EARN Newsletter: December 2025

Plus: A new blog from the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy and insights on America’s Talent Strategy.

EARN in Action

Disability Employment Benefits Everyone

If you are a business owner looking to strengthen your workforce, expand your reach, and boost productivity, EARN offers resources to help you understand the benefits of hiring and retaining Americans with disabilities. Find information on available tax incentives, financial supports, and strategies that lead to higher job satisfaction for all employees.

Small businesses are the backbone of job growth and community life. Beyond driving local economies, they shape the values and norms of the communities they serve. That influence is strengthened when their workforce reflects the community it serves by including people with disabilities. This approach generates clear advantages, such as expanded business opportunities, increased revenue, and access to a wider talent pool.

Successful workplaces empower every employee to thrive by providing the right tools and environment. EARN’s Workplace Accommodation and Accessibility Policy Toolkit, developed in collaboration with the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), offers policy assessment guidance, actionable steps, sample policies, and resources to help employers strengthen accommodations and accessibility across their organizations.

Employers can unlock the value and talent Americans with disabilities bring to the workplace with support from federal and state financial incentives. These programs serve two key purposes: increased hiring and reduced accommodation cost. These incentives also support businesses in enhancing access for all customers, including both disabled employees and customers.

The Latest

ODEP’s New Assistant Secretary

Julie Hocker, the newly appointed Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy, recently shared her leadership vision for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) in a post on the U.S. Department of Labor blog. She highlights the agency’s commitment to “empower workers, employers, and state and federal policymakers to break down perpetual barriers and build innovative pathways to job training and supports, career growth, and economic mobility for Americans with disabilities.”

America’s Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age

Earlier this year, the U.S. Departments of Labor, Commerce, and Education released America’s Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age. The report outlines the Administration’s plan for transforming America’s workforce system to meet companies’ needs going forward. It focuses on five pillars: industry-driven strategies; worker mobility; integrated systems; accountability; and flexibility and innovation.

Read the Strategy (PDF)

Ask EARN

Spotlight

Disability Employment in Action

Americans with disabilities strengthen workplaces by contributing skilled, motivated talent and helping businesses connect with a broader customer base. Companies that hire Americans with disabilities benefit from fresh perspectives, strong problem-solving skills, and a more collaborative workplace culture. EARN’s Talent Case Studies showcase real-life examples of these advantages through the stories of disabled workers who are thriving and making meaningful contributions across industries.

• Ethan Och: Launching a Career in Aerospace Engineering
• Zarin Hamid: Securing Her Place in Cybersecurity
• LeAndre Yarrell: Mentoring Leads to Opportunities for Advancement for a Combat-Injured Veteran
• Julie Meade: Writing Her Own Story

EARN is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy under Cooperative Agreement No. 23475OD000002-01-00 with Cornell University's Yang-Tan Institute on Employment and Disability, in the amount of $10,000,000 (five-year total amount).

The content in this newsletter does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.