Stephen M. King Director of Disability Programs Department of Defense Michael Looney National Disability Program Manager Federal Aviation Administration Perspectives sponsoring agencies: Department of Agriculture Department of Defense Department of Labor Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Environmental Protection Agency
Visibility an effective DPM must be visible; Advocacy an effective DPM is not a personal advocate; Resource an effective DPM is a vital resource for employees, managers, senior leaders, and the community at large; Partner an effective DPM builds strategic alliances to achieve programmatic goals.
Does your agency have an established program? Do you have a copy of your position description? Which reports will you be responsible for providing? Management Directive (MD) 715 Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program (FEORP) Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Plan (DVAAP) What is your role in your agency s reasonable accommodation procedures? Workers Compensation? Know what is mandated by Executive Order 13548 What is your agency s plan for implementation (reporting, tracking, etc.)? Know your agency s goals and expectations!
Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities Signed July 26, 2010 Reemphasizes Executive Order 13163 the federal government will hire 100,000 individuals with disabilities within five years Requires, in part, that agencies: develop five year plans (March 8, 2011) set goals assign a senior level official ensure training for HR professionals and hiring managers increase use of Schedule A [5 CFR 213.3102(u)] increase retention and return to work outcomes
Employment of Veterans in the Federal Government Signed November 9, 2009 Establish an Interagency Council on Veterans Employment Establish the Veterans Employment Program Office: Develop operational plan for promoting employment opportunities Provide mandatory annual training to agency human resources personnel and hiring managers Identify four key occupations for veterans to meet agency staffing needs Coordinate with DoD and VA to promote further development and application of technology
Know your environment Know your disability program s history Know where the previous DPM stumbled and succeeded Learn how to get things done All workplaces and organizations are unique Make the program your own
Who are the players at your agency? Personnel/HR Equal Employment Opportunity Security Office Health Unit Interpreting Staff Safety Office Employer Relations Training/Workforce Development Labor Relations Recruiters 508 Coordinator Union Representatives Regional Offices EAP Counselors Transportation Computer Support Help Desk General Counsel Facility Management Communicate and coordinate your efforts!
Hiring Process Accessibility of application and interviewing process Applicant ability to utilize Schedule A eligibility Accommodations Procedures Executive Order 13164 Central funding Timelines Physical Barriers Events Programs Buildings Transportation
Participation Rate of Individuals With Disabilities: Self Identification of Disability (SF-256) Resurvey staff every two years (or less) Employee orientation Keep an eye on quarterly trends Retirement As we age, greater likelihood of acquiring a disability Baby boomers are retiring Are you losing persons with disabilities at a higher rate?
Sources: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.gov Office of Personnel Management www.opm.gov U.S. Census Bureau www.census.gov Importance of Diversity Disability statistics can be controversial, so focus on benefits of diversity
Basics of: Rehabilitation Act of 1973 / Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) Conferences, Symposiums, Training: National Employment Law Institute (NELI) Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government (DHHIG) California State University Northridge (CSUN) Interagency Disability Educational Awareness Showcase (IDEAS) and of course, Perspectives! *
Peers at other agencies Federal Disability Workforce Consortium (FDWC) efedlink (efedlink.org) If you are in EEO, learn basic HR/Personnel Basic Staffing and Placement Qualifications Analysis Processing Personnel Actions If you are in HR, learn basic EEO Introduction to Federal EEO Federal EEO Counseling Disability Program Management Training DoD Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (www.deomi.org) EEOC Federal Training & Outreach Division (eeotraining.eeoc.gov)
Schedule A hiring authority - 5 CFR 213.3102 (u) ABC s of Schedule A brochures: HR Professional DPM / Selective Placement Coordinator Hiring Manager Service Provider Applicant (www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/initiatives/lead/abcs_of_schedule_a.cfm) OPM Training for the Harried Professional: Hiring People with Disabilities Made Simple (http://golearn.gov/hiringreform/hpwd/index.htm) Applying for Jobs using Schedule A (http://golearn.gov/hiringreform/applicant/hpd.htm)
How will you educate others about your program? Newsletters Social Media Intranet / Website Bulletin Boards Meetings with Executive Staff & Hiring Managers National Disability Employment Awareness Month Activities
Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) The WRP is a recruitment and referral program for college students and recent graduates with disabilities Co-sponsored by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Labor May be utilized to fill both temporary and permanent hiring needs OPM designated Model Strategy Offers access to the largest pool of Schedule A eligible candidates www.wrp.gov Disability Services Offices at College and Universities Personal visits to local schools Yearly mailings of recruiting materials and application procedures
Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) COSD s Career Gateway is the first nationwide online job posting and college student resume database system Employers can post opportunities at no cost https://cosd.experience.com/emp/sblogin State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/programs/erod/org_list.cfm?category_cd=svr National Advocacy Groups
Veterans Veterans' Employment & Training Service www.dol.gov/vets/ U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment Service www.vba.va.gov/bln/vre/ Operation Warfighter Department of Defense program http://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/operation-warfighter/ Feds Hire Vets http://www.fedshirevets.gov/
Job Accommodation Network (JAN) Free and confidential advice Searchable On-line Accommodation Resource (SOAR) www.askjan.org Computer/Electronic Accommodation Program (CAP) Assistive technology at no cost to partner agencies Interpreting services at no cost to partner agencies for training greater than two days www.cap.mil
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Guidance on laws, rules, regulations www.eeoc.gov EEOC Procedures for Providing Reasonable Accommodation For Individuals with Disabilities www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/internal/reasonable_accommodation.cfm#1 U.S. Access Board Facility Accessibility Electronic and Information Technology (Section 508) www.access-board.gov
If you need help, ask! Keep list of contacts at other agencies Utilize the resources provided today Don t get discouraged Realize that you are going to make mistakes Understand that it takes time for initiatives to have an impact You have the ability