Disability hiring in the federal government.
Even with unemployment still running high, the Federal Government is having difficulty hiring qualified employees. In particular, the Federal Government is actively recruiting and hiring persons with disabilities. If you are such a person seeking federal employment, here is some specific guidance.
The Federal Government has a special (excepted) hiring authority for persons with disabilities called Schedule A. You are eligible for Schedule A if you are a person with severe physical disability, a psychiatric disability or an intellectual disability. You can find out more, including sample Schedule A letters and a training video on applying for Schedule A jobs, on OPM’s website.
Additionally, most Federal agencies have a Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC) who helps management recruit, hire and accommodate people with disabilities. SPPC’s have many roles and responsibilities, including helping people with disabilities get information about current job opportunities, types of jobs in the agency and how these jobs are filled, and reasonable accommodation. There is a nationwide SPPC Directory to help you get started. Also, check out the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s LEAD (Leadership for the Employment of Americans with Disabilities) initiative to address the declining number of employees with targeted disabilities in the federal workforce. The goal for this initiative is to significantly increase the population of individuals with severe disabilities employed by the federal government.
The Federal Government has made hiring candidates with disabilities a priority. If you are eligible, take advantage of their recruiting resources. Federal agencies can be a great place to work.