Federal Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities

May 12, 2015 10:01 AM

I'm on a low-level job hunt - I have a decent job, but I'd like to relocate closer to my family sometime in the next couple years. I'm also HIV+. I've never been sick and never considered myself 'disabled.' However, I just learned that being positive might qualify me for non-competitive recruitment for positions I'm applying for under the Federal Employment Program for Persons with Disabilities.

I've read the various FAQ pages, but still have a couple questions :

- Is HIV+ really enough to be considered disabled? I can't tell if it is, or if you would need to show some additional mental or physical impairment from the virus (which I don't have).

- The type of disability is kept confidential from your employer, but I'd assume that they know that you have some type of disability, right? Because you'd have to be appointed under Schedule A, and they would know that something is up.

Aside from these specific questions, I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has experience with the program.

In the end, I'm struggling with issues only I can answer. I like my privacy - I'm not open at all in the straight world about being positive (though I am fully out as gay), and would hate to be the subject of gossip. My mind rebels at being labeled, even confidentially, as disabled. And I'd feel like I'm jumping the queue over people who have more concrete physical or mental challenges. And yet: federal jobs are hard to get in my field, and at my age. And so it's tempting to use the program.

(For this round of applications I chose not to use it, so this isn't an urgent question).

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (3 answers total)

Perhaps you already saw this, but this document suggests you are indeed eligible for schedule A hiring authority:

I’m interested in working for the federal government. How do I do that?

You can find out about federal government jobs at www.usajobs.com. People living with HIV/AIDS
should also be eligible for something called the Schedule A Hiring Authority, which is a special hiring
method for people with disabilities in the federal government. Learn more about Schedule A and
how to qualify at www.golearn.gov/HiringReform/index.htm.

My understanding is that you would need a letter from a doctor generally specifying that you have a disability, but not necessarily indicating what type of disability. Your boss might wonder, I imagine. My hunch is that that mild curiosity would be unlikely to ever become an actual problem, but it is up to you to decide whether that risk is too high.
posted by reren at 10:55 AM on May 12, 2015

You would need to fill out an SF 256 "Self-identification of disability." HIV positive/AIDs is explicitly listed on that form as a qualifying disability, though it is in the "Other Disability" column and not the "Targeted/Severe Disabilities" column. I believe you would need to check the HIV/Aids box to receive Schedule A hiring preference.

You would also need a letter from a medical provider. Link goes to a sample letter from the DOL. It looks like some form of additional evidence would be required along with the letter.
posted by pseudonick at 12:08 PM on May 12, 2015

I would like to send you a pvt message, but you could send me one instead.
posted by orangemacky at 10:42 AM on May 13, 2015