Webinar Recording
Section 503 is part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 503 requires businesses that have contracts with the federal government to “take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.” Section 503 regulations require that businesses with federal contractors use voluntary surveys to track their progress in hiring and employing people with disabilities. The regulations also include a goal for contractors — businesses with federal contracts should try to have a workforce that includes 7% people with disabilities.
A new proposal from the Administration would delete these requirements. This will harm the employment of people with disabilities. Learn about Section 503 and how to defend it.
Presenters:
- Claudia Center (she/her), Legal Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF)
-
Jennifer Mathis (she/her), Deputy Director, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
- Taryn Mackenzie Williams (she/her), Former Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, US Department of Labor
Template Comments:
Resources and Links on Section 503
Regulatory Links:
OFCCP, Modifications to the Regulations Implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended (July 1, 2025), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/07/01/2025-12233/modifications-to-the-regulations-implementing-section-503-of-the-rehabilitation-act-of-1973-as
Comment portal, You are commenting on a Proposed Rule by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Modifications to the Regulations Implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/OFCCP-2025-0003-0001
OFCCP, Final Rule, 78 Fed. Reg. 58682 (Sept. 24, 2013), https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2013-21228
OFCCP, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 76 Fed. Reg. 77056 (Dec. 9, 2011), https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-31371
OFCCP, Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 75 Fed. Reg. 43116 (July 23, 2010), https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/07/23/2010-18104/affirmative-action-and-nondiscrimination-obligations-of-contractors-and-subcontractors-evaluation-of
Research and Studies:
National Council on Disability, 2023 Progress Report: Toward Economic Security: The Impact of Income and Asset Limits on People with Disabilities (Oct. 31, 2023), pages 60 to 61, https://www.ncd.gov/report/2023-progress-report-toward-economic-security-the-impact-of-income-and-asset-limits-on-people-with-disabilities/
National Council on Disability, 2020 Progress Report on National Disability Policy: Increasing Disability Employment (July 24, 2020), pages 78 to 84, https://www.ncd.gov/report/2020-progress-report-on-national-disability-policy-increasing-disability-employment/
National Council on Disability, National Disability Policy: A Progress Report; Has the Promise Been Kept? Federal Enforcement of Disability Rights Laws (Oct. 31, 2018), Chapter 2, https://www.ncd.gov/report/has-the-promise-been-kept-federal-enforcement-of-disability-rights-laws-part-1-october-2018/
Hassan Enayati and Sarah von Schrader, Initial Impact of Section 503 Rules: Understanding Good Employer Practices and the Trends in Disability Violations Among Federal Contractors, Final Report (June 15, 2020), https://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/e7006f8f-7276-4c5f-b3e3-25d09e6b1ae3/content, and on DOL’s website, https://www.dol.gov/resource-library/initial-impact-section-503-rules-understanding-good-employer-practices-and-trends
Sarah von Schrader and Susanne M. Bruyere, Ph.D, What Works? How Federal Contractors are Implementing Section 503: Survey Report (Jan. 1, 2018), https://ecommons.cornell.edu/items/59a5005d-92fc-4978-8068-132fa6a7f85f
Sarah von Schrader and Susanne M. Bruyere, Ph.D, What Works? How Federal Contractors are Implementing Section 503: Executive Summary (Jan. 1, 2018), https://ecommons.cornell.edu/items/ee5c4ecb-0830-44e1-8309-b7f4ac465063
Sarah von Schrader and Susanne M. Bruyere, Ph.D., Research Brief: Facilitating Self-Identification in Federal Contractor Workplaces (Jan. 1, 2018), https://ecommons.cornell.edu/items/44a99301-6f82-4d17-b035-90f622780c4f
Mark C. Weber, Numerical Goals for Employment of People with Disabilities by Federal Agencies and Contractors, 9:1 Saint Louis University Journal of Health Law & Policy (2015), https://scholarship.law.slu.edu/jhlp/vol9/iss1/5/