Disability Employment Program

The Office of Diversity and Civil Right's Disability Employment Program objectives include:

  • Ensure individuals with targeted disabilities are recruited for vacant positions at all levels within ICE.
  • Help ICE meet its annual 2 percent hiring goal for people with targeted disabilities.
  • Create a workplace environment where ICE employees with disabilities are valued and respected.
  • Increase the ratio of employees with disabilities, especially those with targeted disabilities, at all levels of the ICE workforce.
  • Identify and address any barriers to equal employment of people with disabilities at ICE.
  • 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.

Employment

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has taken the lead on federal policy and guidance regarding equal rights for applicants and employees with disabilities. The commission 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 commission tracks the employment of individuals with these disabilities.

People with disabilities can apply for ICE positions through the competitive process or, if they have a severe disability, can apply for a noncompetitive appointment to a Title 5 position via Schedule A. ICE's health-related positions are covered by Title 38 and are not covered by Schedule A's excepted appointment authority. These positions are noncompetitive.

Reasonable Accommodation

Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act requires agencies to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. A reasonable accommodation is defined as a change in the work environment or in the work processes that enable a qualified individual with a disability to experience equal employment opportunities. The accommodation must be effective in meeting the individual's needs by addressing any barriers created by functional limitations.

Types of reasonable accommodations include, but are not limited to:

  • modification or adjustment to a job application process that permits an individual with a disability to be considered for a job;
  • modification or adjustment that enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform essential job functions, and
  • modification or adjustment that enables an employee with a disability to experience equal employment benefits and privileges.

Reasonable accommodation is available to both applicants and agency employees with disabilities.

Accommodation requests require careful consideration, and ICE may ask the requestor to provide sufficiently detailed medical documentation to substantiate the need for reasonable accommodation.

Accommodations that enable a disabled person to compete for a job, perform job duties once hired and experience equal benefits and privileges of employment will be considered. Reasonable accommodations do not include removing essential job functions, lowering production standards, creating new jobs, purchasing personal need items or providing accommodations that pose an undue hardship.

Reasonable Accommodation Process

If you are an applicant who will need accommodations for an ICE interview, please let your interviewer know. The interviewer will work with the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights to ensure the necessary accommodations are in place.

Who determines whether an employee has a disability?

The employee's healthcare provider and ICE's medical review officer determine whether an employee has a disability. The reasonable accommodation coordinator and the Office of Principal Legal Advisor determine whether the accommodation requested is appropriate for the determined disability.

What accommodation, if any, would permit an employee to perform his/her essential job functions?

An employee should request an accommodation through his/her manager. The manager will coordinate with the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights to determine whether the employee is entitled to an accommodation. Within 10 days of receipt – excluding extenuating circumstances, the manager will approve or deny the request. If approved, the Office of Diversity and Civil Rights will recommend the most appropriation accommodation.

Accessibility

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act requires ICE to ensure that all events are fully accessible to employees with disabilities. For large events where it is not possible to determine who will attend, ICE's Office of Diversity and Civil Rights recommends using the following language in the event announcement:

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is committed to providing equal access to all event participants. If in order to attend, you need alternative formats or services, please contact the reasonable accommodations coordinator at (202) 732-0077 with your request.

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 ICE to ensure that all software and hardware is compliant with Section 508 requirements and all videos are captioned."

External Resources

Contact

For further clarification, email Michael Aronin, disability program manager or Tina Plunkett, reasonable accommodations coordinator.