DOT’s MD 715 Report for FY 2006 – This is ONLY the portion pertaining to individuals with targeted disabilities.

 

EEOC FORM
715-01

PART I

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

FEDERAL AGENCY ANNUAL

EEO PROGRAM STATUS REPORT

U.S. Department of Transportation

FY 2005

STATEMENT OF CONDITION THAT WAS A TRIGGER FOR A POTENTIAL BARRIER:  

Provide a brief narrative describing the condition at issue.

How was the condition recognized as a potential barrier?

Individuals with targeted disabilities have a low participation rate in DOT. 

 

Compared to other agencies of the same size, DOT has one of the lowest ratios for employees with targeted disabilities. 

BARRIER ANALYSIS:

Provide a description of the steps taken and data analyzed to determine cause of the condition.

Data on hires, separations, pay grades, and education levels was reviewed.  During the third quarter of FY 2006, for positions outside of FAA, applicants with targeted disabilities were 2.58% of the total applicants. They were nearly as likely as all applicants to make the best qualified list.  (34.5% v 35.04%)  However, those who made the best qualified list were far less likely to be selected for the position (1.94%), compared to the selection rates for all applicants (12.37%).

During FY 2006, 63.63% of employees with targeted disabilities who separated from DOT retired.  (45.45% took voluntary retirement and 18.18% took disability retirement.)  Of employees with targeted disabilities on board, 24.5% are age 55 or older. 

STATEMENT OF IDENTIFIED BARRIER:

Provide a succinct statement of the agency policy, procedure, or practice that has been determined to be the barrier of the undesired condition.

DOT must recruit a higher number of qualified applicants with targeted disabilities to result in the desired increase in hiring.  DOT managers are not always choosing to hire applicants with targeted disabilities, even when they make the best qualified list.  DOT has very few entry level positions, so it is difficult to hire from the Workforce Recruitment Program list.  Also, employees with targeted disabilities are separating from DOT (34) at higher rates than they are hired (9).

OBJECTIVE:

State the alternative or revised agency policy, procedure, or practice to be implemented to correct the undesired condition.

Mandate that all Departmental Offices and OAs set goals for hiring of individuals with targeted disabilities.  Train all senior level officials as to the Federal obligations to applicants and employees with disabilities.  Improve the provision of accommodations, telecommuting, options when transportation is inaccessible, etc. to improve retention.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICIAL:

Director, Departmental Office of Civil Rights 

DATE OBJECTIVE INITIATED:

December, 2004 

TARGET DATE FOR COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVE:

September, 2006  2007

EEOC FORM
715-01

PART I

EEO Plan To Eliminate Identified Barrier

PLANNED ACTIVITIES TOWARD COMPLETION OF OBJECTIVE:

TARGET DATE
(Must be specific)

Summary of prior activities:  In August, 2004, DOCR issued a memo requesting data on accommodation requests.  This memo is issued on an annual basis.  The Director, DOCR, issued a memo to Heads of Operating Administrations, Assistant Secretaries, and Departmental Officers in October, 2005, setting a goal of three percent of all hires be individuals with targeted disabilities.  DOCR requested and reviewed data on pay grades, average age, and education levels of employees with targeted disabilities who separate without retiring and those who transfer to other agencies.  Training on Hiring Flexibilities was presented by the US Office of Personnel Management on April 26, 2005.  DOCR and DOHRM jointly provided training on June 8, June 30, and October 5, 2005 to DOT managers, supervisors, Human Resource, General Counsel, and Civil Rights staff.  In September, 2005, DOCR established an ONEDOT Disability Advisory Council, with a representative from each OA, that will assist in identifying effective strategies to increase employment of persons with disabilities and provide feedback on disability issues.  One OA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, established a pilot program whereby all accommodation requests were coordinated through their CR Office.  In the first year, no requests were received, and the pilot was continued.   An executive decision was made to cancel the action item regarding an inclement weather policy.  The action item for regular meetings with key players was canceled because it was determined that the new ONEDOT Disability Advisory Council, which is attended by the Associate Director, Work Life Programs (oversees the Disability Resource Center), the Disability Policy Advisor, the Departmental Selective Placement Coordinator, and the Departmental Disability Program Manager, would serve the same purpose.  The Disability Program Managers who achieved increases in employees with targeted disabilities at the Social Security Administration and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) have retired.  However, the former DPM at DLA was interviewed and a report of DLA’s best practices was written and circulated widely.  During FY 2005, no OA was successful at improving the ratio of employees with targeted disabilities

Prepare for the signature of the Secretary a memorandum that sets the DOT hiring goal for individuals with targeted disabilities

August, 2005

Completed

Memorandum reaffirming the hiring goal was signed and distributed by the Secretary on June 27, 2006.  It sets a goal of 3% of all hires be individuals with targeted disabilities and stipulates that this is one in every 33 new hires.

Negotiate with FAA, which is 85% of the DOT workforce, to improve hiring and retention of individuals with targeted disabilities.

December, 2005

April, 2006  completed

      The Director, DOCR, has scheduled quarterly meetings with key officials at FAA.  These meetings are on going.

Discuss with DOHRM the possibility of establishing a mentoring program for employees with targeted disabilities.

October, 2005

completed

DOHRM created additional slots for employees with targeted disabilities in the existing mentoring program, called “Leaders for Tomorrow,” which runs for ten months.  Out of 28 participants, four (14.29%) were employees with targeted disabilities.  Also, one mentor was an employee with a targeted disability.  DOT intends to continue to set aside slots for employees with targeted disabilities and recruit them for this program.

Revise the DOT web pages that refer to disability issues; provide additional information where necessary.  Encourage employees with disabilities to contact DOCR with questions and concerns.

 

February, 2005

March, 2007

       Additional website content was prepared by DOCR, providing more comprehensive information on the rights of applicants and employees with disabilities and links to DOHRM’s website on appointing authorities.  It needs to be reviewed and vetted before posting.

Invite guest speakers, such as a representative from the Access Board to discuss Section 508, a representative from EEOC to discuss recent accommodation cases, etc., to give presentations to key officials.

January, 2006

Cancelled

This item was cancelled due to the high number of priorities and insufficient staff resources.

Discuss selection rate with DOHRM staff.  Expand discussion to OA HR staff to explore possible reasons for non-selection and options for addressing it. 

May, 2006

May, 2007

Due to retirement of the Departmental Selective Placement Coordinator, DOHRM, this item could not be completed.  The newly appointed Selective Placement Coordinator will address this item.

Review the DOT Reasonable Accommodation Order to determine if revisions and updates are needed. 

September, 2006

Completed

The ONEDOT Disability Advisory Council reviewed the DOT Order, comparing it against guidance and recent publications from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.   The Council’s recommendations include that:  (1) Each OA have one person who will decide whether medical documentation is needed, review the documentation, and provide to the supervisor and/or the technical assistance office only information relating to the functional limitations caused by the disability (2)  This individual will review all denials of accommodation before they are given to the employee.   (At present, denials are reviewed by a designated person in each OA only after they are given to the employee.)  (3)  This individual will have the authority to instruct the supervisor to provide the accommodation if the denial is deemed to be not in compliance with the DOT Order and EEOC guidance.  The recommendations also tightened time frames and expanded explanations where necessary.  These recommendations will be vetted with the appropriate offices.

Discuss with DOHRM ways to improve recruitment of individuals with targeted disabilities.  (NEW)

January, 2007

Work with DOHRM and OPM to identify ways to contact applicants with targeted disabilities who make the Best Qualified list and are not selected.   The goal is to market these individuals to other hiring officials who have openings for similar positions.(NEW)

February, 2007

Work with DOHRM to create “open continuous” job announcements in major job series, for individuals with targeted disabilities.  (NEW)

March, 2007

Work with DOHRM to negotiate with the applicant flow vendor and OPM the feasibility of adding a question to the automated application form requesting permission to share applications with other hiring officials.  (NEW)

March, 2007

Work with DOHRM and FAA to create a guide on the FAA program for hiring people with targeted disabilities – FAA does not use the Schedule A process, as they are not under Title 5.  (NEW)

September, 2007

REPORT OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO OBJECTIVE:

Two OAs were successful in exceeding the 3% goal:  the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.  DOT has been collecting best practices.  We hope that the completion of the new action items listed above will lead to improvements in hiring of individuals with targeted disabilities.

 

 

 


 




EEOC FORM
715-01

PART J

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

FEDERAL AGENCY ANNUAL

EEO PROGRAM STATUS REPORT

Special Program Plan for the Recruitment, Hiring, and Advancement

of Individuals With Targeted Disabilities

PART I
Department  

1. Agency

1.  U.S. Department of Transportation

PART II
Employment Trend and Special Recruitment for Individuals With Targeted Disabilities

Enter Actual Number at the ...

... beginning of FY.

... end of FY.

Net Change

Number

%

Number

%

Number

Rate of Change

Total Work Force

54,001 

100.00%

54,006 

100.00%

-5

 -.0.01%

Reportable Disability

2,866 

5.31% 

2,711 

 5.14% 

 -91

 -3.18%

Targeted Disability*

  298

0.55% 

 285

0.53% 

-13

-5.14%

* If the rate of change for persons with targeted disabilities is not equal to or greater than the rate of change for the total workforce, a barrier analysis should be conducted (see below).

1. Total Number of Applications Received From Persons With Targeted Disabilities during the reporting period.

1136 outside of FAA 

2. Total Number of Selections of Individuals with Targeted Disabilities during the reporting period.

PART III Participation Rates In Agency Employment Programs

Other Employment/Personnel Programs

TOTAL

Reportable Disability

Targeted Disability

Not Identified

No Disability

#

%

#

%

#

%

#

%

3. Competitive Promotions

Not available 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Non-Competitive Promotions

 Not available 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Employee Career Development

 Not available 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.a. Grades 5 - 12

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

5.b. Grades 13 - 14

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

5.c. Grade 15/SES

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Employee Recognition and Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.a. Time-Off Awards (Average hrs)

17.51

 18.20

 18.00

   18.12  

 17.46

6.b. Cash Awards (Avg $$$ awarded)

 $1165

$1169  

 $1200

 $1142 

$1166   


 

EEOC FORM 715-01
Part J

Special Program Plan for the Recruitment, Hiring, and Advancement of Individuals With Targeted Disabilities

Part IV

Identification and Elimination of Barriers

Agencies with 1,000 or more permanent employees MUST conduct a barrier analysis to address any barriers to increasing employment opportunities for employees and applicants with targeted disabilities using FORM 715-01 PART I. Agencies should review their recruitment, hiring, career development, promotion, and retention of individuals with targeted disabilities in order to determine whether there are any barriers.

Part V

Goals for Targeted Disabilities

Agencies with 1,000 or more permanent employees are to use the space provided below to describe the strategies and activities that will be undertaken during the coming fiscal year to maintain a special recruitment program for individuals with targeted disabilities and to establish specific goals for the employment and advancement of such individuals. For these purposes, targeted disabilities may be considered as a group. Agency goals should be set and accomplished in such a manner as will affect measurable progress from the preceding fiscal year. Agencies are encouraged to set a goal for the hiring of individuals with targeted disabilities that is at least as high as the anticipated losses from this group during the next reporting period, with the objective of avoiding a decrease in the total participation rate of employees with disabilities.

Goals, objectives and strategies described below should focus on internal as well as external sources of candidates and include discussions of activities undertaken to identify individuals with targeted disabilities who can be (1) hired; (2) placed in such a way as to improve possibilities for career development; and (3) advanced to a position at a higher level or with greater potential than the position currently occupied.

 

Goal 1:  Implementation of the DOT Recruitment Program for Persons with Disabilities (PWD)

 

A.    Three percent of all new hires will be the goal for targeted disabilities. 

In October 20, 2005, the Director, DOCR, issued a memorandum setting a goal that 3% of all hires, or one in every 33 new hires, will be individuals with targeted disabilities.  The Secretary signed and distributed a similar memorandum reaffirming the goal on June 27, 2006.

 

B.    Conduct monthly meetings of selective placement coordinators to discuss methods of outreach, hiring, promoting, and retaining PWDs. 

 

The Departmental Selective Placement Coordinator (SPC) held monthly meetings with the OA SPCs.  The group discussed methods and strategies, the use of various appointment authorities, etc.  It also arranged for DOT participation in specific job fairs and the Workforce Recruitment Program.

 

C.    Invite outside recruitment resources to meet with SPCs, to connect DOT vacancies with qualified applicants.  Provide opportunity for program managers to establish direct contact with recruitment resources.

The SPCs continue to meet with representatives from the local Vocational Rehabilitation offices and other sources of applicants.

 

D.    Distribute DOT vacancy announcements to disability organizations with employment programs.  Continue to update the QuickHire list.

DOT vacancies were routinely sent to disability organizations on the QuickHire list.    Also, the Schedule A appointment authority and applicants were marketed directly to hiring officials before vacancies were announced.

 

E.    Participate in a minimum of three Job Fairs with a focus on employment of PWDs.

DOT attended career fairs at George Mason, George Washington, Maryland, and Gallaudet Universities.   DOT also participated in the Career Expo for People with Disabilities on November 7, 2005