

ODEP has contracted with Economic Systems Inc. of Falls Church, Virginia, to manage, support and coordinate the NEON initiative.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced the selection of seven states to participate in the second round of an initiative that seeks to align state policy and funding to advance competitive integrated employment for individuals with mental health conditions.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment initiative provides states with tailored and targeted technical assistance to expand evidence-based practices, such as the Individual Placement and Support model of supported employment.

The states of Florida, Indiana, Iowa and Virginia – participants in the ASPIRE initiative’s first round – will return for the second round, with Louisiana, Montana and New York chosen to receive first-time assistance.

“Many people with mental health conditions want to work, but may lack access to the right supports,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “The Advancing State Policy Integration for Recovery and Employment initiative is designed to better align funding infrastructures, policies and programs to support proven employment models and ensure people with mental health conditions have equitable opportunities to succeed.”

The ASPIRE initiative offers subject-matter expertise to help participating state organizations to create – with input from key mental health advocacy organizations – strategic plans that employ mental/behavioral health, Medicaid, vocational rehabilitation, and workforce and education systems to deliver results.

The initiative also gives state and federal agencies, mental health service providers and other stakeholders a forum to explore policies and practices for implementing evidence-based models aimed at increasing competitive integrated employment for people with mental health conditions. 

ODEP has contracted with Westat, a research firm based in Rockville, Maryland, to provide technical assistance to the states that participate.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh and the department’s Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams today welcomed a group of corporate employers and disability advocacy leaders recognized for their innovative approaches to fostering mental health-friendly workplaces.

Held in concert with the department’s recognition of October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the “NDEAM Employer Chat on Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being” emphasized the importance of supporting the needs of individuals with mental health conditions in the workplace as the nation experiences a mental health crisis driven, in part, by the pandemic. Panelists shared strategies for promoting best practices for workplace mental health initiatives.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported heightened levels of stress and anxiety, as well as significant increases in the rates of depression and drug overdose. People coping with the effects of Long COVID are also reporting its impact on their mental health.

“I sought treatment for alcoholism in my 20s, and I was able to do that because of my job. I had access to the care I needed through my union and being able to get back to work played a big role in my recovery. So I know that a mental-health-friendly work environment can make all the difference,” said Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “But for recovery to happen, the workplace culture needs to be supportive. As Secretary of Labor, I want all workers with mental health conditions to have the support they need to work and thrive.”

The event included EY Americas’ Chief Well-Being Officer Frank Giampietro; the U.S. Congress’ Senior Employee Assistance Counselor Jon Murphy; Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation’s Inaugural Director Katherine Pérez; and Google’s Chief Medical Officer for Global Employee Health Sohini Stone.

The event was the latest in a number of efforts the department has undertaken to educate employers and employees about best practices for promoting mental health-friendly workplaces. Key related resources include the Mental Health Toolkit/4 A’s of a Mental Health-Friendly Workplace employer framework and the “Mental Health at Work: What Can I Do?”  launched earlier in 2022. 

WASHINGTON – At a meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams applauded the launch of the Mental Health and Employment Working Group as it seeks to identify policies, plans and practices to address and support workers’ mental health needs in the nation’s cities.

In opening remarks at the conference’s Executive Leadership Meeting in Miami, Williams praised the collaboration between the department’s State Exchange on Employment and Disability and the conference that led to the working group’s development. The department’s ODEP and mayors across the nation are aligned in efforts to effect policy changes to ensure workers have access to workplace mental health support.

“When it comes to mental health, America’s workplaces have a critical role to play. That’s why we at the Labor Department are committed to helping employers – including state and local public-sector agencies – understand the steps they can take to promote mental health-friendly work environments,” said Assistant Secretary Taryn Williams. “We’re pleased to call the U.S. Conference of Mayors a partner in the State Exchange on Employment and Disability initiative and look forward to the knowledge-sharing and collaboration that the Mental Health and Employment Working Group will foster.”

Learn more about the State Exchange on Employment and Disability initiative.

The National Center for Health Statistics’ Household Pulse Survey finds an increasing number of adults are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression since 2020. At the same time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds a growing number of adults reporting lingering COVID-19 symptoms such as anxiety, stress and other mental health conditions.

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh met with leading mental health advocacy groups, health care professional associations and other stakeholders today in Washington to discuss workers’ access to mental health services, treatment and supportive workplaces.

Held as the nation’s observance of National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Week, the gathering allowed the Secretary and officials from the department’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, including Acting Assistant Secretary of Employee Benefits Security Ali Khawar, to highlight the department’s work to enforce and interpret the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, and other departmental initiatives focused on mental health conditions and substance use disorders.

“Enforcement of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act is critically important to the Department of Labor, and we also recognize the many impacts that mental health conditions and substance use disorders have on U.S. workplaces,” explained Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “These concerns affect workplace safety and health, impede equitable job training, underscore the importance of family and medical leave, and highlight the need for employers to provide supportive workplaces.”

Following Secretary Walsh’s remarks, those in attendance participated in a discussion on topics ranging from suicide prevention in the workplace, exclusion of medical treatment for eating disorders, the economic toll of mental health conditions, and barriers to job development training for mental health workers. The discussion included representatives of the following organizations:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• American Mental Health Counselors Assoc.
• American Psychiatric Assoc.
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
• Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy and Action 
• Families USA
• Inseparable
• Mental Health America
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Alliance for Eating Disorders
• National Assoc. of Addiction Treatment Providers
• National Council for Mental Wellbeing
• The Kennedy Forum

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced the award of $8 million to support a four-year cooperative agreement with the National Disability Institute to operate a policy development center focused on employment for people with disabilities.

Administered by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, the cooperative agreement awards about $2 million each year, with a total availability of approximately $8 million during its 48-month term.

Funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, the center will complement the work of ODEP’s National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities.

“Working with the National Disability Institute and Social Policy Research Associates, we look forward to ensuring people with disabilities have equal and inclusive access to opportunities to succeed,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams. “This effort will raise awareness about disability employment data collection and improve financial empowerment and career pathways. By doing so, we can help create more competitive integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities.”

The institute and Social Policy Research Associates – a provider of evaluation, organizational development and facilitation services – will establish and manage the policy development center. It will seek to promote greater and more equitable access to WIOA programs and services, competitive integrated employment opportunities and economic advancement resulting in improved outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Learn more about ODEP.

WASHINGTON – A joint communication by nine agencies within the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and the Social Security Administration encourages state and local governments throughout the nation to blend, braid and sequence funding to maximize resources proactively and improve Competitive Integrated Employment outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities.

CIE ensures individuals with disabilities are paid competitive wages and work in a community setting where most workers do not have disabilities. The newly released information builds on the Biden-Harris administration’s history of supporting efforts that lead to improved CIE outcomes and equity for individuals with significant disabilities.

A federal joint communication to state and local governments, “Resource Leveraging & Service Coordination to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment for Individuals with Disabilities,” was sent by the department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and Employment and Training Administration, along with HHS’ Administration for Community Living, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the Education Department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Rehabilitation Services Administration, and Office of Special Education Programs; and the SSA’s Office of Retirement and Disability Policy. 

“With limited resources, a single government agency may find it difficult to provide the full range of services that meet all the needs of jobseekers with significant disabilities,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “This joint communication helps state and local agencies understand that resources can and should be leveraged and used as an effective strategy in making Competitive Integrated Employment a reality for those facing multiple barriers to employment.”    

The joint communication also includes a set of frequently asked questions on leveraging resources.

“An economy is at its strongest when everyone, including individuals with disabilities, has the opportunity to obtain a good-paying job and advance their careers,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Brent Parton. “Advancing Competitive Integrated Employment ensures all workers benefit from economic growth. By sharing practical advice across state and local government systems, we can inspire creative solutions toward our common goal.”

WASHINGTON – In an effort to better understand long COVID-19 in U.S. workplaces, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Surgeon General are inviting the public to join a national online dialogue beginning today to gather ideas to better support workers coping with symptoms, their co-workers and their employers.

By some estimates, one in five people infected with COVID in the U.S. may experience a wide range of symptoms lasting three or more months that includes shortness of breath, fatigue, brain fog, heart palpitations, headaches, anxiety, depression and other symptoms.

“Understanding and Addressing the Workplace Challenges Related to Long COVID” is a virtual crowdsourcing event, hosted on the department’s behalf by its Office of Disability Employment Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Employment and Training Administration, and Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs.

Dialogue participants are invited to submit ideas, share comments and show their support for others’ ideas that they believe can help federal agencies identify and respond to long COVID’s workplace challenges, and help reduce the employment and financial impacts of the condition.

Specifically, the department is seeking public input on long COVID in the following areas:

• Challenges workers face as they cope with symptoms.
• Support for workers with long COVID from their employers.
• Ways to inform workers and employers about long COVID.
• Organizations to engage to develop solutions for those affected by long COVID.
• Obstacles to obtaining disability benefits that workers with long COVID face.

Learn more from the CDC about long COVID or post-COVID conditions.

View the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy’s answer to the question: “What is Long COVID and Who Can Get It?”