Federal regulations (5 CFR 213.3102(u)) give individuals with a documented intellectual disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability the ability to apply to Federal Government announcements. Your eligibility does not guarantee you to a job within the Federal Government. You must still meet qualification standards, go through the selection process and meet any additional requirements, such as a background investigation. Veterans’ preference takes precedence in these appointments.
If applying to an announcement directly, the announcement must accept applications from outside of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
You may be eligible if you meet all of the requirements below:
- You have a documented intellectual disability, a severe physical disability, or a psychiatric disability; and,
- You meet all requirements of the position including the ability to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
Required Documentation
To verify your eligibility you must submit
- Documentation of your disability. The listing of your actual disability is not required in the documentation. Documentation 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 agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. The letter must be printed on the official letterhead of a medical professional and must include a signature, or it is invalid. Please visit OPM's website for sample letters.
You must submit all required documents by the closing date of the announcement with your application package.
If you want to be considered for positions outside of the USAJOBS application process, visit OPM's Schedule A Hiring Authority or our NIH Jobseekers with Disabilities page.
HHS policy requires that we verify the authenticity of a Schedule A letter if it is provided from a medical professional. Therefore, if you are selected, a Human Resources Specialist will need to contact the individual who provided you with your Schedule A letter and obtain written verification of its authenticity before we are permitted to extend an official offer of employment to you.
For more information, review USAJOBS Individuals with disabilities resources.