EEOC REPORT HIGHLIGHTS STATES' EFFORTS TO EMPLOY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Best Practices Emerge from Federal Partnership with Nine States

WASHINGTON - Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), today released a comprehensive report on the efforts of nine states to employ more people with disabilities in government jobs.  The study, Final Report on Best Practices for the Employment of People with Disabilities in State Government, is the third EEOC publication released in October as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

The report, available online at http://www.eeoc.gov/initiatives/nfi/final_states_best_practices_report.html, contains findings from the EEOC's "States' Best Practices Project" launched in December 2003 - one of many Commission activities under President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative to integrate people with disabilities into all aspects of the nation's social and economic life.  An interim EEOC report issued last October focused on state government practices affecting people with disabilities in Florida, Maryland, Vermont, and Washington.  The final report covers these four states and five others - Kansas, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Utah.  The final report also highlights some practices that may inadvertently act as barriers to the employment of people with disabilities in the states surveyed.

"All employers can learn from the best practices of our state partners cited in this report," Chair Dominguez said.  "Individuals with disabilities deserve the freedom to compete in the workplace on a level playing field - without discriminatory barriers based on myths, fears and stereotypes."

The governors of the nine participating states voluntarily allowed the EEOC to review a wide range of best practices affecting disabled state government employees or applicants. The practices related to the recruitment and hiring of people with disabilities for state jobs; the provision of reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities; the retention and advancement of individuals with disabilities within state government; and the employment of people with disabilities more generally in both public and private sector jobs.

The EEOC is offering free, informal technical assistance to states to enhance voluntary compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The EEOC enforces Title I of the ADA, which prohibits employment discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and state and local governments; the Rehabilitation Act's prohibitions against disability discrimination in the federal government; and other federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the agency is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.