News Release

ODEP News Release: [03/11/2004]
DOL Contact Name: Michael Volpe
Phone Number: (202) 693-7909

Department of Labor Policies Reducing Barriers to Employment for People with Disabilities, Deputy Secretary Steven J. Law Says

WASHINGTON—Deputy Labor Secretary Steven J. Law said today that the Labor Department’s programs and policies are helping to reduce barriers to employment for those with disabilities.

In remarks at a meeting to release the Administration’s New Freedom Initiative Progress Report, Law said “the Department of Labor, under the leadership of Secretary Elaine L. Chao, is successfully fulfilling President Bush’s New Freedom Initiative goal that people with disabilities have full access to employment opportunities in the 21^st Century workforce. We will continue to work to institute model programs and innovative approaches which promote increased employment of people with disabilities,” said Law. “As President Bush has said, we won’t be satisfied until every worker who wants a job can find one.”

On February 1, 2001, within two weeks of taking office, President Bush announced his New Freedom Initiative and laid out an aggressive plan to remove the stubborn barriers to equality that confront millions of Americans with disabilities. The New Freedom Initiative Progress Report, issued today, and available at www.whitehouse.gov, highlights how the Administration has addressed these barriers through programs and proposals that increase the development of and access to assistive and universally designed technologies, expand educational opportunities and further integrate Americans with disabilities into the workforce.

The Report highlights some of the steps taken by the Department under the New Freedom Initiative. These included:

• Launching www.DisabilityInfo.gov, a cross-government website on disability featuring information on assistive technology, Medicaid and Medicare and emergency preparedness. The site, managed by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), received over 1.5 million users and 30 million hits.
• Awarding 42 Employment and Training Administration Work Incentive Grants totaling $17 million in FY 2003 to improve the One-Stop system for people with disabilities.
• Developing a New Freedom Small Business Initiative between the Department and Small Business Administration to assist people with disabilities in becoming small business owners and to educate small business owners about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.
• Awarding $500,000 to eight recipients to provide home modifications as a means of expanding the community integration of individuals with disabilities through a program by the Department’s Center for Faith-based and Community Initiatives and ODEP.
• Placing 329 college students with disabilities in summer work programs in nineteen Federal agencies through ODEP’s Workforce Recruitment Program.

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