US EEOC - underemployment of people w dis in federal govt

[Guest guest]

EEOC Public Meeting on Employment in the Federal Government

On June 28 from 9:30 to 12:30, the U.S. EEOC will hold a

meeting on the Employment of People with Disabilities in the

Federal Government. The meeting will be held in the 9th Floor

Commission Meeting Room at their Washington DC headquarters at

1801 L Street NW, Washington DC 20507. If you plan to attend,

send your RSVP to priscilla.seaborne@.... Please also use

this email to request an accommodation.

Commissioner will open the meeting which will

feature three panels. The panels will provide a history and

current state of disability employment in the federal sector,

faces behind the numbers, and current leading practices.

Chairwoman Cari Dominguez will present closing remarks.

Panelists will include Joyce Bender, President and CEO

of Bender Consulting, the President of Deaf and Hard of Hearing

in Government, and representatives from OPM, SSA, EEOC, AAPD,

and others.

The informational sheet from EEOC is pasted in below.

______________________________________________________________

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Meeting

On The Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

in the Federal Government

In Fiscal Year 2005, there were 2.6 million people employed by

the federal government across the country and around the world.

Individuals with targeted disabilities represent less than one

percent of that 2.6 million. In an attempt to address this

issue, Congress directed the federal government to serve as a

model employer of people with disabilities. Additionally, the

President directed a series of actions under his comprehensive

New Freedom Initiative. Yet, despite these efforts, the

percentage of federal employees with targeted disabilities

today (0.96%) is exactly the same as the percentage was in FY

1984. Moreover, the number of people with targeted disabilities

employed by the federal government has been steadily declining

for more than a decade, despite their availability to work.

The national unemployment rate for people with disabilities is

estimated at 70%. People with disabilities, like all Americans,

want to work. Having a job affects self-worth as well as net

worth.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) wants to

shine a light on this issue. In cooperation with stakeholders,

the EEOC will identify barriers facing individuals with

targeted disabilities in obtaining employment in the federal

government, and will develop ways to eliminate those barriers.

The EEOC will launch this effort with a Commission meeting on

June 28, 2006.

Commissioner , together with the Chair and other EEOC

Commissioners, will spearhead this effort. Commissioner

notes, " in order to improve the overall employment rate for

people with targeted disabilities, we have to start with the

federal government. Congress directed the federal government to

set the example for all other employers. Our example needs

improvement. "

Participants in this important Commission meeting will include

senior leaders from federal agencies, leaders of disability

rights organizations, private employers, and individuals with

disabilities. By starting a national conversation on the issue,

the EEOC will begin to identify ways to help the federal

government make progress and lead by example.

This meeting will be held at EEOC headquarters, from 9:30 a.m.

- 12:30 p.m., on June 28, 2006. You will be required to present

a picture ID for entry. This meeting is open to the public;

however, to ease congestion at security, please let us know if

you plan to attend by emailing priscilla.seaborne@....

Please also use this email to request an accommodation.

______________________________________________________________

For more calendar events, see:

www.aapd.com/calendar/calendar.php

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