HR0921 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0921 LRB098 20495 MST 56451 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Despite nearly 25 years of the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities continue to face barriers to equal opportunity in employment; in 2011, the employment rate of adults with disabilities was 33.4%, as compared to 75.6% for others; the full-time/full-year employment rate for people with disabilities was 20.7%, as compared with 55.5% for others; and

WHEREAS, On August 27, 2013 the United States Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced a final rule to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and

WHEREAS, Section 503 prohibits federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating in employment against individuals with disabilities, and requires these employers to take affirmative action to recruit, hire, promote, and retain these individuals; and

WHEREAS, The final rule strengthens the affirmative action provisions of the regulations to aid contractors in their efforts to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities, improves job opportunities for individuals with disabilities and makes changes to the nondiscrimination provisions of the regulations to bring them into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; and

WHEREAS, The final rule sets a workforce goal of 7% for individuals with disabilities; this requirement is not a quota, but a way to ensure that contractors include disability in their strategies around recruitment and hiring; and

WHEREAS, The final rule also includes provisions to invite applicants and existing employees to voluntarily self-identify as a person with a disability at both the job-application stage and after a job offer has been made; and

WHEREAS, The final rule requires that contractors document and update annually several qualitative comparisons for the number of individuals with disabilities who apply for jobs and the number of individuals with disabilities they hire; having this data will assist contractors in measuring the effectiveness of their outreach and recruitment efforts; and

WHEREAS, The final rule also brings the Section 503 regulations into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008 which expanded the definition of disability, and calls for employers to review their policies and practices to ensure they are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has continually been a leader in ensuring that individuals with disabilities have access to job opportunities and full-time employment with an employment rate of working age individuals with disabilities continually higher than that of the national average; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we commend the U.S. Department of Labor for its rule changes to Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the State of Illinois will encourage and assist federal contractors and subcontractors in the hiring of individuals with disabilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be sent to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez.