New Employer Guide for Hiring Persons with Disabilities

February 20, 2013

NDIlogo The U.S. Department of Labor released a new resource. Check out the Employment and Training Administration's Employer Resource Guide for Hiring and Retaining Persons with Disabilities. The guide provides employers, human resource personnel, hiring managers and supervisors with relevant Federal, state and local level information around their legal obligations, along with resources that can assist in identifying, paying for, and implementing effective accommodation strategies, in hiring and/or retaining qualified employees with disabilities.

If you are an employer or service provider, check out our other resources at http://choosework.net/library/resources-materials-providers.html.

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Schedule A Provides People with Disabilities A Fast Track to Federal Employment

February 24, 2012

If you have a disability and are interested in working for the U.S. government, you should know about Schedule A, a Federal hiring initiative sponsored by the Office of Personnel Management. Schedule A helps make the hiring process easier for people with disabilities. Schedule A jobs have a shorter interview process and offer quicker on-site job placement.

You can have an exciting job, earn good wages, and receive medical benefits as a Federal employee. Schedule A is a win for people who have a disability and the employers who hire them. Read further to learn more about Schedule A.

Schedule A Fast Facts for People Who Have a Disability

The Schedule A hiring process allows federal agencies to interview, hire and/or promote people with disabilities without going through the “normal competitive process” required when applying for jobs online through www.usajobs.gov.

Schedule A benefits you by providing a connection between you and the employer.

Schedule A provides shorter interviews and job placement more quickly without you having to go through long traditional government interview processes.

To be eligible for Schedule A, you must have a disability that falls into one of three categories:

Intellectual
Severe physical
Psychiatric

Jobs posted on www.usajobs.gov will not be searchable or categorized as Schedule A jobs.

To find jobs, you should review job vacancy announcements posted on www.usajobs.gov and submit resumes for positions that are of interest. Please note, you can contact a Special Placement Coordinator(s) in the agency for which you wish to work for help.

Special Placement Coordinator(s) are people at each agency who understand Schedule A and are trained to assist people with disabilities. They will help you navigate the agency's interview and hiring process.

To be eligible for Schedule A, you must show “proof of your disability” and “certification of job readiness.” You can refer to this as the "Schedule A Letter."

The "Schedule A Letter" can come from licensed medical professionals (e.g., your doctor), vocational rehabilitation (VR) specialists, and Federal or State agencies that issue or provide disability benefits. The same professional can also provide a letter certifying you are job ready.
Certification of job readiness is determined through the letter from your benefits provider, your resume, as well as during your interview.

Once you find a job and apply, let the agency know you are eligible for Schedule A by sending your resume with an attached copy of your "Schedule A Letter" and your certification of job readiness.

If you are selected, you will be interviewed in a timely manner and placed in the job if your skills and qualifications meet the requirements of the agency.

Start building your future today! To learn more about Schedule A, read The ABCs of Schedule A.

No matter what kind of job you are looking for, a service provider can help. Learn more about Ticket to Work and how it can lead to a good job, a good career, and a better self-supporting future. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work, email us at support@chooseworkttw.net, or call our Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

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Social Security's 2012 Ticket to Work. What's on the Horizon for Ticket to Work Participants

February 21, 2012

If you have a disability and are ready to work or return to work, 2012 offers an optimistic outlook for employment opportunities. With a surge in disability employment support from both the White House and President Obama, you can expect positive changes on the employment front.

Below are some of the federal hiring initiatives that could positively affect Ticket to Work participants like you in 2012.

Career Path Sign

The Office of Personnel Management's Schedule A hiring initiative is a federal employment program for people with disabilities. It allows eligible individuals to apply non-competitively for positions within the federal government and avoid lengthy hiring processes.
The Department of Defense and the Department of Labor’s Workforce Recruitment Program is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal employers with college students and recent graduates with disabilities who want to improve their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs.
The White House announced support for putting Wounded Warriors and returning veterans back to work. The Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Labor have programs providing vocational rehabilitation services and job training for veterans with disabilities.

Ticket to Work can provide you with training, career counseling, and job support. Find a service provider in your area.

Learn more about Ticket to Work and how it can lead to a good job, a good career, and a better self-supporting future. Visit www.socialsecurity.gov/work, email us at support@chooseworkttw.net or call our Ticket to Work Help Line at 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY/TDD).

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DOL Seeks to Improve Job Opportunities for Americans with Disabilities With Historic Seven Percent Hiring Goal for Federal Contractors

January 23, 2012

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs recently presented a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on a change to affirmative action requirements that may help Social Security disability beneficiaries go to work or enter the workforce for the first time. The proposed rule requires private businesses that provide contract work for the Federal government set a disability employment hiring goal of seven percent. The new requirement applies generally to all employers who have contracts or subcontracts with the Federal government that exceed $10,000.

This proposed rule is part of Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Why Revise the Regulation Now?

The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that people with disabilities face much higher unemployment rates than people without disabilities. Similar proposed rules demonstrate the Federal government’s commitment to close the employment gap for people with disabilities.

New Rule to Affect Social Security Disability Beneficiaries

Social Security disability beneficiaries participating in the Ticket to Work program may have the opportunity to benefit from the proposed rule since it will require Federal contractors to implement the following actions:

Establish formal linkage agreements with State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, Social Security Ticket to Work Employment Networks, and employment services agencies.
List all job openings with DOL One Stop Career Centers.
Maintain records of outreach efforts to individuals with disabilities.
Annually review effectiveness of recruitment efforts.

DOL Encourages Comments from the Public

DOL's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs welcomes public commentary on the proposal. Comments must be submitted by February 7, 2012 at http://www.regulations.gov/. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/faqs/Section503_NPRM_faq.htm.

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