Increased State Employment of People with Disabilities
8/14/2019 9:01:26 AM
If you are DeafBlind or prefer to watch the video in a slow-paced, high contrast format, watch the DeafBlind friendly ASL version instead.
MNCDHH is pleased to share that on April 1, 2019, Governor Tim Walz signed Executive Order 19-15 (PDF), which is a replacement for former Governor Mark Dayton’s Executive Order 14-14.
This executive order provides for increased state employment of people with disabilities from 7% to 10%.
In 1999, ten percent of state employees had a disability. The number had plummeted to 3.8% in 2014. Governor Dayton's Executive Order 14-14 required that at least 7% of state employees be people with disabilities. The order included language that staff must be trained on the benefits of hiring people with disabilities, reinstates a state law that allows qualified applicants with disabilities to be hired without a competitive process (Connect 700), and that a website tracks and monitors the state's progress on meeting the hiring goals.
MNCDHH helped to develop the website in collaboration with Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB). We also sit in on the cross-agency committee that meets bi-monthly to ensure implementation. Lastly, the Commission also led efforts with EO-14-14 and EO-19-15.
The State of Minnesota reached the 7% goal in August 2018. On April 1, 2019, Governor Tim Walz decided to continue the order and signed Executive Order 19-15, which requires that at least 10% of state employees be people with disabilities. This will bring the percentage up to what it was back in 1999 as well as provide a new component, which is section 6.
Section 6: is the requirement that MMB will collaborate with Minnesota IT Services to provide advice and guidance for updating hiring tools to ensure accessibility and usability for all people with accessibility standards developed by Minnesota IT Services under Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 16E.03, subdivision 9, and to provide information and communication technology content, tools, and resources that are accessible to and usable by employees with disabilities.
Agencies will consult with the Chief Information Accessibility Officer (CIAO) or the CIAO's delegates prior to procuring new technology software or hardware.
MNCDHH will continue to support the goals in the executive order.
Thank you to all of the people who supported Executive Orders 14-14 under Governor Dayton, which is now 19-15 under Governor Walz. We would also like to thank the offices of both Governors for their support of people with disabilities and state employees.
We are also pleased that Governor Walz has signed Executive Order 19-13 (PDF), which supports people with disabilities through the implementation of Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan and Executive Order 19-14 (PDF), which provides state agency coordination of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing thanks:
The Office of Governor Tim Walz & Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan.
The Members of the Disability Agency Forum for their amazing work and unity:
Regina Daniels for ASL talent.
Jamie Schumacher for voiceover.
Keystone Interpreting Solutions for film production.
employment
accessible technology
