The Schedule A Hiring Authority for Individuals With Disabilities

Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)

www.dvrcolorado.com

What is Colorado DVR?

• A Colorado State Agency • Assist individuals with disabilities to:

– Prepare for employment– Obtain employment– Perform job tasks– Maintain employment

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What is Our Process?

• Individuals must apply for services and meet eligibility criteria in order to receive support

• A Rehabilitation Counselor works with each individual to determine suitable employment goals and necessary services

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Why Hire People With Disabilities?

• Qualified candidates

• Reliability

• Loyalty

• Creativity

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What Can DVR do for Federal Employers?

• Partner with you to– Recruit qualified candidates – Facilitate accommodations for success– Promote a positive and barrier-free workplace– Support your current employees who may

have disabilities

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How Can DVR Help With Recruitment?

• Provide access to qualified individuals– Prescreened applicants– Knowledge of applicant skills/abilities– Knowledge of employer needs

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How Can DVR Help with Reasonable Accommodations?

• Provide information & guidance• Evaluate work environment• Suggest modifications• Training on use of accommodations

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How Can DVR Promote a Positive and Barrier-Free

Workplace?• Create awareness • Offer customized trainings & workshops

– Environmental, programmatic & attitudinal barriers

– Specific disabilities & disability etiquette– Reasonable Accommodations– Schedule A Training for federal staff

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How Can DVR Support Your Current Employees?

• Retention Services

– Job Assessments

– Disability Resources

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Executive Order:Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities

White House Press ReleaseJuly 26, 2010

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Executive Order & Schedule A

“In implementing their plans, agencies, to the extent permitted by law, shall increase utilization of the Federal Government's Schedule A excepted service hiring authority for persons with disabilities …”

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More on the Executive Order1. OPM has developed model strategies for recruiting and

hiring people with disabilities (PWD)

2. Individual agencies developed recruitment and hiring plans for PWD – submitted to OPM by April 11, 2011

3. OPM must report agencies’ progress in hiring PWD to the President and the public

4. Agencies must implement strategies for retention of current federal employees with disabilities and those injured on the job (i.e. – reasonable accommodations and return-to-work planning)

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The Schedule A Hiring Authority for Individuals With Disabilities

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What is Schedule A?• Appointing Authority is 5 CFR 213.3102(u)

• An excepted service hiring authority which may be used to hire individuals with disabilities

• Non-competitive appointment to Temporary, Time-limited or Permanent positions

• No vacancy announcement required

• Traditional hiring procedures can be by-passed

• Employee may be converted to competitive serviceafter 2-years of satisfactory performance

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Benefits to Federal Managers

• Save time and resources– Use a simplified hiring process

• No public posting is required• Fill vacancies efficiently with qualified candidates

• Increase workforce diversity

• Meet three Executive Orders with one hire– Increase hiring of people with disabilities (PWD)

– Increase hiring of veterans with disabilities

– Shorten hiring timelines

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Eligibility & Documentation for Schedule A

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Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must have:

1. An intellectual disability, or

2. A severe physical disability, or

3. A psychiatric disability

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Required Documentation(usually included in one letter)

1. Proof of Disability

2. Certification of Job Readiness

(Candidates must meet minimum qualifications)

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1. Proof of Disability• The rules do not specifically exclude any

type of disability

• Documentation need only certify that the applicant has a disability which is long-term and/or permanent in nature

• Individuals with targeted and reportable disabilities are eligible

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Who May Provide Proof of Disability?

1. A licensed medical professional (i.e. physician or other medical professional duly certified by a state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory to practice medicine)

2. Licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist(federal, state or private)

3. Any federal agency, state agency, or agency of District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits

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2. Certification of Job Readiness

• A determination that an applicant is likely to succeed in the performance of the job he/she has applied for

• If unable to obtain, then the agency can appoint the individual to a temporary assignment in lieu of this certification

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Who May Provide Certification of Job

Readiness?• The same entities as Proof of Disability

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What Does Job Readiness Mean?

(From EEOC’s ABC’s of Schedule A)• There are many interpretations, both by federal

agencies & VR professionals• Resume and reference reviews should be

thorough to accurately assess job readiness

“Ultimately, there are not hard & fast rules when it comes to job readiness … Hiring

agencies are free to decide for themselves who is a good fit for their open positions.”

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SAMPLE SCHEDULE A LETTER

DATE: April 19, 2023

FROM: John Elway, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

TO: USDA Forest Service

This letter serves as certification that Josh McDaniels is an individual with a severe physical, intellectual, or psychological disability that qualifies him for consideration under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u), Schedule A hiring authority, appointment for Persons with Disabilities. Josh McDaniels is also job ready and is likely to succeed in performing the duties of the Quarterbacks Coach position.

I may be contacted at:

John Elway John Elway(Counselor’s Name) (Counselor’s Signature)

303.866.2217 John.Elway@state.co.us(Phone Number) (Email Address)

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The Schedule A Process

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Step 1: Hiring Manager Meets with HR

• Hiring Manager asks HR Specialist to help fill a position noncompetitively using Schedule A

– Consult agency’s Selective Placement Coordinator (SPC) or Disability Program Manager (DPM) for assistance, if necessary

(Note: SPC’s or DPM’s may be housed in HR, EEO or OCR)

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Step 2: HR Specialist Develops Simple Vacancy Announcement

Announcement should include:– Job information (work schedule, pay, location, etc.)– Essential job functions– Basic qualifications– How to apply– HR Specialist’s contact information– Reasonable accommodation statement with

agency’s point of contact for accommodations

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Step 3: Recruitment• HR Specialist forwards announcement to agency’s SPC

or DPM and asks them to help market the opportunity

• HR Specialist forwards announcement to their local contacts to find qualified candidates

– Colorado DVR (Nate.Slattengren@state.co.us)

– CSAVR National Employment Team (The NET)

– VA’s Voc Rehab & Employment (VR&E)

– American Indian Rehabilitation (AIR)

– Wounded Warriors Program

– Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)

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Step 4: Review & Selection

• HR Specialist receives and reviews applications for basic qualifications

• HR Specialist issues list of qualified candidates to hiring manager for consideration

• Hiring Manager reviews resumes & references

• Interviews may be conducted

• Selection is made and HR extends offer on behalf of the agency

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Step 5: Offer, Acceptance & Post-Hire

• HR Specialist and SPC/DPM help to coordinate:– Start date: may be based on timeline in which the needed

reasonable accommodations are in place– Accommodations needed for on-boarding and orientation

• Post-Hire– Standard Form (SF) 256: Self Identification of Disability

• Confidential, but mandatory for Schedule A hires• NOT issued prior to hire• Typically completed by employee during on-boarding

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Online Resources• OPM - Online Schedule A training:

https://hrmadesimple.golearnportal.org/

• OPM - Individuals with Disabilities:http://www.usajobs.gov/individualswithdisabilities.asp

• ABC’s of Schedule A: http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/initiatives/lead/abcs_of_schedule_a.cfm

• Executive Order 13548: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasing-federal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities

• Reasonable Accommodations:DVR: http://www.dvrcolorado.com

CAP: http://cap.tricare.mil/

JAN: http://askjan.org/index.html

For More Information or Additional Training

Contact Nate Slattengren Federal Business Outreach Specialist

303.866.2217 or

Nate.Slattengren@state.co.us

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