Leadership for the Employment of
Americans with Disabilities
Jeanette Ayala-Rivers, MHRM, MBA
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% of Total Work Force (Participation Rate)
Employees with Targeted Disabilities in the Federal Work Force
Source: EEOC Federal Sector Statistics
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Federal Sector Statistics
• 2.6 million federal employees
• 57.0% were men
• 43.0% were women
• 66.2% were White
• 18.4% were Black or African American
• 8.0% were Hispanic or Latino
• 6.0% were Asian
• 0.2% were Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander
• 2.0% were American Indian/Alaska Native
• 0.1% were Persons of Two or More Races
• 0.94% were Individuals with Targeted Disabilities
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Federal Sector Statistics
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From FY 1997 to FY 2006, total federal workforce
increased by 135,732 employees, a net increase of
5.48%.
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During this same ten year period, the number of
employees with targeted disabilities decreased from
28,671 to 24,442, a net decrease of -14.75%.
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In other words, over the last decade the government
grew by 5½% overall, but we still lost almost 15% of
all people with severe disabilities.
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Federal Sector Statistics
FY06 Average Grade:
All federal employees
10.00
Individuals with Tar. Disabilities
8.50
FY05 Average Pay Grade Level (remained in FY06):
All federal employees
9.98
Individuals with Tar. Disabilities
8.43
FY06 Senior Executive Service (SES)
Total SES employees
20,070
SES with Tar. Disabilities
93 (0.46%)
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Ranking Cabinet Level Agencies By
PWTD
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EEOC’s LEAD Initiative
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Increase the awareness of hiring officials
about the declining numbers of people
with disabilities in federal employment
workforce planning and development
Reverse the trend of decreasing participation in federal
employment diversity and disability goals
Educate federal hiring officials about how to use special
hiring authorities to bring people with disabilities on board,
particularly those with severe disabilities
Educate applicants with severe disabilities about how to
apply using the special hiring authorities available
Provide information and resources on reasonable
accommodation
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LEAD Activities
So what steps can you take to
make a difference?
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Recruitment and Placement
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Affirmative Program Plans: EEO MD-715
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USA Jobs: www.usajobs.opm.gov/
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Disability Network: Advocacy groups, Independent Living
Centers
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State Rehabilitation Services
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Employer Assistance Referral Network (EARN)
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Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)
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Veterans’ Hiring Preferences
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Schedule A Hiring Authority
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Federal Hiring for Individuals with
Disabilities
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Using the Schedule A hiring authority, found at 5
CFR 213.3102(u), federal managers can hire
qualified persons with mental retardation, severe
physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities
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without the typical recruitment headaches
without posting and publicizing the position
without going through the certification process
without rating candidates
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Schedule A Hiring Authority
So how does it work?
Step 1: When managers have an open position, make contact with
the Selective Placement Coordinator (SPC) or Disability
Program Manager (DPM) in your agency;
Step 2: Discuss with the SPC/DPM what competencies the ideal
candidate should posses, thinking critically about the
essential functions of the position;
Step 3: Get candidates - A skilled SPC/DPM will be able to produce
potential candidates. The number of applicants available
will vary greatly, depending on the level of specialty
required by the job.
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Schedule A Hiring Authority
Step 4: Make a selection – The hiring official can now review the
resumes and references of qualified, Schedule A eligible
applicants, and make a selection! Interviews can be held to
aid in making a selection decision, but it is not required.
Step 5: Make an offer – Relay selection to appropriate persons
within HR who issue offers on behalf of agency (may be
handled through SPC/DPM).
Step 6: Once an offer has been accepted, a start date may be
established to bring the candidate on board.
That’s It!
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LEAD Goal
2% by 2010
for ALL AGENCIES!
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Reasonable Accommodations
• Making facilities accessible
• Job restructuring
• Modified work hours or location
• Provide qualified readers and interpreters
• Orientation: new employee, co-worker, workplace
• Job re-assignment (the accommodation of last resort)
• Acquisition or modification of equipment or
assistive devices
• Formal reasonable accommodation procedures
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CAP Overview
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CAP was established in 1990 as DoD’s centrally
funded program to provide accommodations
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Expanded by Congress in 2000 to support other
Federal agencies
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Partnerships with 65 Federal agencies
Over 61,000 accommodations since inception
CAP Mission: To provide assistive technology and
accommodations to ensure people with disabilities
have equal access to the information environment and
opportunities in the Department of Defense and
throughout the Federal government
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CAP Services
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Provide assistive technology and training
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Conduct needs assessments and technology
demonstrations
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Provide installation and integration
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Provide training on disability management and on
creating an accessible environment
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Assist in the recruitment, placement, promotion and
retention of people with disabilities and Wounded
Service Members
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Assistive Technology and Services
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Computer input devices
Alternative keyboards, input devices
and voice recognition software
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Computer output devices
Screen readers, magnification
software, Braille terminal
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Telecommunication devices
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PC based TTY
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Video communication devices
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Assistive listening devices
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Personal amplification devices
Captioning services
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Needs Assessments / Tech Demo
CAP Technology Evaluation Center (CAPTEC)
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Assist individuals and
supervisors in choosing
appropriate computer and
electronic accommodations
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Wide variety of
assistive technology
• VTC capability
• Tours
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Located in the Pentagon (2A259)
• 703-693-5160 (V)
• 703-693-6189 (TTY)
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Employment Lifecycle
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Recruitment
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Placement
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Promotion
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Retention
Accommodation
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Workforce Recruitment Program
• Co-sponsored by the Department of
Labor and Department of Defense
• Participation from Federal
agencies and the private sector
• Wide range of occupations
• Diverse workforce
• CAP covers the cost of accommodations
for all WRP students participating in any
Federal agency
• www.wrp.gov
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Retention
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Aging Workforce
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Healthy Work Practices Program
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Workers’ Compensation
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Telework
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Wounded Service Members
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Retention - Workers’ Compensation
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Assist Workers’ Compensation claimants who obtain
“on the job” injuries that result in an accepted claim in
their return-to-work process
• Work with Workers’ Compensation officials to
evaluate needs of employees
• Conduct CAP accommodation needs assessments
• Provide appropriate assistive technology or related
accommodations
• Review Telework options
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Retention - Telework
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Target groups
• Recipients of Workers’ Compensation payments
• Persons with Disabilities
• As a form of reasonable accommodation
• To increase productivity and/or improve
accessibility issues
• Persons who may be subjected to disability retirement
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Equipment
• Assistive technology
• Home office equipment (computer hardware and
software, fax machine, printer)
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Trends
• Teleworkers with disabilities increased by 120% from
FY02 to FY03
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From Deployment to Employment
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CAP’s Wounded Service Members Initiative:
• Provide assistive technology to WSMs to use in future
employment and vocational settings
• Public Law 109-364: Retention of AT after separation
from active service
Provide services and resources for:
• Employment internships
• Public & private sector initiatives
• Partnership programs
– Military Severely Injured Center:
www.militaryonesource.com
– VA Seamless Transition:
www.seamlesstransition.va.gov
– DOL REALifelines:
www.dol.gov/vets/programs/Real-life/main.htm
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Next Steps
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Agency Disability Program Managers
Department of Labor
• Job Accommodation Network www.jan.wvu.edu
• DisabilityInfo.Gov www.disabilityinfo.gov
EEOC’s LEAD Initiative www.eeoc.gov/lead
Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program
www.tricare.mil/cap
EEOC Management Directive 715
January 31, 2008
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2 % by 2010
for ALL AGENCIES!
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