Disability Employment & Federal Hiring

Disability Employment & Federal Hiring – DisaboomJobs

Disability employment in the federal government – the country’s biggest employer – has hovered around seven percent since 1980. More than 209,000 people with disabilities are currently in the federal civilian workforce.

Opportunities for disability employment exist in all levels of the federal government, from janitors to top executive positions. Government agencies are required by law to seek out qualified candidates with disabilities, but you increase your chances by being proactive and searching out a position.

Uncle Sam pays well. According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the average annual federal worker’s compensation, including benefits, is $106,871. This compares to just $53,288 in the private sector. Here’s the condensed version for getting on their payroll:

Federal Hiring Options
• Competitive Appointments. This is how most federal employees obtain their job. Applicants apply directly to the hiring department or agency, which use assessment tools to evaluate candidates. If a written test is required, testing accommodations are available upon request.

Testing arrangements may include, but are not limited to: readers, examinations in Braille, tape or large print for visually impaired competitors; and interpreters for test instructions and modifications of parts of tests for hearing impaired competitors.

Research job options on the web. All you have to do is create an account, enter your search criteria, select the jobs you’re interested in and send your resume and job application.

The Office of Personnel Management has a website to provide job vacancy information worldwide. It allows you to apply online, and is available in a variety of formats, so people with disabilities are ensured accessibility. An interactive voice response telephone system is available at 912-757-3000 or TDD 912-744-2299.

• Time-Limited Appointments. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and demonstrate your reliability on the job, so don’t be hesitant to sign on for a temporary or term appointment.

Temporary appointments cannot exceed one year, with a one-year extension possible. The work isn’t permanent in nature.

Term appointments, by contrast, are for project work, extraordinary workload, scheduled termination of a job, reorganization, contracting, uncertain future funding and/or maintaining permanent positions for employees who would otherwise be displaced.

• Student Programs. Check here for student employment options.

• Special Authorities. Don’t let the weird wording throw you; this is how a lot of people with disabilities get hired by the federal government. Known fully as “excepted service special appointing authorities,” this convoluted wording is trying to tell you that people with disabilities are eligible for federal hiring without having to go through the competitive appointment process.

You can be granted a special authority if you have a severe physical disability, cognitive disability, are recovered from mental illness, or if you are a reader, interpreter or personal assistant for an employee who has a severe disability. Worth noting: if you have a satisfactory service record for two years (or one if you’re assisting someone with a disability), you may qualify for conversion to the competitive service.

Federal Certification
If you have a physical disability, the feds are going to need proof. Showing them your prosthetic leg is not enough. You have to have an appropriate certificate from either a State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency or the Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition, you’ll need a medical report.
Check out the myriad parameters for obtaining certification here.

Disabled Veterans
Disabled veterans qualify for special treatment if they have a disability rating of 30 percent or more, or if they’re enrolled in a vocational rehabilitation program. If the veteran completes such a job successfully, a Certificate of Training is awarded and the veteran can be appointed to an appropriate job noncompetitively.

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