CHIEF HUMAN CAPITAL OFFICERS COUNCIL TRAINING ACADEMY FOCUSES ON ASSISTING AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES IN JOINING THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE

OPM and EEOC Partner to Co-sponsor Session

Washington, D.C.  – The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  (EEOC)today co-hosted a meeting of the Chief Human Capital  Officers (CHCO) Council  Training Academy  focusing on how agencies can provide assistance to Americans with disabilities  who want to join the Federal Government.  Presentations were made from four agencies, including OPM, EEOC, the  Department of Treasury and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Persons with disabilities are valued, contributing members  of the American workforce, but we know they often face challenges in finding  jobs,” said Acting OPM Director Mike Hager. “OPM is committed to helping  Federal agencies better understand how to hire and retain persons with  disabilities.”

EEOC Chair Naomi C. Earp said, “We are grateful to OPM for  arranging this meeting to help advance opportunities for a key segment of the  workforce. While the decreasing participation rate of people with targeted  disabilities in the Federal Government is troubling, programs like the CHCO Council  Training Academy  provide Federal agencies with the knowledge and resources necessary to reverse  this trend. Through outreach and  enforcement work with projects such as the CHCO Council  Training Academy  and the Commission’s LEAD Initiative,  EEOC will continue to ensure that individuals with disabilities are fully  included in the Federal workforce.”

The CHCO  Council Training  Academy provides training  to Federal human resource professionals, helping them to improve their skills,  gain optimal guidance and share best practices as they confront major  challenges in human capital management. Today’s session provided both a  refresher for agency human resource employees on Federal disability hiring  policy and highlighted programs developed to carry out the policy.

OPM and EEOC officials reviewed hiring policies and  procedures designed to enable people  with disabilities to participate fully in the workplace. The Department  of Veterans Affairs showcased its unified policy guidance and selective  placement practices for individuals with disabilities.The Department of  Treasury detailed the development of a strategic and tactical alignment of  their human capital and EEO practices.Treasury representatives also  discussed their recent Disability Summit and Career Fair.

The CHCO  Council Training  Academy sessions provide  a valuable platform for highlighting and showcasing agency human capital  practices. In FY 2007 and 2008, approximately  700 staff members from CHCO Council agencies attended the twelve sessions.

OPM has developed a number of initiatives to help Americans with  disabilities seeking Federal jobs. Among these is development of the website http://www.opm.gov/disability/ which provides information related to  organizations that focus on the needs of persons with disabilities. It has  proven to be a valuable tool for job applicants and employees with  disabilities, Federal managers and supervisors and human resources  professionals. Through its USAJOBS television  recruitment campaign, OPM has featured disabled Federal employees to highlight  exciting career positions are available to persons with disabilities. The agency also is assisting disabled  veterans interested in Federal civilian employment through three Veterans'  Outreach Offices it has established.

The EEOC enforces  Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Additional information  about the Commission is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.  LEAD stands for Leadership for the Employment of Americans with  Disabilities.