Employment First in Arizona
Guest Blogger: An AZ APSE Board Member.
Former Arizona Governor, Doug Ducey declared us an Employment First state when he signed an executive order in 2017. What does that mean? It means that in Arizona the expectation is for all adults, with or without a disability, to prioritize work as their primary daily activity. Employment First philosophy also clarifies that this work should be in integrated settings in the community, pay at least minimum wage, and be of the person’s choosing. The idea is that employment for people with disabilities should be the same as it is for their non-disabled peers. While this may seem obvious, Arizona is still struggling to put this philosophy into practice.
Many Employment First states have developed legislation or regulations as a way of assuring that these principles are implemented in state-funded services. For example, 13 states have passed legislation to eliminate subminimum wages for people with disabilities. This is very impactful because it means that subminimum wage is no longer available and job seekers must be prepared for competitive, integrated work instead. There has not been an attempt to pass this type of legislation in Arizona.
Other states have created a committee or council to oversee the implementation of Employment First ideals. In Kentucky a council was created within the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to advise the government, analyze policy, create trainings, and assess the state’s efforts to increase the competitive integrated employment of workers with a disability. Arizona does not currently have a governmental body providing oversight of its Employment First progress.
Other states have started using the State workforce as a model of how to implement this philosophy. In New Jersey, in 2021 the state passed two bills that generate practices related to this strategy. First, they started a State as a Model Employer of People with Disabilities (SAME) program. This is a strategy advocated for by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, through their State Exchange on Employment & Disability (SEED) initiative. Next, New Jersey passed a bill that created a fast-track hiring and advancement employment opportunity program for qualified persons with significant disabilities.’ This program assures that qualified employees and candidates that happen to have significant disabilities will not be passed over due to institutional bias. Arizona does not have a SAME program or any guidance to increase representation in the State workforce.
In Arizona, only 34% of working-age Arizonans with disabilities had jobs in 2021. When we look at people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, only 21% were working in integrated settings in 2018. As of October 2022, Arizona had 34 businesses who were waiting for or were approved for 14C Certificates, giving them the right to hire people with disabilities for less than minimum wage. Despite having been an Employment First state for over 5 years, Arizona still has work to do to accomplish the goals of this philosophy. Let us learn from other States and move from good intentions to outcomes. Employment First in Arizona? Yes, we can do better!
Data sources:
DOL 14(c) Certificate Holders by State, statedata.info (Most recent available data used)
