Bill > H4620

This bill proposes a new requirement for contracts in Massachusetts that receive state funding, mandating that up to 10% of employees hired under such contracts must be individuals with disabilities. The bill defines an individual with a disability as someone with significant physical or mental impairments that substantially limit functional capacities, including conditions like autism, blindness, cerebral palsy, mental illness, and multiple other specified conditions. Contracts must involve a minimum of 75 full-time equivalent employees, and companies must meet the disability hiring requirement within one year of being awarded the contract. The services covered are broad, including janitorial, landscaping, mailroom, food services, fleet management, manufacturing, and facility management. The Supplier Diversity Office, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Office on Disability, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, and Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission, will implement and regulate the law. These agencies will also help arrange employment support services for individuals with disabilities through various non-profit employment providers. The bill specifically aims to ensure employment opportunities for people with disabilities while requiring companies to minimize displacement of existing workers.

Budget and Finance

Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4620