WASHINGTON—Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao issued a reminder today of the May 27 deadline for nominations for the 2005 New Freedom Initiative award. The award recognizes non-profits, small businesses, corporations and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in advancing the employment and workplace environment of people with disabilities.

WASHINGTON—A free database that identifies 1,913 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and fulltime employment is available for the tenth year to public and private sector employers to help them meet their staffing needs.

WASHINGTON—Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today called upon non-profits, small businesses, corporations and individuals that have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in advancing the employment and workplace environment of people with disabilities to submit their entries for the 2005 Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award.

Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Award Recognizes Achievements of People with Disabilities

WASHINGTON—Five businesses, three non-profits, and one National Football League player today received the Secretary of Labor's annual New Freedom Initiative Award for service to people with disabilities.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao announced today that a record 368 college students and recent graduates with disabilities were placed in summer and permanent job openings in the federal government under the department's Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP).

WASHINGTON—Five businesses, three non-profits, and one National Football League player have been selected by U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao as recipients of the Secretary of Labor's Annual New Freedom Initiative Awards.

WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao officially kicked off the 6th annual Disability Mentoring Day by delivering the keynote address at the department's ceremony today.

Disability Mentoring Day is an opportunity for young people with disabilities to gain firsthand exposure to the many career options available to them, Secretary Chao said. It increases awareness among employers and the public that people with disabilities are a highly talented and largely untapped resource.

WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today hailed the 2nd anniversary of DisabilityInfo.gov—a comprehensive web site with one-stop access to governmental disability informationas an example of President George W. Bush's deep commitment to making government easily accessible to all Americans.

WASHINGTON— U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today awarded a $1.5 million technical assistance grant to the Corporation for Supportive Housing as part of a Bush Administration initiative to end chronic homelessness among persons with disabilities.

WASHINGTON—Human service agencies in California, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts and Oklahoma 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.

Minneapolis, Minn., Richmond, Va., and Bridgeport, Conn. Receive Telework Grants

WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today awarded more than $2.4 million in grants to help fund initiatives that will increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Connecticut, Minnesota and Virginia.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today celebrated the 14th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

WASHINGTON—U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced the availability of a $2.5 million grant through her Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), which is aimed at increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities through telework positions.

WASHINGTON—A three-month-old jobs program that places college students with disabilities in summer employment has already exceeded last year’s placement totals, U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao announced today.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced the availability of a $1.5 million technical assistance grant designed to help fulfill the Bush Administration’s ten-year goal of ending chronic homelessness among persons with disabilities.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao has selected “You’re Hired! Success Knows No Limitations!” as the official theme for October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Washington—U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao and U.S. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today urged federal government agency heads to continue to enthusiastically support a Bush Administration program that has successfully placed hundreds of college students with disabilities in summer and permanent employment.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Labor Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) today released a report that gives federal officials and workers key advice and comprehensive recommendations on ensuring a safe and secure environment for the more than 120,000 employees with disabilities who work in buildings, regional offices or field locations owned or leased by the federal government.

WASHINGTON—A free database that identifies almost 1,600 qualified college students and recent graduates with disabilities who seek summer and permanent job openings is being made available to government and private sector employers.

WASHINGTON—Deputy Labor Secretary Steven J. Law said today that the Labor Department’s programs and policies are helping to reduce barriers to employment for those with disabilities.