The unemployment rate for people with disabilities has remained persistently high for years and the weak economy makes it even more difficult for people with disabilities to lift themselves out of poverty. The federal government hopes to improve matters by issuing a proposed rule that would require federal contractors to establish goals to hire people with disabilities. No specific hiring quotas are imposed, which means any goals are aspirational. As might be expected, conservatives are complaining that is yet another regulatory burden for the private sector. But federal contractors are already required to establish hiring goals regarding race and gender. Incorporating disability into those goals shouldn’t be terribly burdensome.
Whether this policy will actually improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities is difficult to determine. Contractors may excuse themselves for meeting hiring goals by stating that they can’t find enough qualified applicants. Future budget austerity measures may also reduce the number of positions that contractors can fill. Still, it’s good to see that the Obama administration is giving more than lip service to the notion of hiring people with disabilities.
