OFCCP has issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) inviting the public to provide input on how the agency can strengthen the affirmative action requirements of the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Section 503 regulations promote equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees with disabilities.
The ANPRM will be published in the Federal Register on July 23, 2010. All public comments must be received by September 21, 2010.
The Section 503 ANPRM is being published well ahead of schedule: based on the DOL's Spring 2010 Semi-Annual Agenda, which was issued in April, the ANPRM was slated to be published in December, 2010.
OFCCP is seeking comments on 18 listed items, including the following areas:
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- Whether amended Section 503 regulations requiring contractors to collect self-identified disability information from applicants prior to an offer of employment would help contractors more effectively monitor their hiring practices with respect to applicants with disabilities
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- What employment practices have been effective in recruiting, hiring, advancing and retaining qualified individuals with disabilities.
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- What data are available that could be used to establish hiring goals and conduct utilization analyses of individuals with disabilities.
- How linkage agreements between federal contractors and organizations that focus on the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities can be strengthened to increase effectiveness.
Comments may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, referencing RIN number 1250-AA02.
By Fred Satterwhite, Senior Consultant, DCI Consulting Group
