Governor's Executive Order 2007-0013: Designating the Intent of Utah State Government to Be the Model Employer of People with Disabilities

Issued: October 12, 2007

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EXECUTIVE ORDER

Designating the Intent of Utah State Government to Be the Model Employer of People with Disabilities

WHEREAS,, Federal government estimates indicate 70,000 working age Utahns with disabilities are not engaged in the workforce;

WHEREAS,, people with disabilities experience unemployment and underemployment at a rate far above the state average;

WHEREAS, many people with disabilities have expressed the desire to participate fully in the economic and social aspects of this great state;

WHEREAS,Utah's people with disabilities represent a large and underutilized human resource pool of educated, qualified, talented, and experienced individuals;

WHEREAS, Utah state government, including higher education and all other State of Utah components, employs more individuals than any other employer in the state,

WHEREAS, Utah state government has the opportunity and responsibility to demonstrate leadership and provide a role model for all Utah employers seeking to improve their workforce and raise the skills and income of Utah's people;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jon M. Huntsman Jr., Governor of the State of Utah, by the authority vested in me, do hereby order that Utah state government will strive to become the model employer of qualified people with disabilities through the following initiatives:

1. The Utah Department of Human Resource Management, in cooperation with the Governor's Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities, will implement a promotional outreach campaign targeting qualified people with disabilities emphasizing the benefits of working for Utah state government, including statewide job recruitments and career fairs that elevate recruitment efforts toward qualified persons with disabilities.

2. The Utah Department of Human Resource Management shall, in cooperation with all executive branch state agencies:

a. Periodically conduct a survey of hard to fill state employment positions, defined as positions with high turnover, multiple unsuccessful recruitments, and difficulty locating and retaining qualified personnel; and

b. Shall develop and implement strategies to specifically encourage the recruitment of qualified people with disabilities for these positions, which may include development of internships, on the job training programs, or other innovative strategies.

3. A Task Force consisting of representatives of the Utah Department of Human Resource Management, the Utah State Office of Rehabilitation, The Governor's Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities, the Department of Workforce Services, and the Division of Risk Management shall be formed until August 30, 2008, and charged with reviewing and proposing additional strategies to put Utah state government on the cutting edge of employing qualified people with disabilities, and will develop training curricula designed to assist Utah's state agencies in following applicable employment laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504, and other applicable regulations.

4. The Governor's Committee for Employment of People with Disabilities, in cooperation with the Utah Department of Human Resource Management, shall report these efforts to the Governor by September 1, 2008.

The implementation costs associated with this Executive Order shall be covered by existing resources within participating agencies.

The provisions of this Executive Order are not intended to supersede existing collective bargaining agreements or State and Federal Law.

IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Utah. Done at the State Capitol Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah, this 12th day of October 2007.

(State Seal)

Jon M. Huntsman, Jr.
Governor

Attest:

Gary R. Herbert
Lieutenant Governor

2007/0013

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