[sasi] U.S. Department of Labor News Release

[Rita Kersh]

News Release

U.S. Department of Labor
For Immediate Release

Office of Public Affairs
July 22, 2010

Washington, D.C.
Contact: Jesse Lawder     Michael Volpe

Release Number: 10-1015-NAT
Phone:    202-693-4659   202-693-3984





US Labor Department seeks public input to strengthen disability regulations




WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract
Compliance Programs is seeking input from the public on ways to strengthen
its regulations requiring federal contractors to take affirmative action to
employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.
In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to be published in the Federal
Register July 23, the agency invites the public to help revise the
regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.



"Equal access to employment is a fundamental right of every American," said
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.  "It's time to update this regulation to
ensure that everyone has access to good jobs, including individuals with
disabilities."



The Section 503 regulations have required equal employment opportunity and
affirmative action since the 1970s, yet the rate of disabled people who are
unemployed or not in the labor force remain significantly higher than those
without disabilities.  According to recent data from the U.S. Department of
Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21.7 percent of people with disabilities
were in the labor force in June 2010, compared with 70.5 percent of people
with no disability.  In addition, the unemployment rate for those with
disabilities was 14.4 percent, compared with 9.4 percent unemployment for
those without a disability.



"Work is central to every person's financial independence, sense of self and
integrity," said OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. "OFCCP is re-examining its
affirmative action regulations so that people with disabilities can be
assured that federal contractors are proactively seeking them out for
employment."



Topics on which comment is requested include:



·   What employment practices have been effective in recruiting, hiring,
advancing and retaining qualified individuals with disabilities.

·   What data are available that could be used to establish hiring goals and
conduct utilization analyses of individuals with disabilities.

·   How linkage agreements between federal contractors and organizations
that focus on the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities can
be strengthened to increase effectiveness.



Comments must be received by OFCCP within 60 days of the ANPRM's
publication.  To read the ANPRM or submit a comment, go to the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov <http://www.regulations.gov/> .
The deadline for receiving comments is ­­Sept. 21, 2010.



OFCCP enforces Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974,
38 U.S.C. 4212.  These laws prohibit federal contractors and subcontractors
from discriminating on the bases of race, color, religion, sex, national
origin, disability and veteran status.  They also require affirmative action
in employment by federal contractors and subcontractors.
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