Employers have the responsibility to treat all qualified job applicants and workers equally and fairly, regardless of disability. Many federal contractors–those who do business with the federal government–also have the responsibility to take proactive steps to recruit, hire, retain, and advance qualified people with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. The Excellence in Disability Inclusion (EDI) Award recognizes those federal contractors who excel in this regard.
Gold Award
On March 11, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor announced that CVS Health and PepsiCo are the inaugural Gold Award winners of the EDI Award. The Gold Award recognizes outstanding performance by federal contractors in making their workforce inclusive for people with disabilities. Recipients of the Gold Award receive a three-year moratorium on compliance evaluations with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs.
Year of Engagement
Gold Award winners are required to participate in a post-award "Year of Engagement" program. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs and the Office of Disability Employment Policy will oversee the recipients' involvement in outreach efforts, such as presentations at relevant conferences, webinars, online national dialogues, and additional outreach to other employers.