Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Emphasis on the Disabled

Human Resource Executive Online
As the Department of Labor pushes for an increase in the hiring of disabled workers -- including the consideration of a possible quota for federal contractors -- employers are coping with increased disability claims subsequent to enactment of the ADA Amendments Act. More training of managers and supervisors is necessary, experts say.

By Kristen B. Frasch
Several recent reports underscore an increasing need for employers to do everything they can to ensure they are not discriminating against disabled workers and applicants.
Latest figures from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission show close to 21,500 disabled Americans filed discrimination claims against their employers in 2009 under the Americans with Disabilities Act. That's a significant jump from about 19,500 in 2008 and 17,700 in 2007, and the highest the figure has ever been in the agency's 20-year history.
Employment lawyers attribute the hike to the ADA Amendments Act, signed into law in 2008, which expanded the definition of disability to include non-visible disabilities such as epilepsy and diabetes.

Full Story: http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/story.jsp?storyId=528968138

No comments: