Employment commission releases first report

The Employment First Oversight Commission recently released its inaugural annual report highlighting goals and recommendations for prioritizing employment for people with disabilities.

Employment goals include transiting from segregated employment with subminimum wages to competitive integrated jobs paying at least the minimum wage, increasing the percentage of students leading planning meetings with school officials about their special education services, and increasing employment of people with disabilities to at least 7 percent of the state agency workforce.

Recommendations outlined how people with disabilities can work a variety of jobs with improved training.

“I thank the commissioners for their hard work and the recommendations provided in this first annual report,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “We must ensure people with disabilities can achieve greater independence and inclusion in our communities, and this report will help me to move that process forward.”

Wolf signed an executive order adopting an Employment First policy in 2016. The commission was created in 2018 by Act 36. It works with state agencies to implement the policy.

Commission members include Cindy Duch, director of Parent Advising at PEAL Center; Heidi Tuszynski, former chairwoman of the PA Rehabilitation Council; Paul Stengle, CEO of The Arc Alliance; and Rob Oliver, advocate, speaker, and author.