OPM and EEOC have called attention to a form through which employees and job applicants can self-report whether they have conditions considered to be a disability for purposes of an initiative on employment of such persons in general, and employment of those with certain specified conditions in particular.
“The federal government continues to develop new strategies to attract, develop, and retain a world class, high quality workforce that can deliver results for the American people. We are committed to identifying strategies that foster fairness and inclusion for people with disabilities within the workforce,” said a joint memo.
It reminds agencies that under an EEOC rule that effective this year, agencies are required to take steps to achieve a target of having employees with disabilities make up 12 percent of their workforces, and to have those with so-called “targeted” severe disabilities make up 2 percent. “Agencies have been determining their baseline participation rates of individuals with disabilities and individuals with targeted disabilities as part of this year’s reporting requirements,” it says.
It calls attention to 2016 revisions to OPM form SF-256, Self-Identification of Disability, to reflect changes to terms used to describe targeted disabilities, serious health conditions, and other disabilities; simplify the descriptions of conditions; and provide respondents with the option of identifying that they have a medical condition without specifying a diagnosis. “While completion of this form remains voluntary, the collection and/or update of this information will assist agencies in gaining a broader understanding of their diverse workforce,” it says.
“The updated SF-256 is an excellent tool for measuring workforce participation of people with disabilities within your agency. We are pleased to remind agencies that resource is available for your use. Both of our agencies are available to assist you in efforts within your agency to help employees to self-identify as people with disabilities and people with targeted disabilities, as appropriate,” the memo says.
