§ 7-8. Hiring preference for persons with disabilities.

(a) Findings.

(1) Persons with disabilities are a largely untapped resource for outstanding candidates for City employment.

(2) Persons with disabilities suffer from a high unemployment and underemployment rate in the City due in part to unfounded myths, fears, and stereotypes that are associated with many disabilities.

(3) A hiring preference for persons with disabilities is necessary to remedy past discrimination resulting from these unfounded myths, fears, and stereotypes.

(b) "Disability" defined.

In this section, "disability" has the meaning stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 USCS § 12101 et seq.

(c) Civil Service Commission to set standards.

The Civil Service Commission must adopt regulations that set standards for establishing and maintaining a preference for the initial appointment of qualified persons with a disability into civil service positions.

(d) Contents of standards.

The standards adopted under this section:

(1) must define a person with a disability eligible for the preference as:

(i) a person with medical proof of a developmental disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability; or

(ii) a veteran rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs with a compensable service-connected disability;

(2) must require medical certification of a qualifying disability; and

(3) must establish the following order of preference:

(i) a veteran with a disability; and

(ii) an equal preference for a veteran without a disability and a non- veteran with a disability.

(e) Limitation of preference.

The standards adopted under this section may apply the preference to an applicant only after the applicant has been ranked among the highest in merit-based examinations.