Diversity and Inclusion

Employee Associations and Special Emphasis Programs

The FAA takes great pride in ensuring that all employees are afforded the opportunity to connect with others who share a similar culture, background, identity, interest or goal. Our employee associations and Special Emphasis Programs serve to facilitate career development, formal and informal mentoring, diversity, inclusion and social interaction. The FAA supports the following groups, which are open to all FAA employees.

• FAA GLOBE — Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual Employees
• National Native American Alaska Native Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NAAN)
• National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NHCFAE)
• National Asian and Pacific American Association (NAPA)
• National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE)
• National Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees with Disabilities (NCFAED)
• Professional Women Controllers (PWC)
• Technical Women's Organization (TWO)
• Special Emphasis Programs
  • Federal Women's Program (FWP)
  • Hispanic Employment Program (HEP)
  • People with Disabilities Program (PWDP)

People with Disabilities

Individuals with targeted or "severe" disabilities are the most under-represented segment of the Federal workforce. The People with Disabilities Program (PWD) ensures that people with disabilities have equal Federal employment opportunities. The FAA actively recruits, hires, promotes, retains, develops and advances people with disabilities.

The FAA meets the goals of the PWD Program through a variety of practices:

Targeted Disabilities

Targeted disabilities are those disabilities that the Federal government, as a matter of policy, has identified for special emphasis in recruitment and hiring. They include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism.

On-the-Spot Hiring

A non-competitive hiring method for filling vacancies with Veterans and/or individuals with disabilities. Managers can choose to fill an open position through the On-the-Spot hiring process given they provide the required documentation for doing so.

Reasonable Accommodation

Ensures that employees with disabilities have access to accommodations that suit their needs. This can include modifications made to existing facilities or special equipment.

Direct Hiring Authorities

The FAA utilizes Direct Hiring Authorities to provide opportunities to Veterans, individuals with disabilities or other groups that may be underrepresented or facing hardships in the current workforce. These individuals may be hired in an expedited manner upon meeting all relevant requirements. The following Direct Hiring Authorities are utilized by the FAA:

Disabled Veteran with 30 percent or more disability

Disabled Veterans who were retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements.

People with Severe Disabilities

For individuals with severe disabilities such as missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, severe intellectual disability and psychiatric disability.

Veteran Recruitment Appointment (VRA)

For Disabled Veterans, Veterans who served in active duty during war and Veterans who have received campaign badges or an Armed Forces Service Medal (AFSM). Learn more about FAA Veteran preference and on-the-spot hiring.