Applicants and Employees with Disabilities

At HRSA, we welcome and value diversity in all forms. To that end, we are committed to increasing our employment of qualified applicants with disabilities. Accordingly, HRSA’s senior leaders are dedicated to ensuring that our Agency is a model employer for individuals with disabilities. We work diligently to ensure that all employees can be fully included in our work no matter their personal challenges.

Schedule A Excepted Service Hiring Authority

Applicants with a disability electing to use the Schedule A Hiring Authority (5 CFR 213.3120(u)) may apply through the competitive or non-competitive process.

	Competitive Process	Non-competitive Process
Who is eligible to apply?	Any interested person, including an individual with a disability.	Applicants with a certified disability.
How to apply?	In the competitive hiring process, applicants apply directly to a position found on USAJobs.gov.	The non-competitive process allows applicants eligible for hire under Schedule A to apply for a position even if a job announcement is not listed on USAJobs. Applicants should submit their application HRSA’s SPPC at diversity@hrsa.gov with a résumé and documentation.

Eligibility for Schedule A Hiring

To be eligible for hire under Schedule A applicant must meet criteria defined by OPM. Additionally, applicant must have documentation certifying their disability. The Schedule A Certification Letter should follow the format provided in this sample (PDF - 101 KB).

Reasonable Accommodation

In accordance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and HHS’s policy on reasonable accommodations, it is HRSA’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities who are HRSA employees or applicants for employment, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship on the operations of the Agency. HRSA’s reasonable accommodations policy applies to:

1. The application/hiring process to provide a qualified HRSA applicant with a disability an equal opportunity to be considered for a position.
2. The performance of the essential functions of a job to enable a qualified person with a disability to perform the essential duties of the job being sought or currently held.
3. The receipt of all benefits of employment to enable an employee with a disability to enjoy benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities.

The need for a reasonable accommodation is determined on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the applicant’s or employee’s specific disability and existing limitations to the performance of a particular job function, the essential duties of a job, the work environment, and whether the proposed accommodation would create an undue hardship to HRSA’s operations.

If a qualified HRSA applicant requires accommodation during the application/hiring process the request can be made through a HRSA Human Resources Specialist with whom the applicant has contact in connection with the application process or the Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator. Applicants may also contact the Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator by emailing RA-Request@hrsa.gov or calling 301-443-5636.

You can learn more about Reasonable Accommodation at HRSA by reading Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Reasonable Accommodation Policy and Procedures Manual (PDF - 278 KB).

Personal Assistant Services

As specified in HRSA's RA Policy and Procedures Manual (See Appendix A) (PDF - 278 KB), under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 provision of Personal Assistant Services (PAS) is a required aspect of affirmative action for employees who need such services because of a targeted disability, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the agency. HRSA's reasonable accommodation procedures apply to PAS requests.