Bridging the Gap between Employers and Jobseekers with Disabilities in Northern Virginia May 24, 2016

Industry Trends

Employment Wage Statistics 2014 American Community Survey Median Earnings, Civilians With & Without Disabilities, (Ages 16+, ) Data Source: American Community Survey, 2014 Kraus, Lewis. (2016) Disability Statistics Annual Report. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire. source/2015-compendium/annualreport_2015_final.pdf

Employment Percentage by Type of Disability Ages 18-64, 2014 Data Source: American Community Survey, 2014 Kraus, Lewis. (2016) Disability Statistics Annual Report. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire. compendium/annualreport_2015_final.pdf

Data Source: Current Population Survey, 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics – 2014 (News Release, 1/16/2015). Demographics: Employed Full- & Part-time Workers, 2014 Annual Averages

Virginia Employment Statistics: People with Disabilities Total Civilians Living in Virginia, by Disability Status: 2014 Employment—Civilians with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community: 2014 TotalEmployed Count% 482,793181, Employment Rate (%)Gap (% pts) DisabilityNo Disability Employment Gap—Civilians Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States, by Disability Status: 2014 TotalDisabilityNo Disability Count% % 8,114,884934, ,180, Data Source: American Community Survey, 2014 Institute on Disability. University of New Hampshire. (2016) 2015 Annual Disability Statistics Compendium. compendium/compendium_2015_final.pdf

People with disabilities make up 6% of the population in Northern Virginia. Employment among Northern Virginia’s labor force between the ages of years old is 85%, the highest across the regions in Virginia. 4% of the 85% employed are people with disabilities. Northern Virginia Statistics: People with Disabilities

Employer Distribution 2014 Current Population Survey Annual Averages (national) Data Source: Current Population Survey, 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics – 2014 (News Release, 1/16/2015)

Panel Discussion Moderator: Anthony Cancelosi President & CEO Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind Panelists: Dr. Joseph Ashley Assistant Commissioner Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services Kimberly Highsmith EEO/Employee Relations & Diversity Manager ManTech International Corporation Katherine McCary CEO & Executive Director DC Metro Business Leadership Network Bruce Patterson Executive Vice President & COO ServiceSource, Inc.

Barriers Job Seeker Barriers include:  Providers not understanding business needs, time constraints and language  Job seeker not qualified or unprepared for interview or work  Access to on-line application process  Don’t ask for accommodations if needed or can’t find how/who to ask  Don’t understand why or see the benefit of Self ID  Don't know that employers are actively seeking IWD  Employers don’t have the training or education to appropriately interact with IWD – or don’t know that they need it Job Seeker

Barriers Employer Barriers include: 1. Pipeline Employers can’t find IWDs- no clear pipelines and employers don't understand the system or how to build relationships and/or with whom Decreased pipeline - Website and on line application not accessible Need talent that is qualified- employer internships, training opportunities are critical 2. Leadership  CEO Commitment  Business Case beyond compliance  Employee Resource Groups 3. Education  Attitudinal barriers of employers  HR and Hiring Manager training  Concern of cost and time  Lack of knowledge about accommodations and resources (JAN and EARN) Employer

Solutions Compliance is currently driving most new action, but Culture needs to change for on going inclusion. Senior Leadership commitment and messaging Accessibility as a policy at all levels within the organization for entire employee lifecycle Active engagement in BLN/USBLN organizations Build Community Partner Relationships Build College Partnerships Address outreach with staffing vendors Required Training ERG development Expanded Pipelines - Getting Hired, MS Society, Autism Speaks, Easter Seals, Goodwill, Arc…. Employers need to have a base line- by now all federal contractors have done an employee survey (required by 503) Disability Tracker (NOD) to assess what is needed to increase hiring, retention and promotion Celebrate Success Stories Culture Change Commitment Education Outreach Accountability Successes

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act/Vietnam Era Veteran’s Readjustment Assistance Act (“VEVRAA”) HOW THE NEW GUIDELINES AFFECTED FEDERAL CONTRACTORS.

New “Strengthened” Guidelines Published Section 503 and VEVRAA Published on September 24, 2013; effective on March 24, 2014 The new rules strengthen the affirmative action provisions of the regulations to aid contractors in their efforts to recruit and hire IWD and protected veterans and improve job opportunities both groups.

Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Highlights of the New Regulations Utilization goal: The new regulations establish a nationwide 7% utilization goal for qualified IWDs. Contractors apply the goal to each of their job groups, or to their entire workforce if the contractor has 100 or fewer employees. Contractors must conduct an annual utilization analysis and assessment of problem areas, and establish specific action-oriented programs to address any identified problems. Data collection: The new regulations require that contractors document and update annually several quantitative comparisons for the number of IWDs who apply for jobs and the number of IWDs they hire. Having this data will assist contractors in measuring the effectiveness of their outreach and recruitment efforts. The data must be maintained for three years to be used to spot trends. Invitation to Self-Identify: The new regulations require that contractors invite applicants to self-identify as IWDs at both the pre-offer and post-offer phases of the application process, using language prescribed by OFCCP. The new regulations also require that contractors invite their employees to self-identify as IWDs every five years, using the prescribed language. This language is posted in the Self- Identification Form, below. Incorporation of the EO Clause: The new regulations require that specific language be used when incorporating the equal opportunity clause into a subcontract by reference. The mandated language, though brief, will alert subcontractors to their responsibilities as Federal contractors. Records Access: The new regulations clarify that contractors must allow OFCCP to review documents related to a compliance check or focused review, either on-site or off-site, at OFCCP’s option. In addition, the new regulations require contractors, upon request, to inform OFCCP of all formats in which it maintains its records and provide them to OFCCP in whichever of those formats OFCCP requests. ADAAA: The new regulations implement changes necessitated by the passage of the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 by revising the definition of "disability" and certain nondiscrimination provisions.

VEVRAA Rescission of 41 CFR Part : The new regulations rescind the outdated 41 CFR Part in its entirety. However, veterans that were formerly protected only under Part are still protected from discrimination under the revised 41 CFR Part Hiring benchmarks: The new regulations require that contractors establish annual hiring benchmarks for protected veterans. Contractors must use one of two methods to establish their benchmarks. Contractors may choose to establish a benchmark equal to the national percentage of veterans in the civilian labor force, which is published in the Benchmark Database, below, and will be updated annually by OFCCP. Alternatively, contractors may establish their own benchmarks using certain data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Veterans’ Employment and Training Service/Employment and Training Administration (VETS/ETA) that is also published by OFCCP, as well other factors that reflect the contractor’s unique hiring circumstances. The data is posted in the Benchmark Database, below. Data collection: The new regulations require that contractors document and update annually several quantitative comparisons for the number of veterans who apply for jobs and the number of veterans they hire. Having this data will assist contractors in measuring the effectiveness of their outreach and recruitment efforts. The data must be maintained for three years to be used to spot trends. Invitation to Self-Identify: The new regulations require that contractors invite applicants to self-identify as protected veterans at both the pre- offer and post-offer phases of the application process. The new regulations include sample invitations to self-identify that contractors may use. Incorporation of the EO Clause: The new regulations require that specific language be used when incorporating the equal opportunity clause into a subcontract by reference. The mandated language, though brief, will alert subcontractors to their responsibilities as Federal contractors. Job Listings: The new regulations clarify that when listing their job openings, contractors must provide that information in a manner and format permitted by the appropriate State or local job service, so that it can access and use the information to make the job listings available to job seekers. Records Access: The new regulations clarify that contractors must allow OFCCP to review documents related to a compliance check or focused review, either on-site or off-site, at OFCCP’s option. In addition, the new regulations require contractors, upon request, to inform OFCCP of all formats in which it maintains its records and provide them to OFCCP in whichever of those formats OFCCP requests.