On January 3, 2017, the EEOC published a final rule amending the regulations implementing Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act. The law covers the obligations of federal agencies towards persons with disabilities; Section 501 requires agencies to create affirmative action plans. The new regulations specify goals for federal agencies: 12% representation for individuals with disabilities and 2% representation for individuals with targeted disabilities (which include blindness, deafness, paralysis, convulsive disorders, and mental illnesses). The regulations also require agencies to provide personal assistance services to employees in some cases, and consolidate several other requirements from various sources (such as requiring agencies to have written reasonable accommodation procedures). The new regulations are effective as of January 3, 2018.
For more information, see the new regulations and the EEOC’s Question and Answer document.