|
The following Federal agencies are responsible for programs involving disabled individuals:
The
Task Force was established in 1998 and is charged with creating a coordinated
and aggressive national policy to bring working-age individuals with disabilities
into gainful employment at a rate approaching that of the general population.
The Access Board is devoted
to accessibility for people with disabilities. Key responsibilities include
developing accessibility requirements for the built environment, transit vehicles,
telecommunications equipment, and for electronic and information technology.
The Computer/Electronic
Accommodations Program (CAP) provides assistive technology accommodations and
services to employees with disabilities at the Department of Defense and other
Federal agencies at no cost to the requesting agencies. CAP serves as the Federal
Government's centrally funded program for accommodating Federal employees via
the National Defense Authorization Act and provides assistive technology to
any other department or agency upon the request of the head of the agency. In
order to establish a partnership with CAP, the head of the Federal agency must
complete an Interagency Agreement.
The
EEOC regulates and enforces the Federal program for equal employment opportunity.
The EEOC develops and implements affirmative action policies designed to enhance
the occupational status of minorities, women and persons with disabilities in
the Federal Government. The EEOC regulates the filing of claims of employment
discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, and
physical or mental disability. Information on affirmative action plans for job
applicants and employees with disabilities may be found in EEOC’s Management
Directives 712 and 713.
The
Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) was
established to bring a permanent and long-term focus to the goal of increasing
employment of adults with disabilities. Their mission is to communicate, coordinate
and promote public and private efforts to enhance the employment of people with
disabilities. They provide information, training and technical assistance related
to the employment of adults with disabilities.
The VA's Vocational
Rehabilitation Service provides assistance to enable veterans with service connected
disabilities to achieve maximum independence in daily living, and to the maximum
extent feasible, to become employable and to obtain and maintain suitable employment.
The SSA manages
the Nation’s social insurance program consisting of retirement, survivors
and disability programs, commonly known as Social Security. It also administers
the Supplemental Security Income program for the aged, blind and disabled. One
of SSA’s highest priorities is to help people with disabilities achieve
independence by helping them to become gainfully employed. The SSA administers
the Ticket to Work Program and Self-Sufficiency Program, designed to improve
employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
OPM
provides nationwide program leadership for the employment of people with disabilities,
including veterans with service-connected disabilities. This includes providing
direction and guidance to agencies; conducting workforce analyses; publishing
special studies; developing recruitment policy and appointing authorities; and
modifying examining procedures to facilitate the employment consideration of
qualified applicants with disabilities.
|
