As Pennsylvania recognizes National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October, the state’s Department of Labor and Industry said it is celebrating significant progress in helping Pennsylvanians secure meaningful employment through its Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR).
From program year 2022 to program year 2024, the number of OVR customers who secured employment increased by 13%, while their average hourly wages grew by 11% — reflecting continued progress in expanding career opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the commonwealth.
“Individuals with disabilities bring valuable skills to the workforce,” said L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker. “Employment is about more than a paycheck — it provides independence, purpose and opportunity. We are making meaningful progress in connecting Pennsylvanians with disabilities to good-paying jobs.”
Between program years 2022 and 2024, OVR saw significant improvements in employment rates for the Pennsylvanians with disabilities the office assists.
The number of customers who secured employment increased from 5,654 to 6,409, representing a 13% increase.
During the same period, the average hourly wage for employed OVR customers rose from $17.24 to $19.05, an 11% increase.
OVR collaborates with providers, employers, families and agency partners to help Pennsylvanians achieve successful employment outcomes.
Each year, OVR works with more than 76,000 students and adults with disabilities across Pennsylvania. Last year, nearly 18,000 students received pre-employment transition services, including paid work-based learning experiences like MY Work, and OVR helped more than 6,400 individuals secure competitive integrated employment.
In 2026, the OVR Statewide Internship Program placed 27 interns across nine participating agencies in Harrisburg, Erie, Pittsburgh and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This program was established in 2018, in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Administration, to create internship opportunities and potential pathways to state employment for college students with disabilities.
The program is specifically designed to help students build the professional and workplace skills needed to transition into the workforce after graduation. The program continues to expand each year with the goal of increased student and agency participation.
Legislation approved to provide economic relief
Sen. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe County, chair of the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee, recently advanced two bipartisan bills out of the committee to provide economic relief to veterans organizations, volunteer fire companies, civic clubs and other nonprofit organizations that rely on small games of chance to support their communities.
“Our veterans organizations, volunteer fire companies and civic clubs play an important role in our communities,” Brown said. “These organizations support veterans, fund youth programs and scholarships, assist emergency services and provide many other valuable resources. Updating these rules would help them manage rising costs and continue their important work.”
• Senate Bill 995, sponsored by Sen. Chris Gebhard, would increase the weekly aggregate prize limit for small games of chance from $35,000 to $60,000. The current limit has remained unchanged since 2013.
• Senate Bill 465, sponsored by Sen. Dan Laughlin, would allow licensed clubs to use up to 50% of small games of chance proceeds for operating expenses, an increase from the current 40%, while maintaining the requirement that at least half of the proceeds support public interest purposes.
The Senate unanimously approved both bills on Oct. 5. They are currently before the House Gaming Oversight Committee for consideration.
Walsh issues statement regarding recent threats
Rep. Jamie Walsh, R-Ross Township, this week issued the following statement regarding a recent threatening email sent to his district office:
“I want to extend my deepest gratitude to law enforcement for their swift response and continued efforts to ensure the safety of me, my family and my legislative staff.
“Threats and intimidation have no place in our democracy. No public servant, family member or staff member should have to fear for their safety for serving their community. Political disagreements are to be expected but must never escalate into threats of violence or attempts to intimidate those who serve the public.
“I am grateful to the law enforcement professionals who take these threats seriously and work diligently to protect those at risk. I will continue to stand firmly against political violence and intimidation and remain committed to carrying out my duties as a state representative.”
Pa. one of the top states using tech
The Office of Administration this week announced that the commonwealth is an Overall State Government Experience winner in the 2026 Government Experience Awards for creating a unified PA.gov experience that puts residents first.
In January 2025, the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience led the relaunch of PA.gov with state agencies. This effort consolidated over 60 separate websites with more than 30,000 pages into a single, unified online experience.
The new PA.gov prioritizes accessibility, plain language and human-centered design to help Pennsylvanians to find what they need, even if they do not know which agencies to contact or the programs available to them.
“The improvements to PA.gov over the past two years demonstrate the Shapiro administration’s ongoing commitment to meet Pennsylvanians where they are with online services built around their needs,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “We will continue to optimize PA.gov, so it remains a trusted and useful resource for residents. We appreciate the Center for Digital Government for recognizing the progress we have made.”
The office then received NASCIO’s 2026 Enterprise Technology Management award for modernizing the commonwealth’s contact center platform, which millions of Pennsylvanians use to communicate with state agencies about vital programs.
The Center for Digital Government’s GovX Awards honor states, cities, counties and agencies for delivering digital services that blend people-first service design with next-generation tools.
Social media spotlighted at Senate hearing
Teens, parents, law enforcement officials and advocates shared their perspectives this week on how social media negatively affects student learning, socialization and mental health during a public hearing of the Senate Majority Policy Committee hosted by Sen. Tracy Pennycuick, R-24.
“As chair of the Senate Communications and Technology Committee, I have firsthand insight into the growing concerns surrounding young people’s overexposure to social media and the potential harms of excessive online engagement,” said Pennycuick. “We must do more to raise awareness and educate parents and educators about these risks and how to help protect our children in an increasingly digital world.”
“Kids and teens are spending more time on social media than ever before, and it’s becoming a major health and safety concern,” said Sen. Dave Argall, R-Pottsville, chair of the policy committee. “Hearing about the good, the bad and the ugly of social media directly from those affected is invaluable as we continue working to keep young people safe online.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday led the first panel, providing an update on his office’s efforts to protect children online and hold technology companies accountable.
His office recently reached a significant agreement with Facebook parent company Meta, which secured $516 million to $729 million for youth mental health support and sets time restrictions, age verification requirements and limits on inappropriate content for minors.
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Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on X @TLBillOBoyle.