How to apply to HHS as a person with disabilities

HHS is actively recruiting and hiring persons with disabilities. We offer a variety of exciting jobs, competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and opportunities for career advancement.

Hiring people with disabilities into federal jobs is fast and easy. People with disabilities can be appointed to federal jobs non-competitively through a process called Schedule A. People with disabilities may also apply for jobs through the traditional or competitive process.

Schedule A Hiring Authority

Schedule A is a special (excepted) hiring authority for persons with disabilities. While being eligible for a Schedule A appointment will help you in the noncompetitive process, it will not guarantee you a job 

You may be subject to a probationary period that can last up to two years, depending on the type of appointment. During probation, employees hired under the Schedule A are held to the same performance standards as all other employees.

Proving Eligibility

You are eligible for Schedule A if you are a person with a severe physical disability, a psychiatric disability, or an intellectual disability. To prove your eligibility to be appointed to a federal job under Schedule A, you must:

  • Be qualified for the job for which you are applying — that is, have the necessary competencies and relevant experience to perform the job.

  • Provide "proof of a disability" documentation. "Proof of a disability" is a letter stating that you have an intellectual disability, severe physical disability, or psychiatric disability. You can get this letter from your doctor, a licensed medical professional, a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist, or any federal, state, or local agency that issues or provides disability benefits. Many doctors and most of the entities listed above know how to format a Schedule A letter.

Interview Process

HHS makes reasonable accommodations for applicants to provide full access to the application process. During the interview process, the hiring official should ask you questions about your job qualifications and how you would perform the essential functions of the job. You are encouraged to present your qualifications in a positive manner which emphasizes abilities and assets. Sometimes an applicant will choose to anticipate and address job related questions about ways his or her disability may affect performance of critical duties, roles, and responsibilities of the job.

Keep in mind that hiring officials are prohibited from asking questions about your disability unless the questions are related to functioning on the job and consistent with the business needs of the position. To review the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's guidance about questions, agencies can ask about an applicant's disability. Please see the "Enforcement Guidance: Pre-employment Disability-Related Questions and Medical Examinations."

Open Opportunities

There are no Schedule A Hiring opportunities at this time. See "Find a Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC)" below for more information on potential opportunities in other federal agencies across the U.S.

Find a Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC)

HHS has Selective Placement Program Coordinators (SPPC), who can help to recruit, hire, and accommodate people with disabilities at that agency. You can search the SPPC Directory by state and/or federal agency to find your agency's SPPC. 

Reasonable Accommodations

HHS may provide you with a reasonable accommodation in appropriate cases. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Questions?

If you have any questions about a job filled non-competitively, such as what to submit, how to apply, or the status of your application, you may be interested in contacting the agency's Selective Placement Program Coordinator, Disability Program Manager, or Human Resources Office.


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