The U.S. Department of Labor will finalize new Section 503 regulations Sept. 24, according to the Office of the Federal Register. The rules create several new responsibilities for federal contractors and subcontractors, including a mandate that they aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their workforces.
If the rules are published as scheduled, they will take effect 180 days later, around March 23, 2014.
The rules also require employers to ask applicants and employees to self-identify as disabled, among other things. See Contractors Must Implement Hiring Goals for Workers With Disabilities, Veterans for a full discussion of the regulations.
Lawmakers have repeatedly questioned the department’s authority to require such a goal, calling it a “quota” and an administrative burden. Members of Congress on Sept. 19 requested that the head of DOL’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs appear for a hearing to answer their questions. See Congress Questions OFCCP’s Hiring ‘Quota’ for Congress’ full list of concerns.
Final regulations requiring similar actions for workers who are veterans also are scheduled to appear in the Sept. 24 Federal Register.