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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Employment First

    Pennsylvania aims to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Act 36 of 2018 or the Employment First Act will provide training, education, and support services to help individuals reach their personal goals. The Governor's Cabinet for People with Disabilities, otherwise known as the Employment First Cabinet, meets quarterly and releases an annual progress report on Pennsylvania's implementation of Act 36.

    October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month

    October 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Designated by Congress in 1988, NDEAM focuses on education around disability employment issues, the importance of inclusive policies and practices, and annually celebrates the many and varied ways America's workers with disabilities participate in the workforce. Gov. Josh Shapiro commemorates with a proclamation the 80th anniversary of “Celebrating the Value and Talent”—this year’s theme—people with disabilities bring to the work place.

    The initial three-year plan outlines recommendations to implement Employment First to improve employment outcomes for Pennsylvanians with disabilities.

    The 2019 Annual Report from the Employment First Oversight Commission outlines recommendations and establishes measurable goals and objectives.

    The commonwealth is committed to making data-informed decisions with the utmost transparency in collaboration with communities impacted by the policies implemented. By putting forth this public-facing data, the commonwealth seeks to increase awareness of the statewide successes and challenges related to the competitive integrated employment of individuals with disabilities. To access these databases, please visit the Employment First Statewide Cabinet Report Dashboard and the Employment First OVR Cabinet Report Dashboard for more information.

    Documents & Reports: