DOL Awards Cornell University $2 Million for Disability Workforce Inclusion Initiative
The grant aims to enhance inclusive workplaces for people with disabilities.
- By Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Sep 18, 2023
Cornell University has just secured a $2 million grant, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).
According to a release dated Sept. 14, the DOL designated these funds to support an employer-focused, disability policy development and technical assistance center at the institution. This donation is slated for the initial year of a collaborative agreement and will serve to extend the work of the agency’s Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN).
Notably, EARN plays a pivotal role in guiding employers, human resource specialists and teams focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Their objective is to gather essential resources to better recruit, hire, promote and retain individuals with disabilities, emphasizing those from traditionally marginalized groups.
“As employers continue searching for qualified workers to fill job openings, people with disabilities offer a motivated and skilled talent pool,” Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams said in a statement. “The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion will continue its efforts to strengthen America’s economy by helping employers build inclusive workplaces that afford all disabled workers access to good jobs.”
As a testament to ODEP's mission, the agency advocates for broadening access to quality jobs on behalf of the entire American workforce, including individuals with disabilities.
About the Author
Robert Yaniz Jr. is the Content Editor of Occupational Health & Safety.