Tips for Applicants with Disabilities Applying for Federal Jobs

The Federal Government is the nation's largest employer and hires people in many different fields, from accounting to public affairs, health care to law enforcement, engineering to agriculture, and everything in between. Pursuing federal employment and contributing to the lives of all Americans can be personally and professionally rewarding. As a federal employee, you and your family will also have access to a range of benefits available to those who choose federal service.
Understanding the Federal Application & Hiring Process

The hiring process for the Federal Government is unique and different from hiring in the private sector. It uses a variety of hiring authorities and programs authorized by Congressional statutes and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations. The Federal Government also has placed greater emphasis on increasing the number of employees with disabilities in the federal workforce. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its implementing regulations require federal agencies to affirmatively employ individuals with disabilities.

Here are some important things to be aware of when it comes to the federal application and hiring process:

• Most federal employees are hired through the competitive service or excepted service. Competitive service is the most common hiring process used in the federal government. In competitive service, an individual must go through a competitive process (i.e., competitive examining) that is open to all applicants. To apply through this type of service, simply submit your application online through the USAJOBS website.
• Excepted service jobs (non-competitive appointments) are based on a law, Executive Order or an action taken by OPM creating exceptions to the competitive service rules, thus providing eligible individuals with another way to apply for and be hired into federal jobs.
• The Schedule A hiring authority for persons with disabilities, or simply, "Schedule A," is a type of excepted service hiring authority. It streamlines what can sometimes be a lengthy hiring process, and permits hiring officials to select a candidate for a job solely from a list of qualified Schedule A applicants. Schedule A allows agencies to hire qualified applicants with disabilities without posting the job position, thereby reducing the time it may take to fill a vacancy. It is important to note that an individual appointed to a federal position under Schedule A is subject to a probationary period of up to 2 years. After a successful completion of the probationary period, individuals can be converted to permanent status. The regulations concerning Schedule A can be found in 5 C.F.R. 213.3102(u)and 5 C.F.R 315.709.
• EEOC's Question and Answers: Promoting Employment of Individuals with Disabilities in the Federal Workforce provides helpful information regarding the Federal Government's obligation to engage in affirmative action in employing people with disabilities.
• The Veterans Employment Initiative is a government-wide strategy directed toward increasing the recruitment and employment of military veterans in the Federal Government. There are several special hiring authorities, in both the competitive service and excepted service, designed for eligible veterans. These hiring authorities include the Veterans' Recruitment Appointment (VRA), the Veterans' Employment Act of 1998 (VEOA), the 30% or More Disabled Veteran and the Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program.Veterans with disabilities may also be eligible for Schedule A Hiring for people with disabilities. More information about these hiring authorities, and how to apply using them, is located on the Feds Hire Vets website.
• Visit OPM's website for more information about the application and hiring process.

For More of "Tips for Applicants with Disabilities Applying for Federal Jobs" publication, visit the EEOC at:

https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/applicants_with_disabilities.cfm