The Labor Department is considering new regulations to encourage federal contractors to hire more people with disabilities.

Among the steps under consideration are hiring goals for such individuals, according to a notice of proposed rulemaking from Labor’s Office of Federal Contracting Compliance Programs.

The notice says contractors are already required to take affirmative action to hire people with disabilities. Current regulations require contractors to promote equal opportunity and to provide reasonable accommodations for them.

Because the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities is far higher than the national rate, Labor said it is exploring whether additional rules are needed.

The notice is RIN number 1250-AA0 in the July 23 Federal Register. Comments are due by Sept. 21.

A former executive of a military contractor has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay $360,000 in bribes to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at a base in Kuwait, the Justice Department announced.

According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Dorothy Ellis of Texas City, TX, was employed by former military contractor Terry Hall. She served as the liaison between Hall and Army contracting officials at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. She admitted bribing two contracting officers to obtain confidential bidding information.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1.

The ongoing investigation of contracting at the Kuwait base has led to 15 criminal prosecutions and 13 guilty pleas, Justice said.