PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Any federal contract or subcontract for goods or services that is more than $10,000 must require the contractor to take active steps to hire and promote qualified people with disabilities. The President had to create rules to put this in place within 90 days after September 26, 1973. If a person with a disability thinks a contractor broke this rule, they can file a complaint with the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor must investigate quickly and act based on the facts and the contract and laws that apply. The President can waive the rule for a specific contract if national-interest reasons require it and the President writes down the reasons. The Secretary of Labor can also waive the hiring rule for a contractor’s or subcontractor’s facilities that are completely separate from the work on the contract, but only if the contractor asks and the Secretary has rules for how to decide. Whether a violation occurred will be judged by the same standards used under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12111 et seq.) and sections 501–504 and 510 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 12201–12204 and 12210). The Secretary must make sure complaints under this rule and under the ADA are handled so work is not duplicated and standards do not conflict.

Title 29, §793

Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Amount of contracts or subcontracts; provision for employment and advancement of qualified individuals with disabilities; regulations

Any contract in excess of $10,000 entered into by any Federal department or agency for the procurement of personal property and nonpersonal services (including construction) for the United States shall contain a provision requiring that the party contracting with the United States shall take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. The provisions of this section shall apply to any subcontract in excess of $10,000 entered into by a prime contractor in carrying out any contract for the procurement of personal property and nonpersonal services (including construction) for the United States. The President shall implement the provisions of this section by promulgating regulations within ninety days after September 26, 1973.

(b)Administrative enforcement; complaints; investigations; departmental action

If any individual with a disability believes any contractor has failed or refused to comply with the provisions of a contract with the United States, relating to employment of individuals with disabilities, such individual may file a complaint with the Department of Labor. The Department shall promptly investigate such complaint and shall take such action thereon as the facts and circumstances warrant, consistent with the terms of such contract and the laws and regulations applicable thereto.

(c)Waiver by President; national interest special circumstances for waiver of particular agreements; waiver by Secretary of Labor of affirmative action requirements

(1)The requirements of this section may be waived, in whole or in part, by the President with respect to a particular contract or subcontract, in accordance with guidelines set forth in regulations which the President shall prescribe, when the President determines that special circumstances in the national interest so require and states in writing the reasons for such determination.

(2)(A)The Secretary of Labor may waive the requirements of the affirmative action clause required by regulations promulgated under subsection (a) with respect to any of a prime contractor’s or subcontractor’s facilities that are found to be in all respects separate and distinct from activities of the prime contractor or subcontractor related to the performance of the contract or subcontract, if the Secretary of Labor also finds that such a waiver will not interfere with or impede the effectuation of this chapter.

(B)Such waivers shall be considered only upon the request of the contractor or subcontractor. The Secretary of Labor shall promulgate regulations that set forth the standards used for granting such a waiver.

(d)Standards used in determining violation of section (e) Avoidance of duplicative efforts and inconsistencies

The standards used to determine whether this section has been violated in a complaint alleging nonaffirmative action employment discrimination under this section shall be the standards applied under title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12111 et seq.) and the provisions of sections 501 through 504, and 510, of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12201–12204 and 12210), as such sections relate to employment.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, referred to in subsecs. (d) and (e), is Pub. L. 101–336, July 26, 1990, 104 Stat. 327, which is classified principally to chapter 126 (§ 12101 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. Title I of the Act is classified generally to subchapter I (§ 12111 et seq.) of chapter 126 of Title 42. section 510 of the Act was renumbered section 511 by Pub. L. 110–325, § 6(a)(2), Sept. 25, 2008, 122 Stat. 3558. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 12101 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–569, §§ 102(p)(31)(A), 505(a), substituted “$10,000” for “$2,500” in two places, struck out “, in employing persons to carry out such contract,” after “contain a provision requiring that”, and substituted “individuals with disabilities” for “individuals with handicaps as defined in section 706(8) of this title”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–569, § 102(p)(31)(B), substituted “individual with a disability” for “individual with handicaps” and “individuals with disabilities” for “individuals with handicaps”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 102–569, § 505(b), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 102–569, § 505(c), added subsecs. (d) and (e). 1988—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 100–630, § 206(c)(1), inserted a comma after “to carry out such contract”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 100–630, § 206(c)(2), substituted “refused” for “refuses”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–630, § 206(c)(3), substituted “which the President” for “which The President” and “when the President” for “when The President”. 1986—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–506, §§ 103(d)(2)(C), 1002(e)(3), substituted “individuals with handicaps” for “handicapped individuals” and “section 706(8) of this title” for “section 706(7) of this title”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–506, §§ 103(d)(2)(B), (C), 1001(f)(2), substituted “individual with handicaps” for “handicapped individual”, “individuals with handicaps” for “handicapped individuals”, and “a contract” for “his contract”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–506, § 1001(f)(3), substituted “The President” for “he” in two places and substituted “the reasons” for “his reasons”. 1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–602 substituted “section 706(7) of this title” for “section 706(6) of this title”.

§793 Employment Under Federal Contracts