US Labor Departments Office of Disability Employment Policy and US Customs and Border Protection sign alliance agreement

Partnership supports executive order on increasing federal hiring of individuals with disabilities

WASHINGTON — Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy Kathleen Martinez and U.S. Customs and Border Protection acting Commissioner David V. Aguilar today signed an alliance agreement to advance President Obama's executive order to increase the hiring of people with disabilities by federal agencies.

"Today's alliance is an opportunity for ODEP and CBP to demonstrate disability employment practices that will not only result in increased hires at CBP but easily can be replicated by other federal agencies seeking to fulfill the requirements of their executive order plans," said Martinez.

The Labor Department's Office of Disability Employment Policy's Alliance Initiative, begun in 2006, enables organizations committed to improving disability workplace practices to work with ODEP to develop and implement model policies and initiatives that increase recruiting, hiring, advancing and retaining employees with disabilities. Working together, ODEP and CBP will promote effective strategies and practices.

"CBP is proud to be the first federal agency to partner with the Department of Labor on an alliance to advance opportunities for workers with disabilities," said Aguilar. "By signing this alliance agreement, CBP commits to recruit, hire, advance and retain employees with disabilities more effectively than ever before."

CBP is one of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's largest and most complex components, with a mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has a responsibility for securing and facilitating trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. regulations, including immigration and drug laws.

ODEP's mission is to provide national leadership by developing and influencing disability employment-related policies aimed at increasing the employment of people with disabilities. In addition to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, ODEP has alliances with the Partnership for Public Service, the Society for Human Resource Management, the U.S. Business Leadership Network, the HSC Foundation and the National Association of Governors' Committees on People with Disabilities.