Federal Hiring Goal for People with Disabilities Exceeded!

When the nation was celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 2010, Obama made a pledge to increase the amount of people with disabilities employed by the Federal Government.  They've exceeded their goal and employees with disabilities currently make up 14.41 percent of the Federal workforce! Advocacy and implementation of inclusive hiring are among The Choice Group's highest goals, and we love to share good news when we hear it!  We've come a long way since the signing of the American's with Disabilities Act and we've come a long way since 2010!  There is still more work to do, however, but we are happy that the issue of inclusion is now on the forefront of the major issues that face the nation today, and we will continue to advocate for this cause!

Feds Exceed Disability Hiring Goal
Published October 28, 2016
By Michelle Diament

Six years ago, President Barack Obama set an ambitious goal to ramp up hiring of people with disabilities. Now, the administration says it has surpassed even its own expectations.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management said this week that the federal government added more than 154,000 employees with disabilities between fiscal years 2011 and 2015, including 109,575 permanent part-time or full-time hires.

That’s above and beyond what Obama pledged in 2010 as he honored the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. At that time, Obama issued an executive order calling on the U.S. government to be a model employer by hiring an additional 100,000 people with disabilities within five years.

With the gains announced this week, total federal employment of people with disabilities is at 264,844, a figure that accounts for 14.41 percent of the government’s workforce, according to an annual report produced by the Office of Personnel Management.

That means there are now more people with disabilities working for the federal government — the nation’s largest employer — than at any other time in the last 35 years, officials said.

“This administration has consistently demonstrated a commitment to providing equal employment opportunities for Americans with disabilities,” said Beth Cobert, acting director of the Office of Personnel Management. “We remain committed to supporting the federal government’s efforts to be a model employer for people with disabilities, and I look forward to continue building on our progress.”

To view the original article, visit DisabilityScoop.com