People with Disabilities Employment Program
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is committed to increasing the representation
of qualified people with disabilities in all levels of its wmostorkforce. The
VA’s People with Disabilities Program is designed to ensure that individuals
with disabilities enjoy equal opportunity in all aspects of employment within VA,
including intern programs, promotions, training, and reasonable accommodation.
At VA, the on board ratio for permanent employees with targeted disabilities at
the end of fiscal year 2012 was 1.85%. This was higher than the Federal average
of 0.96% but lower than the VA goal of 2.27%. Within VA, the ratio was 1.78% in
the Veterans Health Administration, 2.28% in the Veterans Benefit Administration,
2.26% in the National Cemetery Administration, and 1.49% in the Staff Offices.
The Disability Program at VA is part of our effort to address the low employment
rate of individuals with disabilities, especially those with targeted disabilities.
The targeted disabilities are: blindness, deafness, missing extremities, partial
paralysis, total paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric
disability, and dwarfism. VA’s National Disability Program is part of
the Outreach and Retention Team, ODI.
Program Objectives
- Ensure that individuals with targeted disabilities are recruited for vacant positions
at all levels of VA.
- Help VA meet its annual 3% hiring goal and the 2% on board goal for people with
targeted disabilities.
- Create a workplace environment where VA employees with disabilities are valued and
respected.
- Increase the ratio of employees with disabilities, especially those with targeted
disabilities, at all levels of the VA workforce.
- Identify and address any barriers to equal employment of people with disabilities
at VA.
- Improve the retention rate for employees with disabilities, especially those with
targeted disabilities.
- Educate managers and supervisors on their responsibilities regarding the laws and
directives concerning individuals with disabilities.
- Educate managers and employees on the accommodation process.
- Establish cooperative relationships with both internal and external organizations
in order to recruit and employ qualified people with disabilities.
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Employment
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has the lead on Federal
policy and guidance regarding equal rights for applicants and employees with disabilities.
EEOC classifies the following disabilities as “severe” or “targeted:”
deafness, blindness, missing extremities, partial paralysis, total paralysis, epilepsy,
severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism. The
EEOC tracks the employment of individuals with these targeted disabilities.
At VA, the on board ratio for permanent employees with targeted disabilities in
fiscal year 2011 was 1.65%. This was higher than the Federal average of 0.96%
but lower than the Federal high of 2.55%. Within VA, the ratio was 1.61% in
the Veterans Health Administration, 2.33% in the Veterans Benefit Administration,
1.31% in the National Cemetery Administration, and 1.48% in the Staff Offices.
VA’s hiring goal for individuals with targeted disabilities is 3% of all hires,
or one in every 33 new hires. At the same time, VA needs to improve the retention
rate for this group by providing accommodations on request and when possible, providing
training and developmental opportunities. If we are unable to retain employees
with targeted disabilities, we will need to increase the hiring goal. VA strives
to improve the employment ratios for individuals with disabilities, particularly
those with targeted disabilities.
People with disabilities can apply for VA positions through the competitive process
or, if they have a severe disability, apply for a non-competitive appointment to
a Title 5 position via Schedule A. For additional information, applicants
can review the brochure that explains the
non-competitive Schedule A appointment authority. The health related
positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted
appointment authority. These positions are non-competitive, but applications must
be submitted by the deadline listed in the announcement.
While ODI has the lead for disability outreach, every Human Resources office and
VA manager is obligated to ensure that sufficient efforts are made to recruit qualified
candidates with disabilities, especially those with targeted disabilities, for each
job announcement. Each HR office has a Selective Placement Coordinator who
can provide information on recruiting individuals with disabilities and the Schedule
A hiring authority, and VA’s Title 38 positions. HR staff can review
the Schedule A brochure written for HR staff
for additional information. A separate brochure
provides information for managers. Commonly asked
questions and answers may also be helpful.
VA managers are encouraged to ensure that employees with disabilities are aware
of and participate in training opportunities so that they can qualify for future
promotions. This is required by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.
Additionally, VA is working hard to ensure that our employees with disabilities
are treated with respect and encouraged to stay with the agency.
Please see the Library section for additional information
on employing individuals with targeted disabilities.
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Disability Accommodation Procedures
Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act requires agencies to provide reasonable accommodation
to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. A “reasonable
accommodation” is a change in the work environment or in work processes that
enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.
The accommodation must be effective in meeting the needs of the individual by addressing
the barrier created by the functional limitations.
Types of reasonable accommodations include, but are not limited to:
- modification or adjustment to a job application process to permit an individual
with a disability to be considered for a job,
- modification or adjustment necessary to enable a qualified individual with a disability
to perform the essential functions of the job, and
- modification or adjustment that enables an employee with a disability to enjoy equal
benefits and privileges of employment.
It is the policy of VA to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified applicants
and employees with disabilities unless VA can show it will cause an undue hardship
to the operation of the program. The budget of VA as a whole must be considered,
so cost is not usually a reason for denial based on undue hardship.
VA’s policy is that applicant requests should be processed as soon as possible,
but in no more than ten calendar days, and employee requests must be processed in
no more than 30 calendar days. Time waiting for medical documentation (for
a disability that is not obvious or already documented) is not included when calculating
the request processing time. For information on VA’s reasonable accommodation
process, please see VA Handbook
5975.1 “Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation.”
Managers and employees are encouraged to contact their Local Reasonable Accommodation
Coordinator (LRAC) with questions, but if an issue cannot be resolved at the local
level, they are welcome to contact the
National Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator (NRAC). Before denying
any request for accommodation, managers are required to discuss the request with
the NRAC, ODI, or the Regional Office of General Counsel.
Most accommodations, such as working from home or modifying a work schedule, have
no cost. Others are obtained for free from the U.S. Department of Defense’s
Computer Accommodation Program (CAP) by visiting their web site, at
http://www.tricare.mil/cap/. Accommodations, such as interpreters
and readers that are not provided by CAP must be obtained by the employee’s
office, but the cost will be reimbursed from the Centralized
Fund managed by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The
memorandum announcing this fund was issued on May 12, 2010 along
with instructions and the form
to be submitted for reimbursement. The goal of this fund is to ensure that
VA applicants and employees with disabilities receive the accommodation they need
to apply for a job, perform the essential duties of the job, or enjoy the benefits
and privileges of employment. The Centralized Fund closes the gap between
the accommodations provided by DoD’s CAP and those that do not require any
funds. Only the Secretary, VA, can approve a denial based on cost.
Updated guidance for the Centralized Fund was released for FY 2013.
If an employee with a mobility impairment is located in a VA facility that is not
fully accessible, the employee’s manager should contact the local facility
engineer to request building modifications. In some situations, the Administration’s
Director of Engineering may need to be contacted. Facility modifications that
are needed for a specific individual fall under the category of reasonable accommodation,
but are not covered by the Centralized Fund; the cost comes out of the Facility
Engineering budget.
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Accessibility
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires VA to ensure that all events are
fully accessible to our employees with disabilities. For large events where
it is not possible to determine who will attend, we recommend the following language
be used in the event announcement:
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to providing equal access to
this training for all participants. If in order to attend, you need alternative
formats or services because of a disability, please contact (name) at (phone number)
or via email at (email) with your request by X date.
When planning a staff meeting, training, or even a retirement luncheon, VA management
must ensure that employees with disabilities receive any accommodation needed to
be able to attend. All VA events must be held in fully accessible venues.
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that all electronic technology be
fully accessible to employees with disabilities. This includes software, web
pages, videos, phones, copy machines, etc. This law requires VA to ensure
that all software and hardware is compliant with Section 508 requirements and all
videos are captioned. For additional information, please see VA’s Section
508 web page at http://www.section508.va.gov/
Please see the Library section for additional information
on employing individuals with targeted disabilities.
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Annual Reporting Requirements
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued MD 715 in 2003. The
Management Directive includes a Part J which specifically addresses employment and
promotion of individuals with targeted disabilities. Pasted below is the specific
language from Part J of the MD 715.
“Agencies with 1,000 or more permanent employees are to use the space provided
below to describe the strategies and activities that will be undertaken during the
coming fiscal year to maintain a special recruitment program for individuals with
targeted disabilities and to establish specific goals for the employment and advancement
of such individuals. For these purposes, targeted disabilities may be considered
as a group. Agency goals should be set and accomplished in such a manner as will
effect measurable progress from the preceding fiscal year. Agencies are encouraged
to set a goal for the hiring of individuals with targeted disabilities that is at
least as high as the anticipated losses from this group during the next reporting
period, with the objective of avoiding a decrease in the total participation rate
of employees with disabilities.
Goals, objectives and strategies described below should focus on internal as well
as external sources of candidates and include discussions of activities undertaken
to identify individuals with targeted disabilities who can be (1) hired; (2) placed
in such a way as to improve possibilities for career development; and (3) advanced
to a position at a higher level or with greater potential than the position currently
occupied.” The URL for EEOC’s MD 715, Part J is: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/directives/715instruct/part_j.html
During FY 2011, in addition to working on improved recruitment, hiring, and retention,
VA will be exploring various ways to provide career development training and advancement
opportunities for employees with targeted disabilities. Ideas and suggestions
would be appreciated.
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Library: Program Overview and Plans
Library: Hiring Goal
Library: Reasonable Accommodation
- VA Directive 5975.1,
Processing Requests for Reasonable Accommodation
- VA Handbook 5975.1, Processing
Requests for Reasonable Accommodation
- VA Handbook 5975.1, Appendix
I, Timeframes for Processing Reasonable Accommodation Requests
- VA Form 0857a, Written Confirmation
of Request for Accommodation
- VA Form 0857b, Acknowledgement
of Receipt of Request
- VA Form 0857c, Reasonable Accommodation
Checklist
- VA Form 0857d, Authorization
for Limited Release of Medical Information
- VA Form 0857e, Request for Medical
Documentation
- VA Form 0857f, Approval of Accommodation
Request
- VA Form 0857g, Denial of Accommodation
Request
- VA Form 0857h, Employee Limitations
on Reassignment Options
- VA Form 0857i, Centralized Accommodation
Fund Application
Library: Schedule A
Library: Useful Information
Library: Training PowerPoint Presentations
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Tools and Resources:
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List of Selective Placement Program Coordinators
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List of Local Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators
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External Resources
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Workforce Recruitment Program:
The VA goal for FY 2013 is to place at least 40 Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)
interns, and of those who are eligible for permanent employment, hire 20 percent
into the VA workforce. The WRP is a recruitment program that connects federal employers
with highly-motivated postsecondary students with disabilities. WRP interns are
usually available May through August 31. Most students qualify at the GS-5 through
GS-11 levels. To encourage greater participation in WRP, the Office of Human Resources
and Administration, as part of its “Human Capital Investment Plan,”
established a centralized fund to reimburse salary costs for approximately 35 WRP
students. Managed by the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the fund was created
to address budget barriers that may prevent facilities from hiring WRP interns.
To apply for centralized funding, review the instructions and complete the required
forms below. A complete list of interns is available at http://wrp.gov/.
For additional information contact Aurelia Waters at (202) 461-4124 or
aurelia.waters@va.gov.
- Workforce Recruitment Program Funding for Fiscal Year 2013 Memo (PDF, Word)
- WRP Fund Frequently Asked Questions (Word)
- WRP Request for Funding Instructions (Word)
- WRP Funding Reimbursement Request Form (Word)