Affirmative Employment & Special Emphasis Programs

Special Emphasis Programs | EEO Special Emphasis Program Objectives | Special Observance Programs | Employee Organizations | Hiring Persons with Disabilities

The Department of Justice strives to ensure that its workforce is drawn from the broadest segments of society so that it is poised to meet the present and future needs of our Nation. The Department supports and encourages recruiting and retaining the best and the brightest citizens from every background and community in this country.

The Department has established Special Emphasis Programs that help to develop a diverse and talented workforce, which can include support for racial/ethnic minorities; women, persons and veterans with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender applicants and employees in various categories and occupations and in all organizational components throughout the Department.   EEO Special Emphasis Programs include:

• Federal Women's Program
• Disability Employment Program
• Black Affairs Program
• Hispanic Employment Program
• Asian/Pacific American Program
• American Indian/Alaska Native Program
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Program

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Analyze agency workforce data, identify potential employment barriers in the areas of recruitment, hiring, promotion, career development, reasonable accommodation and retention affecting the full representation of protected groups (i.e. minorities, women and persons with disabilities), and develop viable solutions to help eliminate identified barriers to employment.

Compile, develop, and disseminate information for managers, supervisors, and employees to increase knowledge and sensitivity in all facts or issues of accessibility and reasonable accommodation of persons and veterans with disabilities.

Develop and conduct EEO and diversity-related programs to provide awareness, sensitivity and understanding of the special issues affecting employment of diverse groups.

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2018 Calendar of Special Observance Programs

The Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Community promotes Government-wide and Department-wide Special Observance Programs to help raise awareness about the rich diversity of our Nation’s population. Through various Special Observance events, the Department acknowledges the invaluable contributions of all Americans to the United States and the Justice Department, and helps to foster diversity and inclusion in all aspects of agency operations.

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ATF Hispanic Employees Organization  (ATFHEA)
ATFHEA's mission is to encourage fellowship excellence and diversity within ATF, and to promote greater Hispanic representation throughout the Bureau through mentoring, guidance and career development.  
Contact Crisanto Perez, Jr., ATF San Antonio Field Office, Houston Field Division, 210-805-2749.

Attorney General’s Committee on the Employment of Persons with Disabilities
Assists in developing initiatives to increase the number of persons with disabilities at DOJ.
Contact Dave P. Adams, USTP, (215) 597-2549.

Blacks in Government, DOJ Chapter
Works to be an advocate of equal opportunity for Blacks in government; to eliminate practices of racism and racial discrimination again Blacks in government; to promote professionalism among Blacks in government; to develop and promote programs which will enhance ethnic pride and educational opportunities for Blacks in government; to establish a mechanism for the gathering and dissemination of information to Blacks in government; and to provide a nonpartisan platform on major issues of local, regional and national significance that affect Blacks in government.
Contact Glynnis Shane, JMD, 202-532-4437
Contact Lawrence Anderson, COPS, 202-514-5775

BOP Pride (a chapter of DOJ Pride)
Identifies and addresses issues particularly affecting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (“LGBTI”), and Allied Employees of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. BOP Pride assists in educating policymakers in order to implement effective policies and best practices. BOP Pride serves as a source of information for all BOP staff regarding LGBTI individuals.
Contact Wendi Hammond, BOP, 352-689-4172.

DOJ Association of Black Attorneys (DOJABA)
Identifies, addresses and assists in developing effective policies and practices to increase the number of Black Attorneys in the DOJ workforce and in leadership positions. 
Contact Marlysha Myrthil, CRT, 202-305-3454.

DOJ Association of Hispanic Employees for Advancement and Development (DOJ-AHEAD)
Assists in meeting and pursuing diversity goals by working with the Attorney General and all Offices, Bureaus, and Divisions to recruit and increase Hispanics participation within DOJ.
Contact Jorge Gonzalez, NSD, (202) 532-4838.

DOJ Gender Equality Network (DOJ GEN)
Supports the Department in developing and implementing policies and practices to enhance equality of opportunity regardless of gender. DOJ GEN advocates around issues such as: equal opportunities in hiring, recruitment and advancement; sexual harassment and gender discrimination, and flexible work schedules (including parental leave policies).
Contacts: Stacey Young, CIV, (202) 305-7171; Melanie Krebs-Pilotti, ATR, (202) 307-0662.

DOJ Native American Association (JUNAA)
Identifies, addresses and assists in developing effective policies and practices to increase the number of American Indians in the DOJ workforce. 
Contact Gina Allery, ENRD, 202-305-0261.

DOJ Pan Asia Employees Association Identifies, addresses and assists in developing effective policies and practices to increase the number of Asian American and Pacific Islander employees in the DOJ workforce and in leadership positions. 
Contact Sandra Park, ATR, (202) 305-2138.

DOJ Pride
Seeks to make the Department a model employer for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. 
Contact Jason Lee, CIV, (803) 625-4607 and Patricia Sindel, ATR, (202) 598-8300.

United States Marshals Service Association of Hispanic Employees for Advancement and Development (USMS-AHEAD)
USMS-AHEAD is an employee organization established to promote and develop diversity initiatives and assist the USMS with pursuing and meeting its diversity goals.
Contact: Luis Caballero, USMS, 713-718-3050

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Through the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Acts 2009, the Department can hire through traditional competitive hiring processes or by means of a non-competitive, or special appointing authority.  In addition, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation throughout the hiring process and employment.

Eligibility Requirements
To be considered an individual with a disability, you must meet one of the following criteria:

• have a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of your major life activities;
• have a record of such an impairment; or,
• be regarded as having such an impairment.

For additional information, consult the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website.

Reasonable Accommodation
DOJ provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the job application and hiring process, and you meet the eligibility requirements listed above, please notify the human resources specialist listed on the vacancy announcement, or contact the Human Resources Office at the location in which you are seeking employment.  The decision on granting a reasonable accommodation is handled on a case-by-case basis.

For more information, please visit:  Manual and Procedures for Providing Reasonable Accommodation

Personal Assistant Services
Federal agencies are required to provide personal assistant services (PAS) during working hours to qualified persons with disabilities, who need assistance with performing activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if he or she did not have a disability, and that is not otherwise required as an accommodation.  These services include, for example, assistance with removing and putting on clothing, eating, and using the restroom.  Individuals may use the DOJ reasonable accommodation process to request PAS.  For additional information about PAS, please visit:  https://www.eeoc.gov/federal/directives/personal-assistance-services.cfm

Special Appointing Authorities
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has established special appointing authorities for people with disabilities.  DOJ has the authority to use a special appointing authority to hire a qualified person with a disability for vacant positions.  These special appointing authorities include:

• 5 CFR 213.3102(ll) for hiring readers, interpreters and personal assistants.  This excepted authority is used to appoint readers, interpreters and personal assistants for employees with severe disabilities.
• 5 CFR 213.3102(t) for hiring people with intellectual disabilities.  This excepted authority is used to appoint persons with intellectual disabilities who have demonstrated satisfactory performance through a temporary appointment, or have been certified as likely to succeed in performing the duties of the job.  They may qualify for conversion to permanent status after two years of satisfactory service.
• 5 CFR 213.3102(u) for hiring people with severe physical disabilities.  This excepted authority is used to appoint persons with severe physical disabilities who have demonstrated satisfactory performance through a temporary appointment, or have been certified as likely to succeed in performing the duties of the job.  After two years of satisfactory service, they may qualify for conversion to permanent status.
• 5 CFR 213.3102(gg) - Positions filled by persons with psychiatric disabilities who have demonstrated their ability to perform satisfactorily under a temporary appointment [such as one authorized in 213.3102(i)(3)] or who are certified as likely to be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, by a State vocational rehabilitation counselor, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Benefits Administration psychologist, vocational rehabilitation counselor, or psychiatrist.  Upon completion of 2 years of satisfactory service under this authority, the employee can be converted, at the discretion of the agency, to competitive status under the provisions of Executive Order 12125 as amended by Executive Order 13124.

For more information on disability employment please visit: Disability Hiring

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