Recruiting and Retaining Individuals with Disabilities in the Federal Workforce Richard L. Horne, Ed

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Recruiting and Retaining Individuals with
Disabilities in the Federal WorkforceRichard L.
Horne, Ed.D.horne.richard_at_dol.govMarch 18, 2009
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ODEPs VISION

• A world in which people with
• disabilities have unlimited
• employment opportunities

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WHO WE ARE

• The only federal agency dealing solely with
  disability employment policy
• Led by an Assistant Secretary

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WHAT WE DO

• Build knowledge and advance
• disability employment policy
• that affect and promote
• systems change

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ODEPs APPROACH ISMARKET-BASED
Demand
and
Supply
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EXPECTATIONS

• Increased Capacity of Service Delivery Systems

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EXPECTATIONS

• Increased Planning and Coordination within
  Service Delivery Systems

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EXPECTATIONS

• Increased Employer Access to Supports Services
  for Recruitment, Hiring, Retention, Promotion

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Trends in Federal Employment
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Percentage of the Executive Branch of Workers
with Disabilities
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Distribution of Employees with Disabilities by
Agency
N120,000
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TRENDS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

• Trends in Hiring Schedule A employees

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TRENDS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

• From FY 1995 to 2004, total Federal workforce
  decreased by 251,000 employees, net change of
  -8.78.
• Number of Federal employees with targeted
  disabilities declined from 31,359 in FY 1995 to
  25,917 in FY 2004 a net change of -17.35
• In FY 2004, individuals with targeted
  disabilities were less than one percent (0.99)
  of the workforce
• Employees with targeted disabilities at the
  Department of Commerce represented 0.84 of the
  workforce.
• Source EEOC FY 2004 Annual Report on the Federal
  Work Force

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TRENDS IN FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

• Average GS grade level for employees with
  targeted disabilities was 8.4, nearly 2 grade
  levels below the government-wide average of 9.9
• Between FY 1995 and 2004, the representation rate
  for employees with targeted disabilities in SPL
  (Senior Pay Level) positions remained essentially
  unchanged (0.43 in 1995 to 0.44 in 2004)
• In FY 2004, the feeder grades to SPL (GS 14 and
  15), employees with disabilities were only 1.03
• According to OPM, 6.9 of the total civilian
  workforce has disabilities
• Source EEOC FY 2004 Annual Report on the Federal
  Work Force

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Perspectives of Federal Managers
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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO MANAGERS

• Two surveys conducted in 2000 and 2001 of Federal
  agency managers and leaders
• Conducted by Cornell University and the
  Presidential Task Force on Employment of People
  with Disabilities
• 403 HR/EEO professionals (97 response rate)
• 1,001 supervisors (93 response rate) 56 were
  senior management and 95 had been with their
  agency for 5 or more years
• Source Bruyère, S., Erickson, W. and Horne, R.
  (2002) Disability Employment Policies and
  Practices in U.S. Federal Government Agencies
  EEO/HR and Supervisor Perspectives

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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO

• Findings from the HR/EEO Managers
• 94 made their existing facilities accessible
• 7 out 10 have formal process for accommodations
• Quarter of respondents frequently used Schedule A
  or B provisions
• Staffs least familiar with interview
  considerations for visual disabilities and
  deaf/hard of hearing
• 93 said that they needed to change co-worker and
  supervisor attitudes towards employees with
  disabilities (only 29 said it was easy or very
  easy)

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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO

• Greatest barriers to advancement of people with
  disabilities according to the HR/EEO managers
• Lack of related experience (56)
• Lack of requisite skills and training (47)
• Attitudes and stereotypes (45)
• Supervisor knowledge of accommodations (34)
• Cost of accommodations (19)
• Cost of training (12)
• Additional cost of supervision (11)

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PERSPECTIVES OF MANAGERS

• Nearly 2/3 of the supervisors had at least one
  employee with a disability or made least one
  accommodation over the past 5 years
• ¾ said their agencies had formal processes for
  handling accommodation requests
• Nearly half were not aware of accommodation
  resources, irrespective of their own experience
  supervising employees with disabilities
• Over half of those involved in hiring were
  familiar with special hiring authorities of the
  Federal government

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PERSPECTIVES OF MANAGERS

• 1/3 of white collar supervisors thought it was
  possible to relocate some office-based full-time
  positions to home-based or other off-site
  facilities
• 60 of supervisors were not aware of Executive
  Order 13163 (requiring the hiring of 100,00
  qualified individuals with disabilities)
• 2 out of 5 were aware of EEOC guidelines for
  Federal agencies to establish written procedures
  on accommodations (Executive Order 13164)

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PERSPECTIVES OF MANAGERS

• Greatest barriers to advancement of people with
  disabilities according to the Federal
  supervisors
• Lack of employees related experience (48)
• Lack of employees requisite skills and training
  (43)
• Supervisor knowledge of accommodations (23)
• Accommodation not provided when needed (21)
• Attitudes and stereotypes (20)
• Lack of established procedures (17)
• Additional travel costs (17)
• Cost of accommodations (11)
• Additional cost of supervision (10)
• Cost of training (8)

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PERSPECTIVES OF MANAGERS

• Resources used by supervisors
• Central human resource personnel 30 (15 not
  aware)
• EAP 30 (4 not aware of it)
• Servicing HR personnel 28
• Safety and ergonomic staff 28
• EEO office 23
• Occupational Health and Medical Staff 22
• Disability management staff 14
• State Voc/Rehab agencies 9
• Job Accommodations Network 3 (47 not aware of
  it)

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PERSPECTIVES OF MANAGERS

• Supervisor opinions on reducing barriers to
  employment
• Visible top management commitment 85
• Skills training for employees with disabilities
  83
• Mentoring 78
• Staff training 76
• On-site consultation/technical assistance
  76Changing co-worker/supervisor attitudes 69
• Special budget allocation 67
• Include it in supervisor performance appraisals
  60
• Short-term outside assistance with job
  supervision 57

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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO MANAGERS

• Comparing EEO/HR and Supervisors
• HR/EEO more likely to make interview
  accommodations
• HR/EEO more likely to see costs of
  accommodations and supervisor knowledge as the
  greatest barriers
• HR/EEO more than twice as likely than supervisors
  to say coworker attitudes are barrier
• HR/EEO more likely to be aware of agencys return
  to work policies

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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO MANAGERS

• Conclusions from the data analysis
• Increase the information dissemination across the
  government about affirmative action
• Recommend technical assistance and training in
  accommodations for applicants with visual or
  auditory disabilities
• Understand why there appears to be hesitancy in
  requesting accommodations
• Promote the use of the Federal hiring authorities
  
• Provide more information on accommodations for
  specific populations (blind, deaf, psychiatric
  disabilities, job coaches)

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PERSPECTIVES OF HR/EEO MANAGERS

• Conclusions from the data analysis, Continued
• Address attitudinal issues through diversity and
  inclusion strategies
• Engage unions in hiring and retention efforts
• Provide further training and technical assistance
• Equip and promote resources used to resolve civil
  rights issues
• Utilize alternative dispute resolution and
  disability management programs
• Focus on training and education of people with
  disabilities (i.e. WIA)
• Imperative to obtain visible commitment from top
  management

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The Business Case
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THE BUSINESS CASE

• Hiring and promoting people with disabilities a
  sound management strategy used by many successful
  agencies nationwide a positive impact on the
  bottom line
• Increases employee retention, lower costs of
  turnover
• Meet or exceed performance standards
• Hire employees with the skills you need

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THE BUSINESS CASE

• Gives your agency a competitive edge
• Meet Federal employment goals
• Creative recruiting meets the human capital
  component of the Presidents Management Agenda
• Fulfill the New Freedom Initiative
• Attract qualified candidates in shrinking
  workforce
• OPM estimates that by 2010 approximately 71 of
  the federal workforce will be eligible for
  retirement-- and 41 will
• Agencies need to cast wider net for talent to
  reach people who otherwise would not consider
  Federal jobs
• Reduce costs of employee benefits
• Returning an employee to work saves money in lost
  time, increased insurance costs, replacement, and
  retraining

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THE BUSINESS CASE

• Acquire creative problem-solving skills since
  people with disabilities tend to bring unique
  perspectives to business problems
• Fill positions quickly using hiring authorities
• People with disabilities can apply for
  competitive and non-competitive jobs and through
  special hiring authorities for students and
  veterans
• Level the playing field with technology and
  telework
• Accommodations are frequently easy to make and
  cost-effective
• Typical cost is 600

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Tools and Resources for Federal Managers
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HIRING AUTHORITIES

• Hiring authorities simplify the process
• Schedule A appointments
• Students and Recent Graduates
• Special Hiring Authority for Veterans
• More information
• www.opm.gov/disability/hrpro_3-02.asp

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• CAP - Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program
• Provides assistive technology accommodations and
  services to people with disabilities, federal
  managers, supervisors, and IT professionals in
  the Department of Defense and over 38 Federal
  agencies.
• No cost to the agency requesting accommodations.
• 703) 681-8813 (Voice) [phone] (TTY)
• www.tricare.mil/cap/

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• JAN Job Accommodation Network
• Provides information about job accommodations,
  the ADA, and the employability of people with
  disabilities
• Provides information about starting a small
  business
• Freely serves employers, employees, or job
  candidates
• 1-800-526-7234 (V/TTY)
• www.jan.wvu.edu

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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

• EARN Employer Assistance Recruiting Network
• Connects employers to employment service
  providers who have direct access to candidates
  with disabilities
• Provides FREE technical assistance to employers
• 1-866-327-6669 (V/TTY)
• www.earnworks.com

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STAFFING RESOURCES

• WRP Workforce Recruitment Program
• Provides a source of pre-screened, talented
  college and university students with disabilities
  to employers
• Profiles include academic and demographic data,
  contact information, and recruiter comments
• FREE to employers, nationwide
• www.wrpjobs.org

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DISABILITY RESOURCES

• DisabilityInfo.gov
• A cross-government portal
• All the disability-related information available
  throughout the federal government in one place

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NATIONAL DISABILITY EMPLOYMENTAWARENESS MONTH

• Theme
• Workers with Disabilities Ready for Tomorrows
  Jobs Today
• 1945 1st week in October
• 1988 All of October
• Events/Activities Throughout the Nation

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DISABILITY MENTORING DAY

• Insight into workplace career options.
• Employers gain an increased awareness
• Began in 1999
• Expanded to all 50 states
• Internationally participation growing

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WWW.DOL.GOV/ODEP [phone] TTY (202)
693-7881