.nViraj3*ental Protection
Office of Administration!
Washington DC 20460
October 1987
Employment of the
Handicapped
A Manager's Guide
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i iis Handbook \\
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Table of Contents
Introduction 3
EPA's Handicap Employment Program 4
Available Assistance 5
Handicap Program Coordinators
Vocational Rehabilitation Centers
Personnel Counseling
Sensitivity and Awareness 7
Hiring Handicapped Individuals 8
Competitive Hiring
Noncompetitive Hiring
Temporary Hiring
Permanent Hiring
Hiring Disabled Veterans
Unpaid Work Experience
Accommodating the Employee 11
Reasonable Accommodation
The Employee's Request for Accommodation
Types of Accommodations
Approving Absences/Adjusting Work Schedules
Reserved Parking
Accommodation for Meetings, Training, Conferences and Seminars
Successful Performance on the Job 14
Setting the Stage for Good Performance
The First Year of Employment
Appraising Work Performance
Performance Awards and Recognition
Promotions/Reassignments
Termination of Appointment
A Closing Note 16
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Barbara Quesnell a Clerk
Stenographer, entered the
federal workforce in 1960. She
advanced to Grant Officer,
Administrative Officer, and is
now Budget Analyst with
HWERL, Cincinnati. She
contracted polio when she
was four years-old and now
wears leg braces and walks
only with the aid of crutches.
At HWERL, Barbara has
reorganized and restructured
the record books to accommo-
date new budget tasks. She is
well-organized and her
accounting system has
worked well. She automated
the financial records to further
improve efficiency. Previous
excesses or deficits in various
accounts have been alleviated
under Barbara's system.
Barbara is efficient, prompt,
detailed and accurate in
carrying out her daily
responsibilities. In spite of
time constraints and deadline
pressures, she remains
cheerful and helpful.
In 1984 she received the
EPA Handicapped Employee
of the Year Award.
Harold Podall a senior
Chemist at Headquarters with
the Industrial Chemistry
Branch, Economics &
Technology Division, Office of
Toxic Substances, is
responsible for the review of
new chemicals subject to
TSCA prior to their
manufacture or import. He is
also responsible for some
work on existing chemicals.
Dr. Podall, who is confined
to a wheelchair, joined
EPA in 1982. Prior to then, he
was with the Office of Fossil
Energy, Department of
Energy. Dr. Podall has worked
for the government for 21
years in various technical and
managerial positions, and with
the chemical industry,
primarily in research and
development, for 14 years. He
received his Ph.D. in Physical
Organic Chemistry from
Purdue University.
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"itroduction
^P*his handbook has been developed to provide you, our supervisors and
managers, a desk-top reference for supervising handicapped employees.
I We hope that it will alleviate some of your concerns and will answer
our questions. EPA's goal is to employ a well qualified workforce to carry
out its mission. Persons with handicaps can and should be a part of our team.
There are few jobs within EPA that cannot be competently performed by the
ight handicapped person. On November 23, 1983 President Reagan signed
the Proclamation on the Decade of Disabled Persons and stated: "Let us
"icrease the economic independence of every disabled American and let us
egin today. The disabled want what all of us want: the opportunity to
contribute to our communities, to use our creativity, and to go as far as our
Sod-given talents will take us."
EPA employs almost 500 handicapped individuals in a wide variety of jobs
helping to ensure quality protection of our environment and public health.
"very working day these individuals prove that it is ability, not disability, that
punts. Through their dedication and hard work, these handicapped
individuals serve to exemplify the kind of success which all employees of the
Environmental Protection Agency can achieve. Many of these individuals are
matured in this publication. The Personnel Management Division would like
to thank all employees who shared their experiences for this publication.
As managers and supervisors, you have an important role to play in
helping us to carry out our commitment to our handicapped employees so
they can continue to make significant contributions toward accomplishing
PA's mission.
Your personal commitment and efforts will help EPA to make even greater
strides toward achieving its goal of greater opportunities for handicapped
idividuals.
Stephanie Abbott, a hearing
impaired employee in the
Water Management Division,
Permits Branch, Issuance
Section, Region 6, has been
with EPA for 4 years. She
performs a wide range of
administrative/clerical duties
for the Permits Branch. Her
responsibilities include serving
as an assistant to the
NPDES application desk and
the NPDES public notice desk,
in addition to her other duties
consisting of copying, typing
and filing.
Michael Popa an
Environmental Engineer,
works in the Air, Pesticides,
and Toxics Division, Air
Enforcement Branch, Region
6. He joined EPA the spring of
1986. Prior to coming to EPA,
he held engineering positions
with Western Electric in
Indianapolis, Indiana and AT&T
in Mesquite, Texas. Mike is a
people-oriented person and
has an out- going personality
despite his physical handicap
stemming from polio.
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Andrew Lowe, a hearing
impaired Computer
Programmer with the Field
Operations and Support
Division, Office of Mobile
Sources, Office of Air and
Radiation at Headquarters, is
responsible for developing a
user-friendly database for the
Office of Fuel and Fuel
Additive Registration Program.
This includes developing
routines for data entry and
reporting. Mr. Lowe manages
a Micro VAX II system and
provides technical support to
P.C. end-users.
Mr. Lowe received his B.A.
degree in Organic Chemistry
from Gallaudet University and
later studied .Computer
Science at Rochester Insititute
of Technology. Prior to coming
to EPA, Mr. Lowe worked for
the IBM Corporation and the
Mobile Oil Corporation.
ERA'S Handicap Employment Program
\»\
EPA's goals in establishing a Handicapped Employment Program (HEP)
include employing handicapped individuals in a broad range of grade
levels, occupations and positions commensurate with their skills and
abilities; and ensuring that Agency policies do not exclude or limit handicap^ d
individuals because of procedures, job structure, communications, architectural
design or transportation.
As managers and supervisors, you play a major role in carrying out the
HEP. It is your responsibility to provide employment opportunities to
handicapped individuals and to help them advance in their careers consistenl
with their skills and abilities. You are also responsible for assuring that
qualified handicapped individuals receive consideration for vacancies in your
organization and, to the extent possible, that they are hired on the basis of
their skills and abilities. Local Handicap Program Coordinators are available b
help both handicapped employees and you to match skills with job
requirements and to offer on-the-job assistance in providing reasonable
accommodations.
Overall coordination of the EPA Handicap Employment Program is
the responsibility of the Personnel Management Division in the Office of
Administration. The objective of the HEP is to ensure that handicapped
employees' abilities and skills are acknowledged in the course of their career-
rather than their impairments. Your local personnel office is responsible for
referring qualified handicapped individuals to you.
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Available Assistance
Both the performance of handicapped employees on the job and their
personal relationships with coworkers should always be a consideration
to you as a supervisor. Handicapped employees may have questions
jbout their work and and may encounter problems at various points in their
career. When this occurs, encourage your employees to come to you as soon
is possible. Problems are much easier to deal with when they first develop.
Handicapped employees know their own capabilities and limitations best.
Listen to what they have to say. Keep the lines of communication open.
Employees should feel that they can come to you whenever a problem or
question comes up. You should always be your employees' first source for
help. However, if you cannot resolve a question yourself, you should call
four local Handicapped Program Coordinator, who will help you deal with
any problems related to handicapped employees.
Jerry Waterman, a Computer
Programmer in the Program
Support Office, HWERL in
Cincinnatti, was born with
cerebral palsey.
Jerry was hired by EPA in
1981. By 1982. he was
awarded a quality within-grade
increase for his continued high
quality performance and
dedication to his work. Initially,
Jerry's work involved
organizing information and
establishing a data base of the
organic and inorganic chemical
products industry. This was
further expanded and data
bases were established of the
organic dye and pigment
producers. He maintains and
expands these data bases
which are used as an aid to
the Agency for program
planning and support of
regulatory activities.
Jerry is often called upon by
other elements of the
laboratory to develop and
maintain data bases for their
programs. He further
administers a program tracking
system for the entire
laboratory for management
information and system
reports.
In recognition of his
outstanding achievement in
the information area, he was
awarded a scholarship by the
National Council for Education
on Information Strategies.
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Nellie Tippenhauer an
Operating Accountant in the
Cost Documentation Section
of the Superfund Accounting
Branch at Headquarters,
manages the cost recovery
case workload to ensure that
necessary activities are
performed in a timely and
accurate manner. She assists
in developing financial policies
and procedures for
documenting Superfund costs.
In 1987, she received a
Special Act Award in
recognition of her exemplary
efforts in completing an
important project initiated by
the Comptroller. The project
included a review and
reconciliation of the financial
file on all Superfund sites
documented by the Financial
Management Division from
inception of the Superfund
program through March 1985.
As a result of her efforts, the
Financial Management
Division was able to report to
OWPE, in September 1986,
that an additional two million
dollars of EPA costs had been
accurately documented and
thus were eligible for recovery
from potentially responsible
parties.
Handicap Program Coordinators (HPCs)
We will be referring to the Handicap Program Coordinators (HPCs) throughout
this handbook. HPCs are usually personnel or management employees who
are responsible for advocating the hiring and placement of qualified
handicapped individuals and for providing job related assistance to these
employees. HPCs provide on-the-job counseling to both management and
employees. In complex areas such as skills evaluation, job analysis,
performance monitoring, career development or training activities, HPCs can
provide valuable assistance. Any time you have questions or need to utilize
their services, do not hesitate to call them. Most HPCs in EPA are located in
the local personnel office.
Your HPC can arrange for the use of other resource people who can assist
you and your handicapped employees in meeting their needs. The following
sources are used regularly by HPC and are also available to you:
Vocational Rehabilitation Centers
State Vocational Rehabilitation Offices provide services such as evaluation and
general counseling regarding disabilities, training and special assistance needs
as well as on-the-job counselling for handicapped individuals.
HPCs may request the assistance of a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor to
recommend worksite and other accommodations for employees hired under
the Handicap Employment Program. The counselor's expertise in evaluating
disabilities will assist you in making important decisions regarding an
individual's employment.
Personnel Counseling
All employees have personal problems from time to time and may benefit
from talking with a personnel counselor. EPA provides confidential counseling
services for all employees at all locations. Counseling services are provided foi
a wide range of concerns including family problems, drug and alcohol abuse
and financial problems. A reasonable amount of official time may be granted
for employees to attend counseling sessions. Employees may sometimes be
referred by the personnel counselor for treatment at non-Government
facilities.
If you believe that one of your employees need the services of a personnel
counselor, you should refer him/her immediately.
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Sensitivity and Awareness
Your attitude and that of your employees will greatly affect the
handicapped employee's successful adjustment, acceptance as a
member of your work unit, and overall performance on the job. The
fact that this may be your employee's very first job may make him/her
anxious or fearful at first. Your efforts to encourage open communication
with and among all employees, and your timely handling of problems or
concerns will be the keys to your success. As a supervisor, you must guard
against undue emotional reactions to your handicapped employees which may
hinder them from making the most of their abilities on the job. Instead, look
at the personal characteristics and the abilities that your employee
demonstrates.
Guillermina Gonzales, a
hearing impaired employee in
the Water Management
Division, Enforcement Branch,
Administrative Section, Region
6, has been with EPA for
more than 3 years. She is
responsible for the
maintenance of 2950
compliance files for facilities in
Region 6. She handles all
incoming and outgoing mail
for these facilities, and
researches any problems that
arise concerning documents
associated with them. She
received the Administrator's
Award for Excellence in 1985.
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K. Ann Brash, an
Environmental Protection
Specialist in the Solid Waste
Branch, began her career with
the Federal government
more than ten years ago
under the Unpaid Work
Experience program at the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
and Firearms. She quickly
obtained a paid position with
EPA, and has moved to
various clerical and technical
positions in the Personnel
Branch, the Office of Public
Affairs, and the Waste
Management Division.
Completely blind, Ann reads
with the use of an OPTICON,
and a braille printer. She has
four hours of volunteer
reading service each week,
courtesy of the Blind Service
Association. She commutes
via train every day, relying on
a white cane for mobility. Ann
is responsible for the technical
review of state-submitted
plans in advance of delegation
of RCRA authority. She also
serves as one of the EEO
counselors for Region 5. Ann
enjoys working with people
Hiring Handicapped Individuals
The personnel office is primarily responsible for locating qualified
handicapped individuals. However, as the supervisor, you play a
very important role in the selection process. When a job is to be filled,
the personnel office will refer one or more candidates to you for
consideration. The following steps will help you to meet your responsibilities
in the selection process:
• Give the prospective employee a clear understanding of the duties and
responsibilities of the job for which he/she is being considered. If possible,
offer the applicant a chance to see the actual work environment before a
selection is made.
• Don't make assumptions regarding the accommodations the new employee
might need. Discuss accommodations and needs with the applicant upfront
and, if appropriate, consult with the Handicap Program Coordinator.
• Make your selection based on the applicant's abilities to do the job, not on
his/her handicap.
A number of hiring flexibilities are available for handicapped individuals
and they are described below. If you need additional information about the
hiring process, contact your Handicap Program Coordinator.
Competitive Hiring
Most handicapped applicants for the Federal employment are hired after
participating in civil service examinations. Their handicap often does not pose
an insurmountable barrier to participation in such examinations. In fact,
many handicapped employees now working at EPA were employed in this
way.
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Sloncompetitive Hiring
because of their handicap, some individuals are unable to obtain employment
through the competitive hiring procedure. For these individuals, the Federal
government has established special avenues for obtaining employment.
To be hired under these special procedures, applicants must be certified for
the job they are seeking by either the State Vocational Rehabilitation Agency
)r the Veterans Administration. This certification assures that the applicant
nas the ability to perform the duties of a specific position and is physically
and/or mentally qualified for the job without hazard to him/herself or to
jthers. The Handicap Program Coordinator will obtain this documentation
before an applicant is referred to you for a job.
Temporary Hiring
Handicapped applicants can be hired initially on a temporary basis. During
he time they are employed, these employees are given an opportunity to
earn the requirements of the job firsthand and to demonstate their abilities to
do the work. As a supervisor, you should carefully instruct the employee
during this period about duties and assignments and help him/her to adjust to
he overall demands of working, namely, reliable attendance, interacting with
coworkers, getting around the building, etc. This period also gives you the
opportunity to assess the employee's overall capabilities to work in the job on
a permanent basis. If you determine that the employee is not ready for a
permanent job, his/her employment will end at the completion of the
:emporary period.
Permanent Hiring
\ special excepted authority is used to hire applicants with severe physical
Handicaps or mental retardation. Applicants can behired immediately in
permanent positions, provided they have been certified by the State Division
of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). Handicapped individuals who are working
on a temporary basis may be hired permanently. Of course, only those
temporary employees who demonstrate satisfactory work performance should
je hired permanently.
Employees who perform their duties satisfactorily in excepted positions for
at least 2 years may be placed in the competitive service. Although conversion
s not mandatory to continue the individual's employment, employees should
De converted unless there are compelling reasons not to do so. If you decide
not to convert a handicapped employee to the competitive service after 2 years,
you must document your decision. You may convert the employee to the
competitive service later when you believe this would be in the employee's
best interest. Your HPC can assist you in this.
Jim Batzek, a Computer
Specialist in the Information
Management Branch in
Region V, joined the Agency in
June 1985 as one of the first
recruits of the Disabled
Persons Program. Jim
sustained a spinal cord injury
at age 15, and after nine
months of rehabilitation,
successfully graduated on
time with his high school
class. He went to Southern
Illinois University for a degree
in Computer Science. Jim is
currently the Systems
Administrator for the PRIME
2550 in Region 5, and has also
assumed responsibility for
supporting users of the Water
Program databases Jim is
confined to a wheelchair, but
has limited use of both arms.
He requires no specific
accommodations other than
raising the height of his
workstation. In cooperation
with GSA, the Agency
obtained a designated parking
space at Federal Plaza in
Chicago, so Jim can drive his
own specially-adapted van
more than 80 miles a day to
and from work
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Mary Contreraz a hearing
impaired employee, is a Word
Processor Operator in the
Water Management Division,
Enforcement Branch,
Administrative Section, Region
6. Mary has been employed
with EPA for more than 4
years. She prepares a variety
of documents from simple
stored letters to legal referral
packages. She provides
support for approximately 30
technical and professional
staff.
Vivian Lerch a
Copier/Duplicating
Equipment Operator, was hired
by the Office of Administration
in Cincinnatti in 1968. She is
in charge of the AWBERC
Copy Center. Vivian operates
several different types of
facsimile transceivers and
copiers which require a
considerable amount of
manual dexterity. Even though
she is missing several
extremities, her work
performance generally
exceeds requirements.
Hiring Disabled Veterans
Veterans who have compensable, service-connected disabilities of 30 percent
or more may be hired temporarily for a minimum of 2 months and up to 1
year. To be eligible, these individuals must provide written proof of their '
disabilities. While veterans are temporarily employed, you should help them
learn the duties of their jobs. During their temporary employment, you can
assess their readiness for permanent work and your interest in hiring them. If
you want to hire disabled veterans permanently, contact your HPC.
Unpaid Work Experience
EPA may offer unpaid work experience to handicapped individuals under
some circumstances to give them practical, on-the-job experience
and to enhance their skills and abilities. Unpaid work experience provides a
chance to assess the individual's abilities and readiness for employment. Such
"hands on" training could also be very valuable to persons who have never
held jobs before, and could help them obtain future employment. You may
recommend employment of successful participants when budget and other
conditions make this possible.
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Accommodating the Employee
One of the most important things that you should do when hiring
handicapped individuals is to ensure that they receive the
necessary accommodations to perform their jobs. This process is known
as "reasonable accommodation." More details on reasonable accommodation,
as well as information regarding the process you should use in providing
accommodations to handicapped individuals are provided below.
Reasonable Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation is a logical change or adjustment to a job or
worksite that makes it easier for a qualified handicapped employee to perform
the duties of the position. Agencies must make reasonable accommodation for
the known physical or mental limitations of a handicapped applicant or
employee unless it can be shown that the accommodation would cause an
undue hardship on the agency. Accommodation applies only to the
performance of work related duties and not to personal needs such as those
accommodated by eye glasses, hearing aids or transportation to and from
work.
The Employee's Request for Accommodation
Requests for accommodation will come to you, as the employee's immediate
supervisor. You will probably find that you can make the necessary
adjustment immediately, since many requests for accommodation will be
rather easy to arrange.
Requests of a more complex nature must be made in writing by the
employee with a copy to the HPC. Each request must include:
• a description of the employee's disability, and how it affects performance on
the job;
• a description of the accommodation being requested, and
• an explanation of how the accommodation is expected to help the employee
work better.
Linda "Joyce"
Melton-Smith, a blind
Clerk-Typist employee in the
Environmental Services
Division, Surveilance Branch,
Region 6, became a Federal
Goverment employee in 1976
with the Veterans
Administration. After
discovering that she enjoyed
working with people, she
joined EPA in 1984 to answer
phones, take messages, type,
make travel arrangements,
etc.
Joyce is pleased about the
reasonable accommodations
provided by her office. For
example, because of the
numerous telephone lines for
which Joyce is responsible,
her supervisors had her
telephone adapted with larger
numbers and color-coded
lines; and also color-coded the
filing system to better assist
Joyce in distinguishing obiects
by their color. Joyce also has
a piece of equipment called
"Visualtek" which consists of
a televison screen and camera
which enlarges print several
times larger than the normal
size. She is a member of the
North Texas Blind Bowlers
and has worked closely with
the State Commission for the
Blind for several years.
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Marlin Bolden, a part-time
Receptionist in the Office of
the Regional Counsel, Region
5, provides telephone support
for a busy office of more than
100 attorneys. She has had
multiple sclerosis for 5 years.
She experiences fatigue on
occasion, and walks with a
cane for balance. She requires
no accommodations on the
job, but has a flexible
schedule because she
depends on special
transportation. Marlin has also
had to bridge some gaps in
gaining accessible housing and
transportation in the Chicago
area.
You should discuss alternatives for accommodating the employee's request
for reasonable accommodation with your local Handicap Program Coordinator
and the employee prior to making a decision on the request. If the employee's
handicapping condition is not apparent to you or if it does not seem to warrar
the particular accommodation requested, you should ask the employee to
submit medical evidence of the disability which describes how it affects
performance. If you decide to make an accommodation, you should take steps
to implement the decision immediately. If the request is not within your
authority to approve, you should refer it to the appropriate authority. Be sure
to follow up to ensure that the request receives timely attention. If you decide
not to accommodate, you should explain the reasons for your decision to the
employee. Guidance and assistance are always available from your HPC.
Types of Accommodations
Since each handicapped employee is different, the accommodations which
need to be provided will differ. You should be the employee's first point of
contact, but HPCs can provide procedural guidance and make referrals to
vocational rehabilitation counselors as necessary. The following are the types
of accommodations which are available:
Personal Assistants — Some employees require the help of personal assistants
to enable them to perform their jobs effectively. Assistants may be readers for
blind employees, interpreters for deaf or hearing impaired employees, or
personal helpers for severely physically disabled employees. Special funding
for personal assistants may be provided by the Department of Health and
Human Services. Your HPC can provide further information on how to obtain
this accommodation.
Job Restructuring — Some tasks of a job may be difficult for an employee to
perform because of the handicapping condition. When this occurs, changes
can sometimes be made in the way specific tasks are performed. In some
cases, certain non-essential job elements may even be eliminated.
Specialized Equipment and Assistive Devices — Severely physically
handicapped individuals may require the assistance of specialized equipment
or assistive devices to perform their jobs effectively. Any equipment
purchased for this purpose remains the property of EPA. Items such as
magnifiers, electronic visual aids, telephone amplifiers, speaker phones,
talking calculators, braille devices, electric staplers, pencil sharpeners and date
stamps can be purchased for employees. Specialized equipment, however,
cannot be of a simply personal nature such as eye glasses or wheelchairs but
must be directly related to the performance of the job.
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Worksite Modifications — Handicapped employees may need changes in the
worksite to enable them to perform their duties effectively. Accessibility to the
work area, rest rooms, other facilities, furniture and equipment should
be carefully reviewed to determine if modifications are required. Complex
modifications may require the assistance of higher level management.
Approving Absences/Adjusting Work Schedules
As a supervisor you may, within reason, adjust the work schedule to
accommodate a handicapped employee when the absence is required for
medical treatment, prescribed rest periods or other needs. However, you may
not shorten an employee's hours of work by extending the lunch period or
allowing late arrival or early departure on a recurring basis.
The liberal approval of absences may involve use of the following: excused
absence, sick leave, annual leave or leave without pay. You should approve
sick leave when handicapped employees request it for repair of prostheses or
equipment such as wheelchairs or for the treatment of seeing-eye dogs.
Inclement weather and temporary adverse building conditions are also
examples of situations where you should be liberal in approving absences.
Supervisors have the authority to excuse absences for up to 1 hour for all
employees in extreme circumstances. Additionally, it is EPA's policy to apply
liberal leave policies for employees when weather conditions make it extremely
difficult for them to get to work.
You should be especially sensitive to the needs of blind and
mobility-impaired employees during hazardous weather conditions. As a
supervisor, you should discuss the possibility of absence during hazardous
weather conditions with your handicapped employees and explain the
Agency's leave policy.
Reserved Parking
Accessibility to EPA buildings is a major concern for some handicapped
employees. Where feasible, special parking spaces can be provided to
handicapped individuals who have severe physical disabilities. Employees who
need special parking should contact their local parking or facilities office for
required procedures.
Accommodation for Meetings, Training, Conferences and
Seminars
Both informal on-the-job training and formal classroom training are important
elements in an employee's successful development and performance on the
job. Handicapped individuals are eligible to attend the same job-related
meetings, training courses, conferences and seminars as other employees.
When arranging for training, annotate the training form to advise the training
vendor of an employee's handicap and the need for accommodations. It is the
responsibility of the training facility to make the requested accommodations.
Be sure to confirm that the accommodations have been made prior to the
date of the scheduled training.
Mary Jo Kuptz joined EPA in
July 1986. She is the
Secretary to the Deputy
Director in the Management
Division, Region 6. Mary Jo's
handicap is rhematoid arthritis,
which she contracted as a
teenager after having rhematic
fever. She has a very
optimistic point of view and
laughingly relates that she
causes the security system at
the airport to buzz. You see,
Mary Jo has eight artificial
knuckles and both of her
knees and hips are completely
replaced with stainless steel.
Arthritis is not just limited to
the elderly—it knows no
age limit. Despite her
handicap, Mary Jo participates
in numerous social and
cultural activities and
enjoys life.
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Margaretsa Cannon, a
hearing impaired employee in
the Water Management
Division, Construction Grants
Branch, Delegations
Management Section, Region
6. has been with EPA for
more than six years. She has
spent five of those years in
the Construction Grants
Branch as a Word Processing
Center Clerk-Typist where she
operates a Lexitron with
communication E-Mail
capabilities.
Among her many typing
responsibilities, Ms. Cannon is
required to maintain disks
containing the Delegation
Agreements for each state in
Region 6, in addition to branch
guidelines and formats. She
dates and numbers all grant
actions for the branch and
types a substantial workload
of correpondence and reports.
Margaresa is a friendly and
dedicated EPA employee and
a real asset to the
Construction Grants Branch
operations. She is always
cheerful and willing to help.
Successful Performance on the Job
Under EPA's performance management system, all employees are held
accountable for their work performance. Handicapped employees are
no exception. As a supervisor, you are responsible for communicating
your performance expectations to all employees and monitoring and
appraising their work. These responsibilities may be even more challenging
when you supervise a handicapped employee. Try to set aside any
preconceptions you may have about the limitations a person with a particular
handicap might have. The ability to adapt your approach to each employee's
situation will be especially important in carrying out these responsibilities.
You may find, for example, that it is necessary to carefully clarify your
instructions or to allow your employee more time than others require for
learning new techniques. Remember, your emphasis should be to help
handicapped employees adjust to the demands of the job and to perform to
the best of their abilities.
Setting the Stage for Good Performance
During your initial interview with handicapped employees, you should clearly
describe the job and specific duties the employee will be assigned; and explain
the importance of the tasks the employee is expected to perform.
Strive to give your handicapped employees frequent encouragement and
feedback regarding their work performance. Encourage them to come to you aj
soon as problems or questions arise. However, it is important not to be
overprotective because this could hinder adjustment rather than encourage it.
Take time to familiarize handicapped employees with the work environment
including building facilities, such as the cafeteria, rest rooms and emergency
exits. Be open and straightforward in dealing with them and encourage their
coworkers to do likewise. Assist coworkers in getting to know the
handicapped employee through meetings and introductions. If appropriate and
feasible,assign a coworker as a mentor to provide on-the-job training.
The First Year of Employment
New employees, including those who are handicapped, should be closely
supervised during their first year of employment. This will ensure that they
make a good adjustment to the work place and learn to perform their jobs
satisfactorily. Make every effort to help handicapped employees overcome any
difficulties that arise. This is a demanding part of your work but your special
attention in these situations will help your employee meet the demands of
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period of adjustment. Your HPC and other support personnel can help
make the first year of employment a successful experience for you and
the handicapped employee.
Vppraising Work Performance
Like other employees, performance standards must be developed for
"fandicapped employees and they may be appraised after 90 days on the job.
likewise, they should receive formal progress reviews at the recommended
times. The standard appraisal forms and procedures should be used.
'erformance Awards and Recognition
It is EPA's policy to reward employees for the extra efforts they make to do
heir jobs well. EPA's Incentive Awards Program provides a way for you to
ecognize these efforts. You should use both informal as well as formal means
to acknowledge the superior work of your handicapped employees. A word
if praise or thanks for good work or extra effort also works well. Normal
supervisory procedures should be followed in making formal awards.
Handicapped employees are also eligible to receive the "Outstanding
Handicapped Employee of the Year" Award. This award recognizes
individual achievement and highlights the contributions being made by all
handicapped employees. Personnel offices request nominations for this award
mnually.
promotions/Reassignments
landicapped employees, like other employees, have career goals and
aspirations. You should give consideration to filling some of your
vacancies with eligible handicapped employees in the Agency to provide them
vith career development and promotional opportunities. You may give certain
handicapped employees noncompetitive consideration for promotion to
ippropriate positions in your program. Encourage your
landicapped employees to pursue their career goals and assist them in any
way you can.
Termination of Appointment
Handicapped individuals should be held accountable for fully acceptable
:onduct and performance on the job. You should address any
nisconduct and/or performance problem at the earliest possible stage. This is
when you have the best chance of resolving the problem favorably. If the
>roblem persists, however, ask your Handicapped Program Coordinator to
lelp you obtain assistance from personnel or the Vocational Rehabilitation
Counselor for appropriate corrective actions. Before you consider the need to
ake a performance-based action, you should review with your HPC
adjustments made to ensure that reasonable accommodation has been
provided.
On rare occasions it may be necessary to terminate the appointment of a
handicapped employee. When this is the case, your HPC and local personnel
office will help you to make this decision and take appropriate action.
Paul A. Wernsing a
Biological Laboratory
Technician in the Toxicology
Microbiology Division,
HWERL. in Cincinnatti, has
nerve deafness in both ears
with an 85 decibels hearing
loss.
He is responsible for the
development of short-term
bioassays for chemical
carcinogens. He obtains test
substances, administers
them to laboratory animals in
the appropriate dosages and
routes and sacrifices animals.
Paul also excises and
processes the various target
organs and tissues for macro-
scopic and histochemical
examination.
To ensure that the
histology laboratory
uses state-of-the-art
procedures, he continually
updates his knowledge
through courses and seminars.
He is an activist in
numerous community social
service organizations that
serve the disabled.
J
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Lou W. Tilley, a Librarian in
Region 5, since 1972, is
responsible for a collection of
thousands of books, legal and
technical references and
reports, along with more than
300 current journals and
periodicals. She manages 6
contract employees and
provides support for
subordinate libraries in the
Office of Regional Counsel
and the Great Lakes National
Program Office. In 1976, she
was diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis after several years of
symptoms. "I don't consider
myself handicapped," Lou
reflects, "I simply can't reach
as high or fit into as many
tight spaces as I used to."
She requires no specific
accommodations, but
sometimes experiences
fatigue. "If I know a fire drill is
planned for a given day," she
says, "I make it a point to be- *
out of the building that day1"
Lou continues to adapt to the
automation of the library
services, including several
on-line databases and
inter-library loan services. She
remains a highly visible,
successful, service-oriented
employee.
A Closing Note
EPA is fully committed to the employment of the handicapped. This
handbook highlights the important role you play in this effort. EPA
relies on you to select handicapped persons, to accommodate them on
the job, and to assist them in attaining their career goals. By so doing, you
will ensure that the Agency makes the most effective use of all of its human
resources in meeting its mission of protecting the environment.
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