People with Disabilities Employment Program

People with disabilities can be hired through the traditional competitive hiring process or, if they qualify, noncompetitively through the use of excepted service appointing authorities. Excepted service appointing authorities for hiring people with disabilities were developed to provide an opportunity to for disabled individuals to show that they can do the job and to circumvent the attitudinal barriers of managers and supervisors.

It is emphasized that candidates must be fully qualified in accordance with OPM Operating Manual for Qualification Standards and be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

There are two ways to hire people with disabilities noncompetitively:

1. People with disabilities can be certified as eligible by the State vocational rehabilitation agency or Department of Veterans Affairs. Employees may be converted to competitive status after
two successful years of job performance.

2. People who are severely disabled can also be hired noncompetitively after completion of a 700-hour appointment. This trial appointment allows people with disabilities to demonstrate their ability to do the job. If successful, employees may convert to a continuing Schedule A appointment without certification.

REF:
n 5 CFR Chapter 315
n 29 CFR Chapter 1630
n Equal Employment Opportunity Management Directive 713;
n Sect 501 of the Rehabilitation Act.

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Revised: 11/10/98
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U.S. Department of the Interior