U.S. Department of Labor Awards $2 Million to Cornell University To Help Increase Employment Among Individuals with Disabilities

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) has announced the awarding of $2 million to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, for the first year of a 4-year cooperative agreement to operate an employer-focused disability policy development and technical assistance center. This center will build upon the prior work of ODEP’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).

The primary goal of this new center is to conduct research; engage with the business community; identify effective policies and practices that support business needs; and provide resources, technical assistance, and training to help public- and private-sector employers (including federal contractors) recruit, hire, retain and advance individuals with disabilities.

“Employers need motivated, skilled and talented workers during this time of historically low unemployment and global competition,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Jennifer Sheehy. “This center will research workforce policies and provide employers with the latest guidance, tools, and resources to gain and retain skilled people with disabilities, thereby strengthening their workforce and America’s economy.”

ODEP works to increase the number and quality of employment opportunities for people with disabilities by developing and influencing policies and practices. For more information on ODEP and this cooperative agreement, visit https://www.dol.gov/odep.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.