On Monday, July 16th, Governor Markell signed into law House Bill 319, thereby creating the Employment First Act and the Employment First Oversight Commission for the state of Delaware.
The Employment First Act’s primary objective is to help open additional doors for people with disabilities to work side-by-side with other employees. The Act requires that state agencies providing services to people with disabilities consider competitive employment for the disabled. The Employment First Oversight Commission will review measurable goals and objectives to ensure proper implementation of the Employment First Act.
Bill 319 mirrors Governor Markell’s initiative as the chair of the National Governors Association. That initiative, A Better Bottom Line: Employing People with Disabilities, aims to increase employment among individuals with disabilities. The initiative will focus on the employment challenges that affect individuals with intellectual and other significant disabilities, including veterans who return wounded. It also will look into the roles that both state government and businesses can play in facilitating and advancing employment opportunities for these individuals.
We applaud Governor Markell for his actions in further promoting employment opportunities of individuals with disabilities, both at the state and national level.
Read the complete press release, Governor Markell Signs Employment First Bill into Law.
