Professionals with Disabilities

The Professionals with Disabilities (PWD) Outreach and Recruitment Program strives to advocate for PWD by promoting awareness, inclusion and equality for all members of this constituent group; identifying barriers to equality for PWD; providing recommendations for avoidance, mitigation and elimination of these barriers; and ensuring that PWD have equal access and opportunity for hiring, training, development and promotion.

See the Person Not the Disability

A disability is any condition that makes it more difficult to do certain activities or effectively interact. These conditions, or impairments, may be cognitive, developmental, intellectual, mental, physical, sensory, or a combination of multiple factors. Disability-causing impairments may be inherited or acquired over the course of a lifetime.

Mission: Collaborate with Management, the Office of Human Resources (OHR) and the Civil Rights Staff (CRS) to relay the concerns and needs of Professional with Disabilities (PWD) and to ensure equality in hiring, training, developmental and promotional opportunities.

Objectives:

Coordinate employment workshops and recruitment efforts with CRS, Special Emphasis Program Managers and Human Resources to assist PWD in resume writing, enhance interview skills; participate in recruitment and outreach and build a data bank of job recruitment sources, thereby increasing the quantitative and qualitative aspect of hiring PWDs a force multiplier for diversity
Build support and instill pride for PWD by establishing support groups, conducting seminars and assisting with celebratory activities for National Disability Employment Awareness Month which is held in October
Provide Disability Intelligence Training for Managers to increase awareness of the value of PWDs in a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Program Manager: Shonda Moore, provides oversight and support to the constituent group by promoting the mission, goals and objectives of the PWD program. Please contact Shonda Moore at Shonda.Moore@usda.gov or at 202-937-4064.

Upcoming Events

Upcoming events and workshops to help the FSIS with its efforts to hire people with disabilities.

Virtual Diversity and Inclusion Conference. Presentation on Hidden Disabilities on August 30, 2023 at 2:30pm EST
Disability Intelligence Training will be conducted on April 4, 2023 at 10:00am EST for Philadelphia District Frontline Supervisors.

Strategies for Recruiting, Hiring, Retaining and Advancing Professionals with Disabilities

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.