Blog – Page 8 – Disability Employment Policy

October 16, 2018May 6, 2020

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

By Sydney Geiger

Oct. 1 marks the start of the National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy began celebrating NDEAM in 1945. People with disabilities continually face unemployment rates much higher than the national average. Each year, October is designated to highlight the importance of developing an inclusive workforce of individuals with a variety of abilities.

October 10, 2018March 7, 2023

Oregon Workgroup Aims to Improve Employment Outcomes for People with Disabilities

By Matthew Shafer

The Council of State Governments, in partnership with the National Conference of State Legislators, or NCSL, and the State Exchange on Employment and Disability, or SEED, provided technical assistance to Oregon’s House Workgroup on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities. The workgroup is made up of representatives from Oregon’s House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee chaired by Rep. Jeff Reardon. Other members include Rep. Gene Whisnant, the vice chair, and Rep. Janeen Sollman.

May 17, 2018May 6, 2020

Question of the Month: What policies are in place in the Midwest to increase the number of state contracts going to minority- and female-owned businesses?

By Tim Anderson

No state in the Midwest requires that a certain percentage of contracts be given to minority- or women-owned businesses. (Outside the region, Connecticut requires that 6.25 percent of the value of state and local government contracts go to companies owned by women, minorities or disabled individuals.) However, at least three states have specific goals set in statute: Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin.

September 18, 2017May 6, 2020

Kentucky Work Matters Task Force Meeting Resources

By Trevor Freeman

On September 27^th, 2017, the Kentucky Work Matters Task Force will convene once again to discuss disability employment policies. This task force was convened by Governor Matt Bevin in June of 2017. The mission of the Kentucky Work Matters Task Force is “to address barriers to employment and promote workforce inclusion among people with disabilities, foster children, disabled veterans, individuals with substance abuse issues and individuals with criminal records”. This committee is working to develop recommendations for disability employment policies and will provide a report to Governor Bevin by the end of 2017. The Kentucky Work Matters Task Force is part of CSG’s continued disability employment policy initiative and an outgrowth of the National Task Force on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities.

May 11, 2017March 7, 2023

Advice for States on Improving Disability Employment from Oregon Representative Gene Whisnant

By Matthew Shafer

Individuals with disabilities are major contributors to the modern workforce. However, the unemployment rate for those with disabilities is almost double the unemployment rate of the general population according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Taking the proper steps to provide workers with disabilities the appropriate accommodations could reduce this high unemployment rate, and provide opportunities to thrive at work. Employment is the most direct and cost-effective means to empower individuals to achieve independence, economic self-sufficiency, and a sense of dignity and self-worth.

March 6, 2017March 7, 2023

Workforce Development Efforts for People with Disabilities: Entrepreneurship, Tax Incentives and Procurement

By Elizabeth Whitehouse

The Council of State Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures assembled a national task force to focus on workforce development efforts targeting people with disabilities in the states. This task force had four subcommittees composed of state policymakers along with non-voting stakeholders from the private sector and academia. The last in a four-part series that coincides with the subcommittee topics, this CSG policy brief highlights the recommendations from the Entrepreneurship, Tax Incentives and Procurement, or ETIP, subcommittee of the National Task Force on Workforce Development and Employability for People with Disabilities. This research brief builds on the work of the ETIP subcommittee by further exploring the role that states can play in supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities through education, training and technical assistance strategies.

February 3, 2017May 6, 2020

Workforce Development Efforts for People with Disabilities: Hiring, Retention and Reentry

By Elizabeth Whitehouse

In 2016, The Council of State Governments and the National Conference of State Legislatures assembled a national task force to focus on workforce development efforts targeting people with disabilities in the states. This task force had four subcommittees composed of state policymakers along with non-voting stakeholders from the private sector and academia. The third in a four-part series that coincides with the subcommittee topics, this CSG Capitol Research brief highlights the recommendations from the Hiring, Retention and Reentry, or HRR, Subcommittee of the National Task Force on Workforce Development and Employability for People with Disabilities.

January 27, 2017May 6, 2020

Providing transportation, technology and other employment supports to people with disabilities

By Frank Lally & Elizabeth Whitehouse

People with disabilities are a major contributing group to the workforce. However, the unemployment rate for those with disabilities is about twice as much as the unemployment rate of the general population.[i] This high rate of unemployment could be reduced by taking the proper steps to provide workers with disabilities the appropriate accommodations to allow them to be successful in the workplace. These accommodations include access to transportation, assistive workplace technologies and other employment supports.

January 3, 2017May 6, 2020

Workforce Development for People with Disabilities: Hiring, Retention and Re-entry

By Elizabeth Whitehouse

Employment is the most direct and cost-effective means to empower individuals to achieve independence, economic self-sufficiency, and a sense of dignity and self-worth. This FREE CSG eCademy webcast focuses on employer practices and state policies that address the hiring, retention and re-entry of people with disabilities in the workplace. This is the final webcast in a four-part series presented by the National Task Force on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy.

December 12, 2016May 6, 2020

Resolution on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities

By CSG Executive Committee

Download the Resolution in PDF / E-Reader Compatible Format

WHEREAS, disability is a natural part of the human experience that in no way diminishes one’s right to fully participate in all aspects of community life and disability can develop at any point during an individual’s life time and have varying impacts; and

WHEREAS, people with disabilities are underutilized in our workforce and frequently experience social and economic disadvantage; and

WHEREAS, only 19.8 percent of people with disabilities are in the workforce, compared to 68.7 percent of people without disabilities; and

WHEREAS, individuals with disabilities age 21-64 are twice as likely to fall below the federal poverty line; and

WHEREAS, individuals with disabilities bring valuable skills to the workforce, and represent an untapped segment of the labor pool for public, private and nonprofit sector employment; and

WHEREAS, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is 8.7 percent, compared to a rate of 4.6 percent for people without disabilities; and

WHEREAS, employment is the most direct and cost-effective means to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve independence, economic self-sufficiency, and a sense of dignity and self-worth; and

WHEREAS, people with disabilities are a key factor in states’ ability to build strong, inclusive workforces that translate into economic success; and

WHEREAS, while state policy efforts to support increased disability employment have made an impact, many individuals with disabilities remain unemployed or under-employed; and

WHEREAS, moving the needle on this critical workforce issue will require strong public policy at the state level that systematically addresses a number of key areas.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that The Council of State Governments affirms the work of the National Taskforce on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities convened in partnership between CSG and the National Conference of State Legislatures and affirms the policy options of the Task Force that include policies and practices that make the workforce—in both the public and private sector – more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities, which will benefit the employee, the employer, and the economy as a whole.

Adopted by The Council of State Governments’ Executive Committee this 11th Day of December, 2016 in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.

Resolution on Workforce Development for People with Disabilities