Positions

DRC Manager

The DRC Manager oversees the day-to-day operation of the Disability Resource Center. The manager serves as supervisor to DRC staff, and is primarily responsible for budget forecasting, setting policies, goals and objectives for the organization. The manager also approves purchases of office supplies and equipment, accommodations items or services, and other purchases. This person also serves as the approving official for Security, IT, and other administrative requests.

Disability Resource Analyst

The Disability Resource Analysts in the DRC process requests for reasonable accommodations. They work with employees and managers or applicants with disabilities to determine accommodation needs, make recommendations for appropriate solutions, and procure the necessary products or services to deliver the accommodations.

Analyst on Call

The Analyst on Call is the primary point of contact within the DRC for answering customer inquiries that come in on a day-to-day basis via e-mail, telephone or in person. The Analyst on Call is also the first person to receive and evaluate new accommodation requests as they come into the office. The Analyst on Call is rotated among the Analyst team on a week to week basis.

Section 508 Coordinator

The DRC’s Section 508 Coordinator is a subject matter expert on the requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which specifies that electronic and information technology must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. In this capacity, the Section 508 Coordinator supports the Department in understanding the requirements and provides input on practical solutions toward achieving compliance.

Primarily, the coordinator:

• provides training and consultation on Section 508 requirements and best practices, and
• serves as a subject matter expert and provides technical assistance to policy makers within DOT and throughout the Federal Government

Departmental Selective Placement Program Manager

The Departmental Selective Placement Program Manager is located within DRC. The main purpose of this program is to increase hiring, retention, and advancement of individuals with disabilities in the Department.  The primary responsibility of the Selective Placement Program Manager is to manage the overall program for the Department by setting policies and working with OA level Selective Placement Program Coordinators to establish goals, improve communication and networking, and streamlining processes to create a more coordinated and consistent program throughout the Department.

Communications/Customer Outreach Specialist

The Communications and Customer Outreach Specialist develops informational materials for the DRC, both in paper and electronic form. This individual is responsible for creating educational materials and for designing and maintaining the DRC website. The Customer Outreach Specialist also coordinates the activities of the DRC Consumer Advisory Board.

Administrative Team

Program Assistant

The Program Assistant supports DOT Disability Resource Center and also the other programs of the Workforce Quality Division.

The Program Assistant is responsible for the following activities:

• answering the telephone and forwarding calls to the appropriate staff,
• monitoring and forwarding e-mail messages that are received in the DRC general mailbox,
• performing data entry of new accommodation requests,
• monitoring office supplies and reordering supplies as needed, and
• managing the DRC scooter loan program.

Interpreting Coordinator/Program Specialist

The Interpreting Coordinator is responsible for managing interpreting requests for Headquarters Region interpreting services provided by the DRC.  The Interpreting Coordinator manages interpreting services, determines which resources will be used to fill a request, assigns and coordinates schedules and resolves conflict as they arise. The Interpreting Coordinator receives and transmits requested information accurately and within the timeframes required.  The coordinator assesses the needs of supervisors, managers, and deaf and hard of hearing employees to determine service requirements.  Ensures procedures for the program are current, uniform, available and consistently applied.

In addition to the Interpreting Coordinator functions, the individual supports the DRC in other support functions relating to procurement of accommodations, reviewing invoices, credit card procurement of non-contracted accommodations services or items; arranging for reasonable accommodation services, including obtaining quotes and coordinating services to support the Disability Resource Analysts; and preparing budgetary and statistical reports as required to support the DRC.

Staff Interpreters

The DRC staff includes two full-time sign language interpreters to assist with filling our interpreting needs.

The DRC Consumer Advisory Board

The DRC Consumer Advisory Board is one means that the DRC uses to communicate with our customers on DRC initiatives and to receive feedback from them on our services. The Consumer Advisory Board meets bi-monthly and is composed of the following representatives:

• DRC Manager,
• one representative from each of the two primary associations for employees with disabilities in DOT (DEAF/DOT and DOT/ADA),
• manager who has worked with DRC to obtain an accommodation for his or her employee,
• representative from a field organization,
• representative from the Departmental Office of Civil Rights,
• FAA’s National Disability Program Manager, and
• representative from the Secretary’s Disability Advisory Council

Several of the positions on the Board are “floating” positions. The individual in the manager role agrees to attend three meetings, and usually, a different field representative is chosen for each meeting. This helps to ensure that we receive input from a broad variety of customers with various types of services received from the DRC.