Human Resource Blog

Rehabilitation Act in Oregon

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Does the Rehabilitation Act impact us in Oregon?

The Rehabilitation Act is a federal Act that helps to ensure that workers across the country will not be discriminated against by the employer if they have a disability. Because the Act is a federal Act, it applies to many employers in states across the country, including many employers in Oregon.

However, the Act does not apply to all employers and all employees. In order for an employer to be covered by the Act, the employer needs to meet at least one of the following criteria:

·         Be a federal government agency or a federal government contractor that receives federal funds for a project in any division of the government

·         Be a local or state government agency that receives federal funds for a project in any division of the government

·         Be an independent contractor receiving federal funds

·         Be an educational institution receiving federal funds

·         Be a public or private entity receiving federal funds

When an employer is covered by the Act, the employer must not take a disability into account when making any employment-related decisions, such as a decision about hiring, training, compensation, or termination.

Employees are covered by the Act for a variety of disabilities, including both mental and physical disabilities. According to the Act, employers should also make special accommodations for employees that have a disability as long as those accommodations are reasonable. For example, if an employee is in a wheelchair and needs a lower desk, the employer should provide the employee with a lower desk.

Some employers will also need to take extra action to hire employees with disabilities. If an employer has a contract worth at least $10,000, the employer needs to take affirmative action to hire workers with disabilities. If an employer has a contract worth at least $50,000 and 50 employees or more, the employer needs to have a written affirmative action plan in place. CB