US Department of Labor makes available Web-based toolkit for federal agencies to increase employment of people with disabilities

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy today posted an online toolkit comprised of resources to assist federal agencies in recruiting, employing and retaining individuals with disabilities. The kit is available at http://www.dol.gov/odep/federal-hire.

ODEP, in collaboration with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, designed a five-step process that agencies can readily follow to ensure an inclusive workplace for employees with disabilities. The steps are: employer training, creating a welcoming environment, recruitment, hiring and retention. Topics include "do's and don'ts" for interviewing, accessibility and accommodations, how to find technical assistance and creating a pipeline of candidates.

"This online toolkit is designed to make it easy for federal employers to find and hire excellent workers who happen to have disabilities," said Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary of labor for the department's Office of Disability Employment Policy. "Federal agencies — and all employers — are strengthened when they include people with disabilities among their ranks."

President Obama issued Executive Order 13548 to establish the federal government, the nation's largest employer, as a model for the employment of individuals with disabilities. The order directs agencies to improve their efforts through increased recruitment, hiring and retention.