The Arc Calls on the Federal Government to Hire More People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Washington, DC (PRWEB) July 16, 2014 -- Yesterday, The Arc submitted comments to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) calling on the federal government to become a model employer of people with disabilities, including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
“While the last few years have seen some modest increases in the numbers of people with disabilities employed by the federal government, The Arc remains deeply concerned that many people with the most significant disabilities, including jobseekers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, are being left behind,” said Peter V. Berns, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc.
Data obtained by The Arc from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) reveal that in fiscal year 2012, the federal government employed only 813 non-seasonal, full time permanent employees with intellectual disability (ID), representing 0.044% of all federal employees. Only 28 people, or 3/100ths of one-percent of total new hires, were people with ID. That same year, the federal government employed only 118 part-time employees with ID. Only 17 people with ID were hired as part-time employees, about 9/100ths of one-percent of new hires.
“While we are pleased that the EEOC is moving forward with strengthening federal regulations, the shockingly low rate of federal employment of people with intellectual disability is unacceptable. The Arc calls on the federal government to act immediately to remove barriers to employment for people with disabilities in the federal workforce, establish strong goals for hiring of people with disabilities, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and hold agencies accountable for meeting those goals.
“There is no need for OPM to wait for the EEOC to complete the rulemaking process before it takes action to address this problem. OPM already has authority under existing law and under Executive Order 13548 to take action now,” Berns said.
Issued by President Obama on July 26, 2010, E.O. 13548, titled “Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities,” calls on the Federal Government to hire 100,000 people with disabilities over five years.
“As a first step, OPM should direct federal agencies to update and revise the 'agency-specific plans for promoting employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities' required under the Executive Order so that they specifically address employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There are other steps that can be taken today. The Federal Communications Commission has already embarked on an initiative to hire people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in that agency. Other agencies should get started too.
“Across the United States, The Arc has nearly 700 state and local chapters in 49 states and DC that stand ready to assist the federal government in identifying people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are ready to work and whose abilities will be an asset to federal agencies. The federal government can and should be a model employer of people with disabilities. The Arc will continue to closely monitor annual reports on the federal employment of people with disabilities to ensure progress and accountability,” said Berns.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics regularly reports that the percentage of working-age people with disabilities in the labor force is about one-third that of persons with no disability. On average, workers with disabilities face significant gaps in pay and compensation, compared to workers with no disability. Additionally, about one in three employment discrimination charges filed with the EEOC allege discrimination on the basis of disability (often, in combination with charges of other types of discrimination).
The Arc’s own research suggests that the employment picture for people with I/DD may be even bleaker. In 2010, The Arc conducted a national online survey, called the FINDS Survey, to obtain perceptions of people with I/DD and their families on a range of life-span issues. Over 5,000 people participated. Only 15% of FINDS survey respondents reported that their family member with an intellectual and/or developmental disability was employed.
The Arc advocates for and serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. The Arc has a network of nearly 700 chapters across the country promoting and protecting the human rights of people with I/DD and actively supporting their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes and without regard to diagnosis.
Editor’s Note: The Arc is not an acronym; always refer to us as The Arc, not The ARC and never ARC. The Arc should be considered as a title or a phrase.
Sarah Bal, The Arc of the United States, +1 (202) 600-3494, [email protected]
Share this article