The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to hiring a highly talented and diverse workforce, including individuals with disabilities.  We offer excellent benefits and opportunities for career advancement and jobs in the United States and abroad.  DHS’ commitment to the employment of individuals with disabilities includes having a disability employment strategic plan; issuing robust hiring goals, including for individuals with targeted disabilities; increasing the knowledge of disability-related resources; and promoting training in disability awareness and reasonable accommodation.

As the nation celebrated the historic 20^th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, President Barack Obama issued Executive Order 13548, Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, on July 26, 2010. The Executive Order provides that the Federal Government, as the Nation's largest employer, must become a model for the employment of individuals with disabilities.  It directs Executive departments and agencies to improve their efforts to employ Federal workers with disabilities and targeted disabilities through increased recruitment, hiring, and retention.

Employment Opportunities

The Department can appoint individuals with disabilities to federal jobs non-competitively through a process called Schedule A. Interested applicants may submit their resume, along with other required documents, directly to a Homeland Security Selective Placement Coordinator to be considered for a job. Individuals with disabilities may also apply for DHS employment opportunities through the traditional, or competitive, process via USAJOBS, the federal government’s official jobs website.  DHS has nine Selective Placement Coordinators who assist with recruitment, hiring, and accommodating individuals with disabilities.

For more information about employment of individuals with disabilities in the federal government and Schedule A hiring authority including eligibility, please visit the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employment of People with Disabilities site.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and/or questionnaire process, immediately notify the point of contact identified in the job announcement.  Also please see the information below in the section “Reasonable Accommodations.” Individuals with disabilities have much to contribute to our workplace and to accomplishing the various homeland security mission areas. 

Reasonable Accommodations

The Department of Homeland Security provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.  A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things usually are done that enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity.

Some of the accommodations available include:

• TTYs for use with telephones
• Hardware and software that make computers accessible if you have vision impairments or difficulty using your hands
• Sign language interpreters or readers
• Training and other written materials in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, audio tape, computer disk)
• Physical changes, such as installing a ramp or modifying a workspace.