Schedule A Tips for Hiring Managers

• The ABCs of Schedule A Tips for Hiring Managers on using the Schedule A Appointing Authority

• The Hiring Manager Handbook

• Non-competitive Hiring Authority – the OHR Fact Sheet

• The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)

  • WRP  is the primary pipeline bringing students and recent graduates with disabilities into federal employment and the largest database of Schedule A candidates in the federal government. Please sign up as an employer to utilize this database.

Recruitment Resources for PWD

• Schedule A Letter Template

• The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP)

  • WRP is the primary pipeline bringing students and recent graduates with disabilities into federal employment and the largest database of Schedule A candidates in the federal government.  Please register as a student.

• The ABCs of SCHEDULE A Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobs

• Individuals with disabilities USAJOBS Webpage

• Individuals with Disabilities Office of Personnel Management Webpage

• Online Guide to Scholarships and Resources for Students With Disabilities

The Disability Intelligence Training Library contains a catalogue of currently released and upcoming training material.  If you would like to request a training session, please submit your request to  shonda.moore@usda.gov 

• National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
  • 2021 NDEAM

  • 2022 NDEAM

• Leveraging Schedule A  Authority

• Workforce Recruitment Program

• Nobody Left Behind: Emergency Preparedness for PWD and Mobility Impairments

• Hidden Disabilities

• Health Risk Factors for PWD- Coming Soon

• Breaking Barriers: Removing Stigmas and Stereotypes- Coming Soon

• Use of Schedule A Hiring Authority

  • A Schedule A Letter is completed by your medical provider and serves as certification that you are an individual with a severe physical, intellectual, or psychiatric disability that qualifies you for hiring consideration under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u), Schedule A hiring authority, appointment for Professionals with Disabilities.

  • Schedule A Letter template

  • The ABCs of Schedule A Tips for Hiring Managers on using the Schedule A Appointing Authority

• Self-Identification of a Disability

  • Each agency in the Federal government has established programs to facilitate the hiring, placement, and advancement of individuals with disabilities. Self-identification of disability status is essential for effective data collection and analysis of the Federal government’s efforts. Self-identification of a disability is voluntary and kept in the strictest of confidence.  Self-identification Standard Form-256 is the form used to self-identify your disability.  An individual with a disability is defined as a person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities; (2) has a record of such an impairment; or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. This definition is provided by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 701, et seq.). 

  • Standard Form 256: Self Identification of a Disability.

• Assistive Technology: USDA TARGET Center

  • Assistive technology (AT) is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of professionals with disabilities. AT can be low-tech: communication boards made of cardboard or fuzzy felt. AT can be high-tech: special-purpose computers.

  • The USDA TARGET Center is the point of contact for USDA employees wishing to request assistive technology at no cost through the USDA/CAP Partnership.

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) established the Technology & Accessible Resources Give Employment Today (TARGET) Center in 1992 to utilize the power of technology and provide impactful services related to improving accessibility and contributing to the complete employment experience of individuals with disabilities.

  • Visit the TARGET Center

  • Watch video about the importance of assistive technology

• Reasonable Accommodations

  • Please forward all reasonable accommodation request and inquiries to the Reasonable Accommodation inbox at reasonableaccommodations@usda.gov 

• 508 compliance- In 1998 the US Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act to require Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to professionals with disabilities. Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508 (29 U.S.C. § 794d), agencies must give employees with disabilities and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others.

  • Section 508 Tools | Section508.gov

  • Section508.gov

  • United States Department of Agriculture- TARGET Center

• COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES

  • Intelligent.com is a student-focused publication dedicated to delivering data-driven research and insights to aid students and educational institutions nationwide.

  • Find out more about Intelligent.com at https://www.intelligent.com/college-planning-guide-for-students-with-learning-disabilities/.