PURPOSE OF AUTHORITY
 

Pursuant to Section 403 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 194 as amended (38 U.S.C. 2014), and Section 307 of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 3112), the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is required to have an up to date affirmative action plan to promote employment and advancement opportunities for qualified disabled veterans.
 

PLAN COVERAGE

The purpose of this document is to serve as the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Disabled Veteran Affirmative Action Program (DVAAP) Fiscal Year 2001 Plan.
 

POLICY

It is USDA's policy to provide equal employment to employees and applicants for employment in recruitment, hiring, advancement, training, career development, promotions, reassignments, awards and all other terms, conditions or privileges of employment for disabled veterans, especially those who are 30 percent or more disabled. USDA's DVAAP focuses attention on achieving equitable affirmative employment for disabled veterans of all races, national origins, and age groups in all occupations. The aim of DVAAP is to create a work environment which promotes and encourages the recruitment, retention, career development, and advancement of these individuals and provide full accessibility and, when necessary, reasonable accommodation.
 

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES

It is imperative that this program receives full support at all levels in the Department (e.g., USDA agencies, regional offices, and field units).

A. DVAAP is under the general direction of the Assistant Secretary for Administration, with program management responsibility delegated to the Director, Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM). The Department's DVAAP Manager is responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring all USDA agencies' DVAAP Plan Update and Accomplishment Reports.

B. Each Agency Head within the Department is responsible for management of the program within his or her Agency. The Agency Head's responsibilities include, but are not limited, to providing appropriate staff to manage the program, designating DVAAP Managers, issuing an annual policy statement in support of the program and budget resources for an effective program.

C. The Agency-wide DVAAP Manager's are responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring of the DVAAP Plan and Accomplishment Reports. Their responsibilities will include but are not limited to carrying out actions in support of the program's objectives, providing guidance and assistance to managers, supervisors, regional offices, and field components, distributing the DVAAP Plan to appropriate parties, reviewing and analyzing veterans' employment data, and preparing reports as required.

D. All field unit heads are responsible for the success of the program in their respective organizations. Every regional office and field unit having employment authority should have a designated DVAAP Manager to carry out program activities in the area. All field units must have a copy of their agency's DVAAP Plan on file.

E. All managers and supervisors are responsible for providing equal employment opportunities for disabled veterans.

F. Mission Area Personnel Officers or Civil Rights Directors are required to carry out Departmental policies and procedures by providing the necessary resources that will focus on and achieve better program effectiveness.

G. Agency Heads, coordinators, personnel officers, and managers will publicize the program through newsletters, workshops, seminars, regional and State meetings, etc.
 

PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
 

A. The OHRM will review Agency plans to determine the effectiveness of the plan and agency accomplishment reported and provide written feedback. This evaluation will be conducted by OHRM at the end of each Fiscal Year. Assessments of DVAAP include:

B. A continuing appraisal of the program will be made throughout all USDA agencies' internal personnel management evaluation systems to monitoring and evaluate work force statistical data.

C. A continuing appraisal of the program will be made throughout all USDA agencies' internal equal employment program reviews.

D. Input for program plan implementation and evaluation will be coordinated with Human Resources Management or other established mechanism.
 

RECRUITMENT/OUTREACH/ADVANCEMENT ACTIVITIES

The objective of USDA's recruitment and outreach program is to attract qualified candidates, including disabled veterans, to meet agency staffing needs.

A. External Recruitment. The external recruitment and outreach function involves seeking applications from disabled veterans. To accomplish this, USDA agencies should maintain contacts with the Veterans Employment Service of the Department of Labor; State and local employment agencies, the Department of Veterans Affairs and other veterans' organizations, colleges, and other resources to obtain applications from disabled veterans.

All servicing personnel offices are requested to utilize the various electronic national resume databases. Each servicing personnel office is encouraged to obtain a user access code to utilize the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) nationwide automated resume databases: Job Ready Disabled Veterans Connection (JRDVC) and the OPM/Social Security Administration, Project Able Resume Bank, in order to search for qualified candidates with disabilities. The Department of Veterans Affairs has an established electronic database: Rehabilitated Veterans Employment Referral (REVERE) that has more than 600 job-ready disabled veterans seeking employment.

USDA will participate in a new recruitment program sponsored by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor. Employment Assistance Referral Network (EARN) will be available beginning in March, 2001. This program links employers to pre-screened providers with qualified job candidates with disabilities, including disabled veterans. This is a cost free recruitment program.

Agencies are to promote use of the Veterans Readjustment Appointments (VRA) authority and use of the hiring authority for veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled.

    1. Vacancy Announcement.   Employing offices are required at all times to accept applications from persons eligible for consideration under special hiring authorities (including VRA, appointment of veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled, etc.). USDA agencies are to encourage veterans, especially those with 30 percent or more disabilities, to apply for existing vacancies. All USDA agencies are required to add the following statement to all vacancy announcement: "Qualified disabled veterans, especially those with 30 percent or more disabilities and Veteran Readjustment Appointment Eligible will be considered for this position under special hiring authorities."

    2. Talent Bank.  Agencies may establish skill's banks to maintain an inventory of qualified disabled veteran's applications.
 

B. Internal Recruitment. USDA agencies must take steps to ensure that all employees, including disabled veterans are notified of vacancies that will be filled through internal procedures. Vacancy announcements should be well publicized and strategically posted in highly visible locations.

C. Special Appointing Authorities.   Staffing specialists, managers, and supervisors should be aware of the special appointment authorities that can be used to hire disabled veterans. Servicing Personnel Offices should expand the use of these authorities and provide on-the-job training to staffing specialists on the use of the special appointing authorities.

D. Special Events.   Agencies should participate in special events, e.g., career days, veteran job fairs, employer seminars, conferences, etc., that promote awareness of the DVAAP.

E. Unpaid Training or Work Experience.  Disabled veterans may work for a Federal agency while in training which is addressed under 38 U.S.C. Chapter 31 (Veterans Administration Vocational Rehabilitation). Subsequently, veterans may receive a noncompetitive appointment to a vacancy for which he or she is qualified when training is completed. Placement does not have to be in the agency in which training was received.
 

VII. MONITORING, REVIEW, AND EVALUATION

Arrangements are to be made to monitor, review, and evaluate the Department's planned efforts to promote Federal employment and advancement opportunities for qualified disabled veterans, including the implementation of such efforts by Agencies and their field offices. This includes but is not limited to:
 

A. Review and analyze statistical data at the end of the year.

B. Evaluate the agency's efforts to improve the DVAAP during the Fiscal Year.

C. Identify any barriers to employment, retention, advancement opportunities, and recommend ways improve the Agency's DVAAP.

D. Prepare and submit to the Department the annual written Affirmative Action Accomplishment Report and Plan Update for Hiring, Placement, and Advancement of Disabled Veterans. Agencies are to refer to 5 CFR 720 for guidance on the required content for their plans. This report and statistical data analysis must be submitted no later than October 15.
 

The annual accomplishment report must include:
 

1. Methods used to recruit and employ disabled veterans, including particular measures for those veterans who are 30 percent or more disabled.

2. Methods used to provide or improve internal advancement opportunities for disabled veterans.

3. A description of how the activities of the Agencies major operating components and field offices were monitored, reviewed, and evaluated.

4. An explanation of the agencies progress in implementing its DVAAP plan during the fiscal year, citing reasons for progress or lack of progress. Where progress has not been achieved, specific agency plans must describe methods for overcoming cited obstacles to progress.

5. List name, title, address, and phone number of agency official responsible for implementation and development of your agency DVAAP.

6. The Agency must certify that they have an up-to-date affirmative action plan for hiring and advancing disabled veterans. A copy of the plan must be
submitted annually to the Department along with your accomplishment report.

7. Agencies are to pull end-of-year statistical data from the National Finance Center. Statistical data should include accessions, losses, separations, and promotions of all veterans, disabled veterans and 30 percent or greater disabled veterans during the Fiscal Year. Agencies can use the Culprit Report 0109 entitled, "USDA Employment of Veterans," or an agency designed focus reports. This information should be pulled in the last pay period of each Fiscal Year. Your agency personnel office can assist you with retrieving the data.
 

VIII. RESOURCES
 

    1) State Veterans Vocation Rehabilitation and Counseling Officers.

    2) Office of Personnel Management Federal Employment Policy Handbook: Veterans and the Civil Service.

    3) Office of Personnel Management Electronic Database - Job Ready Disabled Veterans Connection (JRDVC).

    4) Office of Personnel Management/Social Security Administration, Project Able Resume Bank.

    5) Department of Veterans Affairs - Rehabilitated Veterans Employment Referral (REVERE).

    6) National Disabled Veterans Organizations.
 

ACCESSIBILITY

All agencies are reminded of their legal obligation to provide requested printed materials in alternative formats such as braille, large print, audio cassette, and captioning for videos.
 

PROGRAM COORDINATION

The name and title of the person assigned overall responsibility for the development and implementation of this action plan is William R. Haig, USDA Departmental Disability Employment Program Manager, OHRM. For further information, please call (202) 720- 0516 (voice).