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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Despite nearly 25 years of the Americans with 
3Disabilities Act, people with disabilities continue to face 
4barriers to equal opportunity in employment; in 2011, the 
5employment rate of adults with disabilities was 33.4%, as 
6compared to 75.6% for others; the full-time/full-year 
7employment rate for people with disabilities was 20.7%, as 
8compared with 55.5% for others; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, On August 27, 2013 the United States Department of 
10Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs 
11announced a final rule to the regulations implementing Section 
12503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and
  
 
13    WHEREAS, Section 503 prohibits federal contractors and 
14subcontractors from discriminating in employment against 
15individuals with disabilities, and requires these employers to 
16take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain 
17these individuals; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The final rule strengthens the affirmative action 
19provisions of the regulations to aid contractors in their 
20efforts to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities, 
21improves job opportunities for individuals with disabilities 
22and makes changes to the nondiscrimination provisions of the 
 
 
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1regulations to bring them into compliance with the Americans 
2with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The final rule sets a workforce goal of 7% for 
4individuals with disabilities; this requirement is not a quota, 
5but a way to ensure that contractors include disability in 
6their strategies around recruitment and hiring; and
 
7    WHEREAS, The final rule also includes provisions to invite 
8applicants and existing employees to voluntarily self-identify 
9as a person with a disability at both the job-application stage 
10and after a job offer has been made; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, The final rule requires that contractors document 
12and update annually several qualitative comparisons for the 
13number of individuals with disabilities who apply for jobs and 
14the number of individuals with disabilities they hire; having 
15this data will assist contractors in measuring the 
16effectiveness of their outreach and recruitment efforts; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, The final rule also brings the Section 503 
18regulations into compliance with the Americans with 
19Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 which expanded the 
20definition of disability, and calls for employers to review 
21their policies and practices to ensure they are in compliance 
22with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008; 
 
 
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1and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Illinois has continually been a leader in ensuring 
3that individuals with disabilities have access to job 
4opportunities and full-time employment with an employment rate 
5of working age individuals with disabilities continually 
6higher than that of the national average; therefore, be it
  
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
8NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
9we commend the U.S. Department of Labor for its rule changes to 
10Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and be it 
11further
  
 
12    RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois will encourage and 
13assist federal contractors and subcontractors in the hiring of 
14individuals with disabilities; and be it further
 
15    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent 
16to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez.