Democrats Slam Labor Dept. Over Neglect of Disabled Workers
Concerns Raised Over Federal Protections for Workers with Disabilities
The Department of Labor building in Washington, DC.
On Wednesday, six Democratic members of Congress, led by Rep. Lateefah Simon (D-Calif.), expressed concerns that the federal government is failing to adequately protect federal contractor workers with disabilities. They sent a letter to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer highlighting alleged delays and lapses in enforcement of disability protections.
“The Trump administration is waging a war on disabled people and working to undo the rights our elders fought to secure,” Simon stated. “They aim to weaken protections, reduce enforcement, and render our communities invisible again.”
Established in 1973, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act mandates proactive efforts by the federal government to ensure disabled individuals are hired as contractors, provided accommodations, and protected from discrimination. However, recent reports indicate that the Biden administration’s Labor Department is in the process of rolling back these standards, notably the goal for federal contractors to employ at least 7% workers with disabilities.
Former Deputy Director of Policy at the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contractor Compliance Programs, Anupa Iyer Geevarghese, commented that removing these provisions diminishes the enforceability of Section 503, questioning what remains of the original protections and enforcement mechanisms.
The congressional letter criticizes the department for delays in investigating discrimination complaints, halting compliance reviews, and neglecting affirmative action plan oversight. It specifically mentions the department’s lack of activity regarding employment practices at approximately 2,000 companies, including major tech firms like Google and Meta, airlines such as American and Delta, and consulting firms including Deloitte and Boston Consulting Group. The letter suggests these issues persisted throughout Trump’s second term, with the department being slow or reluctant to process employment discrimination complaints.
Members of Congress have requested detailed information on the number of disability discrimination complaints received since January, the department’s responses, and the effects of the delays on affected workers. They have asked for this information by October 1, coinciding with the start of National Disability Employment Awareness Month.