New Resources Launched in Celebration of ADA Anniversary
Nineteen years, almost to the day, after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) on July 27, 2009, announced the renaming and relaunching of one of its informational web sites. Formerly known as DisabilityInfo.gov, the new site, Disability.gov, includes social media tools and new ways to organize, share and receive information.
Visitors can sign up for personalized news and updates, participate in online discussions and suggest resources for the site. New features include a Twitter feed, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds, a blog, social bookmarking and a user-friendly way to obtain answers to questions on such topics as finding employment and job accommodations.
The agency says it expects to add additional tools to the site in the months ahead.
The new site, which integrates content from 22 federal agencies, is designed to meet the needs of anyone seeking disability-related information, such as the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities, their family members, veterans, employers, educators and caregivers. It will be managed by the DOL.
“The Department of Labor is pleased to be the managing partner of Disability.gov and to help advance the independence and full participation of people with disabilities in the workforce, the classroom and their communities,” said Kathleen Martinez, assistant secretary for the DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), in the announcement.
The site is organized into 10 subject areas:
- Benefits
- Civil rights
- Community life
- Education
- Emergency preparedness
- Employment
- Health
- Housing
- Technology
- Transportation
After selecting a category, visitors will be directed to information on federal and state government programs and services, news and events, grants and funding opportunities, and more. The site contains thousands of links to reliable information from its federal agency partners, as well as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and state and local governments.
“Far more than just a directory of federal resources, Disability.gov is a meeting ground for Americans to learn, respond and communicate about a wealth of critically important disability-related topics,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis in a statement. “The new site has been vastly enhanced to provide more information in as efficient and interactive setting as possible.”
In a separate statement acknowledging the anniversary of the ADA, Solis said “I believe that having a job is a civil right. Those who are qualified for and want to work should not be denied that right because of an inaccessible building or an outdated set of assumptions about what they can or cannot do.
“The ADA’s provisions include the right to seek, obtain, pursue and maintain employment without being hampered by physical or attitudinal barriers,” she continued. “In nearly two decades, our nation has come a long way in recognizing the talents and contributions of more than 50 million Americans with disabilities. Unfortunately, the employment rate for people with disabilities in this country is still unacceptably low. Only 22.6 percent of individuals with disabilities are participating in the labor force, compared to 71.9 percent of people with no disability.
“Although the federal government strives to be a model employer, in actuality the number of people with disabilities in the federal workforce has decreased over the past decade,” Solis added. “This trend must be reversed, and the Department of Labor will be a leader in the effort.”
Solis then acknowledged the installation of Martinez as the DOL’s new assistant secretary for ODEP: “Kathy’s years of leadership as an internationally recognized advocate for people with disabilities, as well as her expertise in diversity and gender issues, make her a perfect fit,” she said.
Rebecca R. Hastings, SPHR, is an online editor/manager for SHRM.
Related Articles:
An Underestimated Talent Pool, HR Magazine, April 2009
Employers Urged to Recruit, Assist Veterans with Disabilities, SHRM Online Diversity Discipline, April 6, 2009
Can Hiring One Employee with a Disability Make a Difference?, SHRM Online Diversity Discipline, March 30, 2009
People with Disabilities Can Help Win War for Talent, SHRM Online Diversity Discipline, March 17, 2009
Data on Unemployed People with Disabilities Available, SHRM Online Diversity Discipline, Feb. 10, 2009
DOL: Some Free Services Underutilized by Employers, SHRM Online Diversity Discipline, Jan. 22, 2009