News & Events

DOL's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs wants input from the public on ways to strengthen its regulations requiring federal contractors to take affirmative action to hire and advance the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities. In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking the agency invites the public to help revise the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Input is requested on topics that include what employment practices have been successful in finding, hiring and advancing qualified individuals with disabilities, and what data is available that can be used to create hiring goals and determine their effectiveness. Comments can be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Deadline for comments is September 21, 2010.

DOL has released an evaluation study of the Disability Program Navigator Initiative titled Use of One-Stops by Social Security Disability Beneficiaries in Four States Implementing Disability Program Navigator Initiative. This study showed that the One-Stop Career Centers are serving a large share of individuals receiving Social Security disability benefits. The study was conducted in Colorado, Iowa, Maryland and Oregon. The report is available for download after registering online.

Nine high school students with disabilities graduated from a new DOL work experience program. Project SEARCH - Federal Sector Program was founded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy and its project partners: Project SEARCH - Cincinnati, the District of Columbia (DC) Public Schools, the DC Rehabilitation Services Administration/Department on Disabilities Services and the Kennedy Institute of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Washington. Graduates received work experience in general office and computer skills as well as the general skills required in the world of work.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) has announced new funding for Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) to increase employment outcomes for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. RRTCs improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act through advanced research, training and technical assistance. These activities benefit rehabilitation service providers, persons with disabilities and their family members. Application deadline is August 20, 2010.

This article from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reports that an estimated 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population has a disability that might affect their ability to use technology. In order to tap into this large talent pool of potential employees, employers need to make sure that their entire recruitment process is accessible--including their job application and recruitment websites. In 2009 the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and SHRM signed an Alliance Agreement to work together to promote the employment of people with disabilities.

As part of a three city tour, Admiral Mullen visited West Virginia University (WVU) and Morgantown, WV, on April 20, 2010. He was visiting WVU and Morgantown on a mission to promote successful reintegration of returning Veterans into communities across the country. Anne Hirsh, JAN Co-Director, served on a panel presided over by WVU President James P. Clements and Admiral Mullen. Ms. Hirsh provided an overview of JAN's services in support of the military. JAN is the leading source of free, expert and confidential technical assistance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy has announced the official theme for October's National Disability Employment Awareness Month - Talent Has No Boundaries: Workforce Diversity INCLUDES Workers With Disabilities. The theme reminds the public that workers with disabilities represent a diverse and vibrant talent pool for hire. For more information read Diversifying Your Workforce.

The California Department of Industrial Relations and the California Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation (CHSWC) will host the fifth IFDM: Collaborating for Success on September 20-22, 2010, in Los Angeles, CA. The conference will focus on discussions about how disability management can reduce and minimize the impact of occupational injury and illness. For updates on the conference, sign up here.

The National Council on Disability (NCD) has released a report entitled Workforce Infrastructure in Support of People with Disabilities: Matching Human Resources to Service Needs, calling for policymakers at all levels of government to proactively address current shortages and examine how labor market changes are driving both current and future supply. The report presents recommendations that call for partnerships among federal departments and agencies, their state counterparts, and the private sector, including organizations involved with education and training, health care and employment services. The complete report can be downloaded in Word or PDF formats.

Employers that have a demonstrated commitment to hiring people with disabilities are encouraged to consider becoming Employer Partners of the Ticket to Work Program. Being an Employer Partner allows companies to gain exposure to thousands of Americans with disabilities with a link to their career or job posting websites.

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) will be holding three 1.5 hour Webcast sessions beginning the first week of December 2009. This series will cover the hiring and employment of people with disabilities in the federal government and the reasonable accommodation process. Online registration is now open. For more information on hiring people with disabilities read about the EEOC's LEAD Initiative.