Workers with Disabilities: Talent for a Winning Team - October 2008
Denise F – Recruiting through EARN Yields Excellent Match for Federal Agency: A Jobseeker with a Disability Returns to Work
Denise F. had an 18-year career in the federal government as an administrative professional when the unexpected happened. She fell down a flight of stairs and injured her hip, resulting in chronic pain and limited mobility. Suddenly, she was a person with a disability.
After leaving the workforce to recuperate, Denise was anxious to return. As she says, “I was determined to get better and get back on my feet.” She started looking for jobs, scouring employment Web sites and leveraging her community resources. She came across the Employer Assistance & Resource Network’s (EARN) site, www.EARNWorks.com – a resource funded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. She was intrigued by the program because it was focused on connecting employers with job seekers with disabilities.
The job posting was for an office assistant at the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). NCUA had been working with EARN to recruit candidates eligible for the Schedule A hiring authority – which allows federal agencies to bring on recruits with disabilities quickly by bypassing the competitive hiring process. With Denise’s employment background and desire to get back in the federal government, she decided to apply.
Shortly thereafter, Denise was contacted by Trish Krobath, director of management services, for an interview. Trish was impressed with Denise’s prior work experience and realized her potential. “Here is someone with federal experience. She did these tasks before and had the skills and attitude for it.” Likewise, Denise was now even more convinced that this was the job for her.
Denise was offered the job and, of course, she took it. She is now a proud member of the NCUA team. Trish is also pleased with Denise’s work and plans to use Schedule A again in the future.
