OPM has said that agencies remain focused on hiring those with disabilities in the wake of a 2010 Presidential directive.
A report says that employees from more than 56 agencies have been trained on recruitment techniques; use of “Schedule A” hiring authority for those with certain specified disabilities; the process for granting reasonable accommodations; and on helping employees who become ill or injured on the job to return to work.
OPM also cited an online training course it has made available to agencies titled A Roadmap to Success: Hiring, Retaining and Including People with Disabilities. “OPM, and partner agencies, will continue to develop training and make it available to other agencies in a variety of mediums, including in person and through webinars to ensure the federal government is a model for the employment of people with disabilities,” the report said.
In a blog post, acting OPM director Beth Cobert added, “We need to make sure that after we hire these accomplished and motivated employees, they have opportunities for advancement. We need to do more to provide them with training and mentoring. We need to focus on retaining them in federal service.
“We’re holding leaders accountable. We’re working with agencies and affinity groups to build mentoring programs, because we know how important great mentors are to fostering confidence and success. And, we are committed to working with agencies in an effort to provide people with disabilities the reasonable accommodations they need to do their jobs,” she said.
