DoD Instruction 5400.17
Certain content has been removed from this website to align with President Trump’s Executive Orders and DoD priorities in accordance with DoD Instruction 5400.17, “Official Use of Social Media for Public Affairs Purposes."
Certain content has been removed from this website to align with President Trump’s Executive Orders and DoD priorities in accordance with DoD Instruction 5400.17, “Official Use of Social Media for Public Affairs Purposes."
EEOP is currently updating our website. Some content may be temporarily unavailable during this process. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
DoDEA recognizes that applicants have a right to full and fair consideration for job vacancies. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability in all aspects of the employment relationship to include terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. The Rehabilitation Act also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment, in order to enable an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. The information below provides basic information about employee rights under various federal laws and regulations.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states, “A reasonable accommodation is any change in the workplace or the way things are customarily done that provides an equal employment opportunity to an individual with a disability. While there are some things that are not considered reasonable accommodations (e.g., removal of an essential job function or personal use items such as a hearing aid that is needed on and off the job), reasonable accommodations can cover most things that enable an individual to apply for a job, perform a job, or have equal access to the workplace and employee benefits such as kitchens, parking lots, and office events.” Some common types of accommodations include, but are not limited to sit-to-stand desk, telework, assistive technology and software.”
On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a final rule amending the regulations implementing Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The amended regulations require federal agencies, as an affirmative obligation, to provide Personal Assistance Services (PAS), absent undue hardship, to individuals who need them because of their targeted disability. PAS means assistance with performing activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if he or she did not have a disability, such as eating and using the restroom. Agencies are only required to provide PAS when the individual is working or on work-related travel.
For more information contact a regional DoDEA Disability and Affirmative Employment Program Manager.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, in conjunction with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), requires federal agencies to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified Individuals or applicants with disabilities, unless to do so would cause undue hardship.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission states, “A reasonable accommodation is any change in the workplace, or the way things are customarily done that provides an equal employment opportunity to an individual with a disability. While there are some things that are not considered reasonable accommodations (e.g., removal of an essential job function or personal use items such as a hearing aid that is needed on and off the job), reasonable accommodations can cover most things that enable an individual to apply for a job, perform a job, or have equal access to the workplace and employee benefits such as kitchens, parking lots, and office events.” Some common types of accommodations include, but are not limited to, sit-to-stand desk, telework, assistive technology and software.”
DoDEA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are provided to remove barriers that prevent individual with disabilities from applying for jobs, performing the essential functions of the position held or desired, gaining access to the workplace, or enjoying equal benefits and privileges of employment as individual without disabilities. If you would like to make a reasonable accommodation request, please use the Reasonable Accommodation (RA) forms below and return them to your first line supervisor and/or your headquarters or regional disability program manager.
If a requester chooses not to use the RA forms provided to request reasonable accommodation, all required information must be provided by some other means. Please be advised that at this time the employee portal does not accept forms. To submit your request forms, download from the links provided below and submit the forms to your Regional Disability and Affirmative Employment Program Manager also provided below.
The Reasonable Accommodation Forms are used to assist EEOP staff with processing Reasonable Accommodation (RA) requests from employees and applicants. You may be asked to provide medical documentation with the diagnosis, prognosis and recommended accommodation from your attending physician using the Medical Documentation Form.
In some instances, requesters may also need to complete a Medical Release Form when clarification is needed on the medical information provided. This form authorizes the Disability Program Manager to communicate with your provider, when necessary.
An employee who disagrees with the resolution of his/her request may ask the Disability Program Manager (DPM), to reconsider that decision within 10 business days of receiving this memorandum and/or the “Deciding Official Documentation.” Note that requesting reconsideration does not extend the time limits for initiating a complaint of discrimination.
If you are dissatisfied with the resolution and wish to pursue either an administrative claim or file a grievance under the applicable collective-bargaining agreement, you may select one of the following steps:
Please contact your regional Disability Program Manager with questions about the reasonable accommodation process.
Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are assistive services provided to an individual with disabilities for performing activities of daily living, such as eating and using the restroom. Agencies are only required to provide PAS when the individual is working or on work-related travel. As a model employer, it is the Department of Defense Education Activity’s (DoDEA) policy to provide PAS to its employees in accordance with 29 Code of Federal Regulations § 1614.203(d)(5), absent undue hardship on the agency. In addition, DoDEA shall not discriminate against individuals in employment decisions based on their need for PAS.
Employees requesting PAS shall notify their supervisor and/or their servicing Disability and Diversity Program Manager to initiate the process. In order to address requests for PAS, employees shall follow the DoDEA Policy for Personal Assistance Services and the DoDEA AI 1441.01 - Reasonable Accommodation Program for Employees and Applicants.
For more information, please contact the Headquarters or regional Disability and Affirmative Employment Program Manager.
The EEO Office provides Sign Language Interpreting Service (SLIS) for HQ DoDEA employees and visitors to our offices.
To request services, contact the Disability Program Manager or EEOP staff member in your local area. It is always best to request services as early as possible. Any assignment lasting over two hours usually requires an additional interpreter. As with most accommodation requests, the division, area office or district where the employee, interviewee, contractor or guest works (or will work) is ultimately financially responsible for the accommodation.
For more information contact a regional DoDEA Disability and Diversity Program Manager.
Using the Sign Language Interpreting Service
As with all accommodation requests, an employee must ask for an interpreter to be provided as we cannot assume that an interpreter is needed. Examples of when an interpreter should be used are:
If you are planning an event open to all employees and/or the public, you must ask if anyone has special needs or accommodation requirements. All general announcements or publicity for the event, meeting or interviews should always include a notice asking for special needs of the attendees.
Remember that the interpreter is only there to facilitate communication - not as a participant in the conversation.
Interpreters are professionals who must follow a code of ethics. Interpreters shall:
There are numerous federal programs designed to assist people with disabilities in finding employment. The following is a non-exhaustive list of programs/resources:
For Schedule A appointments, proof of disability documentation is required from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional duly certified by a State, to practice medicine); a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private); or any Federal agency, State agency, etc., that issues or provides disability benefits.