WASHINGTON, DC – In light of the 29th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Patrick Pizzella sent letters to America's governors encouraging them to collect data on the numbers of state employees with disabilities. Although not a requirement for states, tracking disability employment data allows states to better assess their hiring practices and compare their results with other states. Currently, only a few states routinely track this information.

Acting Secretary Pizzella also encouraged the governors to make use of the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED), a federal-state initiative funded by the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). SEED provides direct policy assistance, resources, and subject-matter expertise to state governors' offices and legislatures on various disability employment-related issues.

"Promoting valuable information from states can significantly help Americans with disabilities meet our shared goal for every American to secure employment in their chosen field," said Acting Secretary Patrick Pizzella.

Many state governors and legislators have taken steps to introduce and enact initiatives designed to increase employment opportunities for citizens with disabilities. The Acting Secretary's letter notes that the 30th anniversary of the ADA in July 2020 provides states an opportunity to both highlight the progress of those initiatives and to develop new state employment initiatives and policies.

About SEED
Through the State Exchange on Employment and Disability (SEED), ODEP works directly with organizations that represent state policymakers to provide timely data, review policy options, promote positive state examples, and offer policy assistance to ensure that state-level policy critical to employment success—such as workforce development, transportation, and technology—is disability-inclusive.  

WASHINGTON, DC - To help employers and employees understand their rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability nondiscrimination laws and regulations, the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy-sponsored Job Accommodation Network (JAN) developed the Workplace Accommodation Toolkit.

Reasonable accommodations are key to the ADA's employment provisions, which protect qualified individuals from discrimination based on disability. A reasonable accommodation is considered any modification or adjustment to a job or work environment that enables a qualified person with a disability to apply for or perform a job.

The Workplace Accommodation Toolkit centralizes resources and guidance related to reasonable accommodations, including sample policies, templates and checklists, as well as training videos and access to thousands of specific accommodation ideas. It can benefit any company seeking to establish or update its accommodation policies and procedures. It can also help companies retain valued talent, given that current employees may develop a need for an accommodation in order to stay at work or return to work following illness or injury.

Furthermore, providing reasonable accommodations can help covered employers meet their goals under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, which requires federal contractors with contracts greater than a certain amount to take proactive steps to recruit and retain qualified people with disabilities. However, none of the strategies in the Workplace Accommodation Toolkit create any new legal requirements or change current ones.

"Accommodations help create more inclusive and welcoming workplaces for America's more than 30 million working-age people with disabilities," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Jennifer Sheehy. "This toolkit helps break down the process and offers concrete examples to ensure accommodations are effective and benefit all parties involved, including employers, employees, or job applicants."

Under the ADA, an "individual with a disability" is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment. "Qualified" means the person satisfies the job-related requirements of the position he or she holds or is applying for and can perform its essential functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation.

A free service of the department's Office of Disability Employment Policy, JAN is the leading source of free, expert and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and the employment provisions of the ADA. In addition to the Workplace Accommodation Toolkit and other online resources, JAN provides one-on-one consultation about individual situations over the phone at 800-526-7234 (Voice) or 877-781-9403 (TTY).

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is the only non-regulatory federal agency that promotes policies and coordinates with employers and all levels of government to increase workplace success for people with disabilities. ODEP was authorized by Congress in the Department of Labor's FY 2001 appropriation. Recognizing the need for a national policy to ensure that people with disabilities are fully integrated into the 21st-century workforce, the Secretary of Labor delegated authority and assigned responsibility to the Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy.

The Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI) is a cross-agency effort that complements the Department's enforcement activities by strengthening and innovating compliance assistance outreach to provide employers and workers with access to information about their rights and responsibilities. As part of this, OCI launched Worker.gov and Employer.gov, both of which address a range of employment issues, including disability nondiscrimination.

To access the Workplace Accommodation Toolkit, visit AskJAN.org/toolkit. To learn more about ODEP, visit  https://www.dol.gov/odep/.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced it will establish the Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Awards for federal contractors that demonstrate excellence in including people with disabilities in their workforces. The EDI awards program is sponsored jointly by the Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).

American employers have the responsibility to treat all qualified job applicants and employees equally and fairly, regardless of disability. Federal law requires federal contractors to take proactive steps to recruit, hire, retain, and promote qualified people with disabilities.

“Disability inclusion is a commonsense business practice for federal contractors,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Director Craig E. Leen. “EDI serves as an opportunity to recognize those job creators who understand that hiring Americans with disabilities is an important part of compliance and makes business sense.”

“When it comes to advancing disability inclusion, we should look to the leaders, the companies that make inclusion a core part of their organizational culture and align it with their goals and brand,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Jennifer Sheehy. “These companies should be recognized and emulated, and these new awards will help facilitate both.”

The EDI Awards will comprise two levels of recognition. Up to four (two large and two small) federal contractors will receive a “Gold Award” and three-year moratorium on OFCCP compliance evaluations. These awardees will also participate in a post-award “Year of Engagement” program to help educate other federal contractors on best practices for disability inclusion. Up to 20 additional federal contractors will receive recognition as “Pacesetters.”

For more information about the EDI Awards, including eligibility criteria, see dol.gov/ediaward.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced "The Right Talent, Right Now" as the theme for the 2019 National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

The 2019 theme emphasizes the essential role that people with disabilities play in America's economic success, especially in an era when historically low unemployment and global competition are creating a high demand for skilled talent. The Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) administers NDEAM.

"Every day, individuals with disabilities add significant value and talent to our workforce and economy," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta. "Individuals with disabilities offer employers diverse perspectives on how to tackle challenges and achieve success. Individuals with disabilities have the right talent, right now."

Observed annually in October, NDEAM celebrates America's workers with disabilities both past and present, and emphasizes the importance of inclusive policies and practices to ensure that all Americans who want to work can work, and have access to services and supports to enable them to do so. With continued advances in such supports, including accessible technology, it is easier than ever before for America's employers to hire people with disabilities in high-demand jobs.

NDEAM traces its beginnings to 1945, when Congress declared the first week in October "National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week." In 1962, the use of the word "physically" ceased in order to include individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to NDEAM. In 2001, the Department established ODEP and it assumed responsibility for NDEAM, which includes annual theme selection to facilitate advanced event planning by businesses and community organizations that support the employment of people with disabilities.

ODEP welcomes organizations interested in participating to learn more about NDEAM. ODEP plans to make the 'The Right Talent, Right Now' poster available for use by outside organizations on the NDEAM website in August 2019. 

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $4 million for a four-year cooperative agreement for a youth-focused disability policy development center. The solicitation is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement. The deadline to apply is July 23, 2019.

Administered by the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the funding will support continued work on ODEP's National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth). This youth policy development center will conduct research, engage with the workforce system and its partners, identify effective policies and practices that support youth with disabilities, and provide resources and training to help support the transition of youth with disabilities to employment.

"Like their peers, youth with disabilities should grow up expecting to work and succeed. We must ensure they are supported in meeting this expectation at every turn," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Jennifer Sheehy. "Our youth-focused disability policy development center will play a key role in helping educators, service providers, family members, employers, and others support youth with disabilities as they transition from school to adulthood and the world of work."

The full announcement will be available at www.grants.gov. Visit ODEP's website for more information.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $2 million in funds for the first year of a cooperative agreement for an employer-focused disability policy development and technical assistance center. The solicitation is a re-competition of an existing cooperative agreement. The deadline to apply is June 24, 2019.

Administered by the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), the funding opportunity anticipates the availability of approximately $8 million in funds for a 4-year budget period (subject to the availability of federal funds at $2 million per year). Seeking to build upon the prior work of ODEP's Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), the new center will conduct research; engage with the business community; identify effective policies and practices that support business needs; and provide resources, technical assistance, and training to help public- and private-sector employers (including federal contractors) recruit, hire, retain, and advance individuals with disabilities.

"America's workforce is stronger when all Americans participate," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Jennifer Sheehy. "Understanding effective policies and practices benefits employers as people with disabilities bring their skills and talents to the workplace."

The full announcement will be available at www.grants.gov. Visit ODEP's website for more information.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor has launched a new resource that helps employers better understand mental health issues, and provides guidance on how to cultivate a work environment that supports employees with related conditions.

Created in coordination with the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and its Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN), the Mental Health Toolkit is an online gateway to background, tools, and resources for employers. It provides valuable information and guidance for employers seeking to offer a mental health-friendly workplace. 

"By some estimates, one in five American adults experiences a mental health condition each year and work plays an important role in their wellness," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Jennifer Sheehy. "Employers that understand the importance of providing a supportive environment that empowers these employees are doing what's right for their employees and for their businesses."

The Mental Health Toolkit also provides summaries of research on workplace mental health, descriptions of mental-health initiatives implemented by companies of varying sizes and industries, and links to ready-to-use resources employers can use to start their own.

Funded by ODEP, EARN educates employers on strategies for recruiting, hiring, retaining, and advancing people with disabilities in the workplace.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) announced today the selection of four organizations to pilot its Apprenticeship Inclusion Models' (AIM) initiative. The purpose of the AIM initiative is to expand pathways for youth and adults with disabilities into high-demand, well-paying careers by developing and testing new recruitment and retention strategies with employers, unions, and apprenticeship programs.

The four organizations participating in the AIM initiative pilot are Amazon, Microsoft, the Healthcare Career Advancement Program, and the Industrial Manufacturing Technician Apprenticeship program. During a two-year period, these organizations will pilot inclusive apprenticeship programs to provide access to apprenticeship opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities. The pilot organizations will begin working with the AIM initiative in March, 2019.

"Working with an impressive and committed group of well-established organizations, we can develop innovative approaches to ensure people with disabilities have full access to meaningful career opportunities in sectors such as information technology and healthcare," said Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy, Jennifer Sheehy.

As part of the AIM initiative, the participating pilot organizations will receive training and technical assistance from AIM partners to test innovative approaches to inclusive apprenticeship. In addition, AIM will build a national community of practice for interested practitioners and stakeholders to provide resources and gather feedback on developing inclusive apprenticeship programs.

The AIM initiative is a partnership between ODEP, Social Policy Research Associates, Ethos Strategic Consulting, and Jobs for the Future.

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of its annual commemoration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), the U.S. Department of Labor today launched a new public service announcement (PSA) that highlights the importance of helping workers who become ill or injured remain active in America's workforce.

Featuring baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr., the PSA, entitled "Working Works," highlights four individuals sharing their own stories of working together with employers, healthcare professionals, and others to ensure that continued employment is part of the conversation early and often during the recovery process. Ripken appears with former Baltimore Orioles head athletic trainer, Richie Bancells, who supported Ripken's efforts to overcome injuries and set the Major League Baseball record of 2,632 consecutive games played.

"National Disability Employment Awareness Month is a time to emphasize the importance of ensuring all Americans, including Americans with disabilities, can put their skills and talents to work," said Jennifer Sheehy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy. "This public service announcement illustrates how the nation's job creators and workers who experience illness or injury can work together to empower America's workforce."

Working Works is the fourth in a series of PSAs produced by the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE), a collaborative effort funded by the Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) among disability advocacy and business organizations to change attitudes about disability and employment. View the PSAs and learn more about the CDE.

Each October, NDEAM celebrates employers who are committed to a workplace that welcomes qualified people with disabilities. Learn more about the 2018 NDEAM observance, including the event's official 2018 poster.

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today announced the award of a $1.9 million contract to develop pilot projects focused on apprenticeship opportunities for youth and adults with disabilities in high-growth industries.

ODEP awarded a two-year contract to Social Policy Research Associates Inc. (SPRA) of Oakland, California, to research, develop, test, and evaluate innovative strategies in existing apprenticeship programs that provide skills training to people with disabilities. Efforts will specifically focus on quality pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship pilots in high-growth industries such as information technology, healthcare, and emerging sectors. SPRA will document and share best practices so that other apprenticeship efforts may replicate promising approaches. 

"Apprenticeships are a proven strategy for connecting job creators with motivated, highly skilled workers, yet people with disabilities are disproportionately underrepresented in apprenticeship programs and in the workforce at large," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Jennifer Sheehy. "This project will help us determine ways to ensure people with disabilities acquire the skills and credentials needed to obtain an in-demand position in a high-growth business or industry, where jobs pay family sustaining wages." 

Today's announcement grows out of President Donald J. Trump's Executive Order on Expanding Apprenticeship in America, which calls for increasing the number of apprentices in the U.S. across all industries.

ODEP works to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities by developing and influencing policies and practices. For more information on ODEP and this contract award, visit https://www.dol.gov/odep/.