Special Emphasis Programs | EEO Special Emphasis Program Objectives | Employee Organizations | White House Initiatives | 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.   Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. 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
• Selective Placement Program
  Manual and Procedures for Providing Reasonable Accommodation
• Black Affairs Program
• Hispanic Employment Program
• Asian/Pacific American Program
• American Indian Program
• DOJ enhances diversity to Include Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals.

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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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The following are non-labor employee groups:

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 Frederick Parmenter, 202-307-0620.

DDOJ 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 Mario Lopez-Gomez, CRT, 202-616-3971.

The ATF Hispanic Employees Organization’s (ATFHEA) 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 Robert Champion, ATF HEA, 469-227-4300.

The National Association of Hispanic Narcotics Agents (NAHNA) seeks to assure the equitable recruitment, hiring, training, assignment, career development, promotion and treatment of all employees in order to promote equality and professionalism within the DEA. Contact Ivan Rios, 202-353-2210.

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 Antoinette Barksdale, CRT/EOS, 202-616-1622.

DOJ Indian Trial Lawyers Association identifies, addresses and assists in developing effective policies and practices to increase the number of American Indian attorneys in the DOJ workforce.  Contact Verlin Deerinwater, CRT, 202-514-6260.

DOJ Pan Asia Employees Association assists in developing initiatives to increase the representation of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in the DOJ workforce and in leadership positions.  Contact Samuel Go, 202-353-9923.

DOJ Pride seeks to make the Department a model employer for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) individuals.  Contact Marc Salans, 202-514-7011.

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Asian American and Pacific Islander Initiative (AAPIs)
DOJ is working to implement the goals of Executive Order 13125 to increase opportunities and improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

American Indian
DOJ supports Executive Order 13270 the President’s Board of Advisors on Tribal Colleges and Universities, and the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities (WHITCU).  The Department fully supports this initiative and is committed to enhancing our support to these institutions.

National Hispanic Outreach Strategy
In accordance with Executive Order 13171 which addresses Hispanic Employment in the Federal sector, DOJ prepared its Annual Report detailing significant outreach efforts to national Hispanic organizations and participation in numerous activities. 

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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 at www.eeoc.gov

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:  http://www.justice.gov/jmd/eeos/ddaccomprocfinal081502.htm

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: http://www.justice.gov/careers/disability-hiring.html.

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