EXECUTIVE ORDER 31
Overview
Executive Order 31, issued by Governor Kathy Hochul on July 27, 2023, commits New York State to being a model employer for people with disabilities.
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) is committed to achieving the goals laid out in Governor Hochul’s Executive Order 31. NYSDOT is committed to being a model employer for people with disabilities and has implemented a strategic plan that will enhance our continued support of employees with disabilities. The plan details three objectives we are focusing our efforts.
Improve Workplace Accessibility
Objective 1: Make current workplaces accessible for both current and potential employees, interns, apprentices and fellows.
New York State Department of Transportation will…
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Conduct an accessibility survey of agency websites, documents, and job postings each year, all of which should be accessible to all people with disabilities, including people with vision and hearing limitations.
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Ensure that all employees receive annual trainings on how to request reasonable accommodations (RAs), combined with a written plain language explanation of how to request a RA that is sent to their email.
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Have all officers and employees take a training within 60 days of starting employment upon this Strategic Plan, effective immediately and upon availability of training materials, and annually thereafter.
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Check in twice a year with employee being provided with long-term RAs or services connected to RA about the quality of the RA, performance of vendors used to provide RAs, and/or the sufficiency of current RA in place to empower that person to do their job.
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Develop hiring practices to ensure that interviews and communications are accessible and welcoming to people with disabilities, including: making reasonable accommodations easier to prompt for or request; being mindful of language; refining job requirements; partnering with community organizations; providing necessary accommodations; understanding what can and cannot be asked; getting feedback from existing employees.
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In collaboration with the Chief Disability Officer, ensure that managers, supervisors and the Human Resources team know how to contact the appropriate state agencies – the Department of Civil Service, the Office of Employee Relations and/or internal agency staff in order to develop or expand upon RAs.
Hire People with Disabilities
Objective 2: Pro-actively connect to people with disabilities for open positions.
New York State Department of Transportation will…
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Review Civil Service 55-B/C lists for open positions and pro-actively contact qualified people for interviews.
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Work with the inclusive Internship Coordinator to provide internships to people with disabilities.
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Work with ACCES-VR and the Commission for the Blind on providing resources and services for work-based learning experiences, internships, and training for high school and college students with disabilities.
Communicate NYSDOT’s Intent
Objective 3: Communicate to the public, other agencies, and stakeholders about increased support and welcoming of people with disabilities.
New York State Department of Transportation will…
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Include goal of hiring more people with disabilities into any of its external emails, news updates, newsletters, and appropriate social media posts.
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Include language on all appropriate job postings that state specifically that “all people with disabilities are encouraged to apply” to all jobs that they are qualified to do.
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Post appropriate excerpts of the EO 31 Strategic Plan to agency website and include language on agency website that specifically says “all people with disabilities are encouraged to apply” to all jobs that they are qualified to do.
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Make copies of EO 31 Strategic Plan available at all job fairs the agency attends.
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Issue or collaborate on a press release upon the completion of initial EO 31 Strategic Plan and annually thereafter upon its required yearly updates.
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Add references to non-discrimination and equal opportunity statements in all appropriate documents (printed or online) to make them available and accessible to members of the public.
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Distribute both the initial Strategic Plan and its annual updates to all appropriate employee unions.
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Make a copy of the Strategic Plan available to contractors, vendors, agencies who assist people with disabilities seeking employment and members of the public in the format requested by the individual making the request.
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Send biannual emails to all agency employees regarding the desire to hire more people with disabilities and expand inclusivity and accessibility. Employees will be encouraged to spread the word to their own personal networks.
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Post the Strategic Plan to the agency’s internal website.
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Make the Strategic Plan available to any employee who requests it in the format it is requested in.
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Make concerted efforts to add Strategic Plan goals to trainings, orientations and webinars.
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Reference the Strategic Plan in non-discrimination and equal opportunity statements and posters prominently displayed in offices, in areas frequented and accessible to employees.
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