labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced a new program to celebrate the 17th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

It’s hard to believe, but in 1980, it was perfectly legal for an employer to refuse to hire someone…simply because that person had a disability. Workers who became disabled were routinely fired, even when a simple, inexpensive modification to equipment would have made it possible for the employee to continue to work.

In one case, “Betty”, an employee who needed to use a telephone headset, was fired from a job as a receptionist. In another, “Joe” had to use a wheelchair after an auto accident. He offered to install a simple wheelchair ramp at his own expense, so he could keep working at his office job. Instead, the employer let him go. In order to contest that firing, Joe had to be carried up the steps of the city courthouse…because it was not handicap accessible. 

Today, of course, any of those actions would be illegal. More than 18 million people with disabilities are employed nationwide. Public buildings are routinely designed to give access to people with handicaps. Older buildings must meet similar standards when they are renovated.  By law, employers must make “reasonable accommodations” for handicapped workers. Firing an employee – or refusing to hire them – simply because they are handicapped, is unlawful discrimination.

All of these changes have come about due to the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA.

While the ADA has greatly increased mobility and opportunity for disabled workers, studies show that small businesses lag behind larger corporations in hiring handicapped workers. That’s why a recently introduced program targets the smaller employer.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy recently introduced a new video specifically for small businesses. The video describes how small businesses can save time and money, and increase productivity, by recruiting, hiring and training employees with disabilities.

The free video features a roundtable discussion of actual small business owners discussing how proactive efforts and innovation have yielded high returns for their companies. The three small business owners from across the country have been identified by the U.S. Department of Labor for leadership, and commitment to hiring individuals with disabilities.

“This year, we are celebrating the 17th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. While much progress has been made in the last 17 years, still more needs to be done to help workers with disabilities be fully recognized as integral members of our workforce,” said U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao. “To help Americans with disabilities access greater opportunities in our workplaces, this video promotes the fact that recruiting workers with disabilities is a smart business strategy.”

The ODEP is the nation’s first assistant secretary-led office that specifically addresses policies that impact the employment of people with disabilities.

In recent years, the ODEP has developed innovative methods for the 3,500 One-Stop Career Centers nationwide to serve people with barriers to employment, including individuals with disabilities. It has established DPNs, or Disability Program Navigators, to assist workers with disabilities in identifying and using resources in 45 states.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was authorized by Congress in the Department of Labor’s 2001 budget. This was the first time that the agency had been promoted to sub-cabinet status, headed by an Assistant Secretary of Labor.  Recognizing the need for a national policy to ensure that people with disabilities are fully integrated into the 21st Century workforce, the Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao delegated authority and assigned responsibility to the Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy. ODEP is a sub-cabinet level policy agency in the Department of Labor.

The Office of Disability Employment Policy provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy as well as practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities. Its vision is “A world in which people with disabilities have unlimited employment opportunities.”

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1. Posted by: $2.3 Million for New Disabled Workers Program - Labor Law Center Blog

   [...] nder the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or ADA, employers cannot discriminate against disabled employees in hiring, promotions, pay or termination. The court ruled that the repeated taunts, teasing and name-calling created a “hostile work environment” for the disabled employee. [...]

2. Posted by: Disabled Worker Refused Flight - Labor Law Center Blog

   [...] Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, or ADA, employers cannot discriminate against disabled employees in hiring, promotions, pay or termination. The court ruled that the repeated taunts, teasing and name-calling created a “hostile work environment” for the disabled employee. [...]