1. The Schedule A Hiring Authority for Individuals With Disabilities Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR)

2. 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

3. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

4. www.dvrcolorado.com Why Hire People With Disabilities? Qualified candidates Reliability Loyalty Creativity

5. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

6. www.dvrcolorado.com How Can DVR Help With Recruitment? Provide access to qualified individuals –Prescreened applicants –Knowledge of applicant skills/abilities –Knowledge of employer needs

7. www.dvrcolorado.com How Can DVR Help with Reasonable Accommodations? Provide information & guidance Evaluate work environment Suggest modifications Training on use of accommodations

8. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

9. www.dvrcolorado.com How Can DVR Support Your Current Employees? Retention Services –Job Assessments –Disability Resources

10. www.dvrcolorado.com Executive Order: Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities White House Press Release July 26, 2010

11. www.dvrcolorado.com 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 …”

12. www.dvrcolorado.com More on the Executive Order 1.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)

13. www.dvrcolorado.com The Schedule A Hiring Authority for Individuals With Disabilities

14. www.dvrcolorado.com 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 service after 2-years of satisfactory performance

15. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

16. www.dvrcolorado.com Eligibility & Documentation for Schedule A

17. www.dvrcolorado.com Eligibility Requirements Applicants must have: 1. An intellectual disability, or 2. A severe physical disability, or 3. A psychiatric disability

18. www.dvrcolorado.com Required Documentation (usually included in one letter) 1. Proof of Disability 2. Certification of Job Readiness (Candidates must meet minimum qualifications)

19. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

20. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

21. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

22. www.dvrcolorado.com Who May Provide Certification of Job Readiness? The same entities as Proof of Disability

23. www.dvrcolorado.com 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.”

24. www.dvrcolorado.com SAMPLE SCHEDULE A LETTER DATE: August 16, 2015 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 (Counselor’s Name) (Counselor’s Signature) 303.866.2217 John.Elway@state.co.us (Phone Number) (Email Address)

25. www.dvrcolorado.com The Schedule A Process

26. www.dvrcolorado.com 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)

27. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

28. www.dvrcolorado.com 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)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)

29. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

30. www.dvrcolorado.com 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

31. www.dvrcolorado.com 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.comhttp://www.dvrcolorado.com CAP: http://cap.tricare.mil/http://cap.tricare.mil/ JAN: http://askjan.org/index.htmlhttp://askjan.org/index.html

32. For More Information or Additional Training Contact Nate Slattengren Federal Business Outreach Specialist 303.866.2217 or Nate.Slattengren@state.co.us www.dvrcolorado.com