If Embraced by Corporate America, DOL Rule Change Could Result in 600,000 Jobs for People with Disabilities
July 14, 2014 Washington, D.C. – At a briefing prepared for U.S. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, National Organization on Disability Chairman Tom Ridge and President Carol Glazer today shared what they have been hearing from corporate America as federal contractors prepare for a new seven-percent hiring goal for people with disabilities.
With the rule change going into effect this past March, many companies are working to comply right now. In an effort to assist employers who may find reaching these new goals challenging, NOD has expanded its role by adapting its services to help businesses to effectively recruit, hire, train and retain job-seekers with disabilities.
“In setting the new rules, your staff proved to be responsive and made many necessary adjustments based on feedback from the business community,” Gov. Ridge told Sec. Perez and Patricia Shiu, director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs. “We are pleased that you are seeking to keep the lines of communication open so that we can continue to share with you what we’re hearing from employers in an effort to help them achieve the seven-percent target and increase employment opportunity for the 29 million working-age Americans with disabilities.”