Schedule A Hiring Authority Overview

Schedule A, 5 CFR 213.3102(u), is a special hiring authority for people with disabilities. It is intended for the appointment of persons with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities. Schedule A is an exception to the traditional hiring process. Eligibility for the Schedule A Hiring Authority does not guarantee job placement at Columbus Air Force Base.

Persons with disabilities are hired under excepted service appointments to positions that are otherwise in the competitive service. Individuals hired under Schedule A are subject to a trial period (i.e., probationary period) that can last up to two years, based on veteran status. During probation, employees hired under Schedule A are held to the same performance standards as all other employees. After two years of satisfactory service, such employees may be noncompetitively converted to the competitive service.

Documentation

To be eligible for employment under Schedule A, documentation of the disability is required. Such documentation is used to verify that the individual being hired is indeed a person with an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability. The documentation does NOT need to detail an individual’s specific disability, medical history, or need for accommodation. This documentation must be provided to the hiring agency before an individual can be hired (i.e., submitted with an application before the closing date of an announcement).

Documentation of eligibility for employment under Schedule A can be obtained from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private); or any federal agency, state agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits.

Sample Schedule A letters are available from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Applying for Federal Employment

The Schedule A Hiring Authority allows eligible persons with disabilities to apply through either the competitive or noncompetitive hiring process. For placement at Columbus Air Force Base, individuals must be U.S. citizens.

An applicant applying through the competitive hiring process will apply directly to a job opportunity announcement on USAJOBS. It is the responsibility of the applicant to determine if they are both eligible and qualified for a position vacancy when applying to a job opportunity announcement, as well as ensuring all supporting documentation is submitted. A human resources specialist will verify eligibility and qualifications once a job opportunity announcement is closed.

An applicant applying through the noncompetitive hiring process may submit their application for consideration whether a job opportunity announcement exists at the time of application submission. Applicants interested in the noncompetitive hiring process should send an email to 14fss.fsc.aepaccommodations@us.af.mil to receive information on next steps in the process.

Persons with disabilities may also register for the Office of Personnel Management’s Shared List of People with Disabilities by submitting their resume.

Additional Resources

Individuals with Disabilities via USAJOBS

Schedule A Hiring Authority via OPM

The ABCs of Schedule A: Tips for Applicants with Disabilities on Getting Federal Jobs via EEOC.

Contact the Disability Program Team

Dr. Jackson Akwaowo is the CAFB point of contact for Disability and Reasonable Accommodation issues or questions.

For more information about the Schedule A Hiring Authority, individuals may contact the Columbus Air Force Base Disability Program Manager at 14fss.fsc.aepaccommodations@us.af.mil and (662) 434-7302 or DSN 742-7302

Individuals may also contact the Disability Program Manager for Reasonable Accommodations questions.

If an individual needs an accommodation because of a disability to access information on this website or is having web accessibility problems, contact  14fss.fsc.aepaccommodations@us.af.mil.

A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. An accommodation must be effective in meeting the needs of the individual. In the context of job performance, this means that a reasonable accommodation enables the individual to perform the essential functions of the position. Similarly, a reasonable accommodation enables an applicant with a disability to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process and to be considered for a job. Finally, a reasonable accommodation allows an employee with a disability an equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment that employees without disabilities enjoy.

There are three categories of "reasonable accommodations":

• Modification or adjustments to a job application process that enable a qualified applicant with a disability to be considered for the position such qualified applicant desires; or
• Modification or adjustments to the work environment, or to the manner of circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed, that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of that position; or
• Modification or adjustments that enable a covered entity's emplo9yee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by its other similarly situated employees without disabilities.

Qualified employees are those who hold the necessary degrees, skills and experience for the job; and who can perform its essential functions, with or without an accommodation. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship to the agency. An individual meets the Americans with Disabilities Act definition of "disability" that would qualify them for reasonable accommodations if they have "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities." The ADA prohibits discrimination based on an employee's disability or perceived disability.

How to Request Reasonable Accommodation? 

When an individual decides to request a reasonable accommodation, the individual or their representative must let the employer know that they need an adjustment or change at work for a reason related to a medical condition. The request does not have to be in writing. Individuals may request accommodation in conversation or in other forms of communication. To request accommodation, an individual may use "plain English" and does not need to mention the ADA or use the phrase "reasonable accommodation." Family members, friends or health professionals may request an accommodation on behalf of the individual with a disability. 

Reasonable Accommodation Request Form

To access the Reasonable Accommodation Request form, please click below: 

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION REQUEST FORM

As required by 29 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) §1614.203(d)(5), a regulation implementing Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Federal agencies are required to provide Personal Assistance Services (PAS), in addition to reasonable accommodation, during work hours and work-related travel to employees with targeted (severe) disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship. PAS allow individuals to perform activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if he or she did not have a disability, such as assistance with removing and putting on clothing, eating, and using the restroom.

Personal Assistance Services Requests

For additional information regarding the reasonable accommodation process or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Disability Program Manager at (662) 434-7302.