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A model employer no more? Disabled workers question the federal government’s commitment to inclusion

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Spencer Goidel, a 33-year-old federal worker in Boca Raton, Florida, with autism, knew what he could be losing when he got laid off from his job as an equal employment opportunity specialist at the Internal Revenue Service.

Because of his autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, Goidel had been able to secure his spot as one of more than 500,000 disabled workers in the federal government under Schedule A, which allows federal agencies to bypass the traditional hiring process and pick a qualified candidate from a pool of people with certain disabilities.

His job, he said, was accommodating and enriching, and he wonders if he’ll ever get another one like that in the private sector.

“A lot of people who are disabled, they came to the federal government because it was a model employer for disabled individuals, and now they have nowhere else to go,” he told The Associated Press.

The irony, he says, is that his job was to help resolve workers’ harassment claims before they escalated into full-blown lawsuits against the government. So much for reducing waste, he says.

A model employer for disabled workers

For decades, the federal government has positioned itself as being committed to inclusive hiring and long-term retention across agencies. But as mass layoffs ripple through the federal workforce under President Donald Trump’s Republican administration, disabled employees are among those being let go.

Amid the firings, rollbacks of accommodation guidance for businesses and skepticism of disability inclusion practices, advocates and experts wonder if the government’s status as a “model employer” will hold true.

Trump has said he ended diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the government because people should be hired based on work quality and merit alone.

However, under Schedule A, candidates already have to be qualified for the position with or without an accommodation. They don’t get a job solely because they have a disability.

Disability advocates point to a slew of statements from Trump administration officials that indicate they view disabled workers as a liability to the government.

Trump criticized the federal government’s inclusion efforts in January when a midair collision between a plane and a helicopter near Reagan National Airport killed 67 people. Without evidence, he blamed the Federal Aviation Administration’s targeted hiring of people with disabilities for the crash, saying that only “psychologically superior” air traffic controllers should work for the agency.

How the private sector responds

Kelly McCullough, legal director at Disability Law Colorado, said the messaging from the Trump administration could affect how seriously the private sector takes on disability inclusion efforts. Recently, she said, the nonprofit has received an uptick in disability discrimination complaints.

“It does make me wonder, if the federal government is setting this example, challenging these ideas of inclusion that have (had) long-standing support from the government … is that trickling down?” she said. “Is that messaging getting to employers in other contexts?”

Trump also rescinded a Biden-era executive order that required federal agencies to create action plans to hire more diverse staff, including those with disabilities. The order calls diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, or DEIA, efforts “illegal” and says they “violate the text and spirit” of civil rights.

The Trump administration’s other actions have caused consternation, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s dismantling of the Administration for Community Living, an agency that serves disabled and aging adults. HHS officials also floated –- and walked back -– a plan to create a registry of people with autism.

Katy Neas, CEO of The Arc of the United States, which advocates for people with physical and intellectual disabilities, said she is concerned about the impact the massive reductions in the federal workforce will have on government services for all Americans as well as the loss of opportunities for workers with disabilities.

“I’m really worried — where are these folks going to go? Who’s going to hire them?” she asked.

Employment gaps for disabled people have been an issue across the federal and private sectors for years. When the Labor Department began recording disability status in its employment trends in the Current Population Survey in 2009, just 30% of disabled people between ages 16 and 64 were working at least part time. That’s compared with 71% of people without a disability.

Last year, employment rates for disabled people hit a record high of 38%, but the decades-old disparities still persisted: 75% of people without disabilities were employed that year.

Making disability hiring a federal priority

Disability hiring in the federal government became a prominent effort in the 1970s, shortly after the passing of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits disability discrimination in federal agencies. Expectations to hire disabled people expanded from there.

In 2014, President Barack Obama’s Democratic administration began requiring that federal contractors meet specific goals related to hiring disabled people.

Three years later, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated rules under the Rehabilitation Act. The new rules required federal agencies to set hiring goals for people with disabilities and create plans to help them get jobs and promotions.

Anupa Iyer Geevarghese worked as a disability policy adviser at the EEOC when officials updated the regulations. She said it increased progress in ensuring that disabled people had equitable opportunities in the federal workforce. She now worries that progress will be undone as the Trump administration shows little interest in continuing inclusion efforts.

“I think, unfortunately, there are still perceptions about the knowledge, skill and abilities of people with disabilities,” she said. “As a whole, we’re still, as a community, still perceived as people who can’t do their jobs, are unqualified, who are uneducated and are incapable … we thought we had combated it, but we are still fighting that fight.”

Abby Tighe, a former public health adviser at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, was among thousands of federal probationary workers terminated in February. Tighe, 30, has a progressive form of muscular dystrophy, which may eventually affect her ability to walk independently.

“I really truly understand how other people who are using a chair or using some kind of assistance device might be really concerned about that next stage of employment when they can’t interview and hide their disability at the same time,” she said.

Laid-off federal workers with disabilities worry about the future

Some also worry that disabled federal workers may have been disproportionately hurt by the terminations. Tighe and Goidel were hired through Schedule A, which allows a probationary period of up to two years. Other federal employees typically have one year of probation.

Tighe suspects that if she hadn’t been hired through the special hiring authority, she might still have a job, given that no one else on her team was let go.

Goidel says his employment with the federal government motivated him to continue his education and pursue a master’s degree in employment law. He says the decision to slash jobs at the IRS’ EEO office will mean there are fewer federal workers able to investigate harassment claims and that could result in more litigation against the government.

The White House is promoting its efforts to provide services for disabled individuals and veterans.

In an email to The Associated Press, a White House official pointed to student loan forgiveness for completely disabled veterans and record low unemployment for people with disabilities during Trump’s first term. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, also noted that a multiagency task force was created in 2018 to focus on increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

HHS also announced plans for the Administration for Community Living to release more than $1 billion in funding to states to address nutrition, daily living assistance, chronic disease management and more.

Goidel says he hopes the Trump administration realizes what it’s losing with the layoffs.

“They’re taking away people’s opportunities, and they’re taking away people’s livelihoods,” he said. “They’re also hurting people who may need a little extra help to get over the finish line and have that upward mobility.”

___

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.


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Donald Trump downplays Vladimir Putin’s decision to skip Istanbul peace talks with Ukraine

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May 15, 2025

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not surprised that Russian President Vladimir Putin will be a no-show for anticipated peace talks with Ukraine in Turkey this week.Trump, who had pressed for Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to meet in Istanbul, brushed off Putin’s apparent decision to not take part in the expected talks.

“I didn’t think it was possible for Putin to go if I’m not there,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters as he took part in a business roundtable with executives in Doha on the third day of his visit to the Middle East.

Trump earlier this week floated potentially attending himself. The U.S. President, however, on Thursday noted Secretary of State Marco Rubio was already in the country for meetings with NATO counterparts. Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, also plans to be in Istanbul on Friday for the anticipated Russia-Ukraine talks.

The push for direct talks between Zelenskyy and Putin comes amid a flurry of negotiations aimed at producing a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.

Putin was first to propose restarting direct peace talks Thursday with Ukraine in the Turkish city that straddles Asia and Europe. Zelenskyy challenged the Kremlin leader to meet in Turkey in person.

Trump, as he wrapped up his visit to Qatar, stopped by a U.S. installation at the center of American involvement in the Middle East to speak with U.S. troops. He has used his four-day visit to Gulf states to reject the “interventionism” of America’s past in the region.

The installation, al-Udeid Air Base, was a major staging ground during the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The base houses some 8,000 U.S. troops, down from about 10,000 at the height of those wars.

Trump told the troops that his “priority is to end conflicts, not start them.”

“But I will never hesitate to wield American power if it’s necessary to defend the United States of America or our partners,” Trump said.

The Republican president has held up Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar as models for economic development in a region plagued by conflict. He has urged Qatari officials during his visit to use their influence to entice Iran to come to terms with his administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program.

Trump said progress has been made in the talks but warned a “violent step” could be coming if a deal is not reached.

“Iran has sort of agreed to the terms: They’re not going to make, I call it, in a friendly way, nuclear dust,” Trump said at the business roundtable. “We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran.”

Trump will travel later on Thursday to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the final leg of his Mideast tour. He will visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the country’s largest mosque. The UAE’s founder, Sheikh Zayed, is buried in the mosque’s main courtyard.

Trump will also be hosted for a state visit in the evening by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Qasr Al Watan palace.

Trump earlier this week met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and announced plans to ease sanctions on the war-torn country. The U.S. has deployed more than 1,000 troops in Syria for years to suppress a return of the Islamic State group.

Trump heaped praise on al-Sharaa — who was tied to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling U.S. forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian civil war — after the two met in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. He called al-Sharaa a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”

It was a stark contrast from earlier years, when al-Sharaa was imprisoned by U.S. troops in Iraq. Until December, there was a $10 million U.S. bounty for his arrest.

Trump said that the opinions of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were big factors in his decision to lift sanctions on Syria.

“President Erdogan called me and said, ‘Is there any way you could do that? Because if you don’t do that, they don’t have a chance,’” Trump said. “So, I did it.”

___

Republished with permission of The Associated Press.


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Heidi Brandt files for Bridget Ziegler’s seat on the Sarasota Co. School Board

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May 15, 2025

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A longtime Republican leader in Sarasota will run for Bridget Ziegler’s seat on the Sarasota County School Board.

Heidi Brandt, incoming President of the Southside Elementary School Parent-Teacher Organization, will run for the nonpartisan District 1 seat. Southside has been an “A”-rated school for 21 consecutive years.

“I take great pride in sending my daughter to public school in Sarasota County,” Brandt said. “It is imperative that we continue to empower parents, invest in high-quality teachers and enhance workforce training so students can thrive inside the classroom and beyond.”

She will be the first candidate to file for the seat. Many expect that Ziegler, who became embroiled in a nationally watched sex scandal last year, will not seek another term. But she has rebuffed calls to resign.

Brandt listed another reason prompting her to run: a recent spike in lockdowns of school campuses. With 8-year-old daughter Mia attending school, that has Brandt concerned as a parent.

“Just last month, three public schools in South Sarasota County locked down due to threats received,” she said. “We are fortunate to have a Sheriff’s Department that is so well-trained and prepared, but we can always do more to ensure the safety and security of our students, teachers and staff.”

While School Board members hold nonpartisan office, local parties have become increasingly involved in races for seats. On that point, it may be important that Brandt is the Vice President of the Republican Women’s Club of Sarasota.

Additionally, Brandt assists with Sunday School lessons at Covenant Life Church, which she attends along with fiancé Jerry Wells.

The seat is up in 2026, with a first election scheduled for next August and a potential runoff expected in November.

The last time the seat was up, a conservative majority won election in the Sarasota County School Board. But two Democrats won election to the Board last year.


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Jeff Kottkamp promises Florida TaxWatch will guard tax dollars at every level of government

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3 hours ago

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May 15, 2025

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He has served in the Legislature and as Lieutenant Governor. Now, Jeff Kottkamp will shape influence as the incoming president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch.

On Wednesday, the Board for the independent government watchdog formally elected the former politico to succeed Dominic Calabro at the organization’s helm.

Kottkamp expects his background, whether holding office or lobbying lawmakers, will inform his work.

“It helps to know from the inside how the process works — helps a lot, actually,” Kottkamp said. “But it also helps with relationships, because really, everything is a people business, but what we do really is too. I’m fortunate enough to have these great relationships where we can call on people to get input.”

The election occurred hours after three former state Senate Appropriations Committee Chairs — Lisa Carlton, Denise Grimsley and Kelli Stargel — offered insight on a panel about the budget process. The organization also hired Brandi Gunder, a former acting Director of Policy and Budget at the Executive Office. So the organization at many levels boasts expert experience and veterans of The Process.

Kottkamp will succeed an outgoing president who worked in TaxWatch for 45 years. Calabro will soon found the Florida TaxWatch Foundation to financially support the organization’s work.

Kottkamp said stepping into those shoes carries a burden, and there is a need to ensure the institution becomes more than one man.

“If you say Florida TaxWatch, the first thing out of people’s mouths is going to be Dominic Calabro, right?” Kottkamp said. “You’ve had a very dynamic personality, iconic really, leading the organization. This can’t be just about a person. It’s got to be about the mission.”

Calabro said as much when opening the Spring meeting of Florida TaxWatch, telling the press that Kottkamp would be institutional leadership, not just charismatic. Kottkamp said that’s an important evolution.

“What he’s really talking about is being more systemic in the way we do things,” Kottkamp said of Calabro’s remarks. “I’m really excited about the staff and who we brought on and just kind of some new energy to the effort. But make it all about the mission. Make sure more people in Florida know about our mission and what we do.”

Kottkamp said the group will become more involved in local government as part of that mission, opening chapters in South Florida and then likely throughout the state.

Throughout the Spring meeting, individuals said a political focus on government efficiently positions Florida TaxWatch as an authoritative voice, very much DOGE before DOGE was cool.

Florida TaxWatch Secretary David Casey, senior vice president of Government Relations and Business Development at Maximus, said as much in a speech at the Chairman’s Dinner on Wednesday.

“I’m looking forward to talking to those small businesses in Southern Florida and to be able to say, here’s why you should be a member of TaxWatch, to break through bureaucracy so that when the next hurricane hits, we don’t have those barriers in order to be able to serve your small businesses,” Casey said.

Kottkamp, a Republican politician, said the group will always remain independent, an essential piece of its integrity. He acknowledged that the mission of safeguarding public revenue is a bit “center-right” by definition. However, the group will always be able to stand up and call out irresponsible spending or actions by members of any party, something most famously conducted in Florida TaxWatch’s annual Budget Turkey List, branding local projects as pork barreling.

Kottkamp will introduce himself as a personality in his own right on the state stage anew. He shares that he started working at 13 and once had the chance to serve as bodyguard to Andre the Giant, thanks to his background in martial arts. “But he’s eight feet tall,” Kottkamp recalls. He doesn’t really need security. He just growled at people.”

Public money is another story. It requires defenders and watchdogs, and Kottkamp is ready to serve in these roles with similar diligence.

“You’re really starting to see how you can expand our footprint and really put a flag in the ground in these local communities,” Kottkamp said. “It’s not just the state capital, but it’s all over Florida.”


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