RD specialists assist employees and job seekers with disabilities and share their thoughts on access and equity

Story submitted by Sarah Sol, USDA Rural Development, Office of External Affairs

Each October, Rural Development (RD) celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month—an annual opportunity to celebrate the myriad ways people with disabilities contribute to our workplaces and our economy.

RD is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment for people with disabilities, who contribute every day to RD’s mission of improving the lives of rural Americans. Information to support employees and job seekers with disabilities is available on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Reasonable Accommodations and Personal Assistance Services web page. RD also has several primary points of contact for people with disabilities:

·???? Deborah Oliver-Sutton (left), a Human Resources Specialist and Reasonable Accommodation Program Manager within the Employee Relations Branch of RD’s Human Resources Office. She self-identifies as a person with a disability.

·???? Allison Savage (center), a Senior Human Resources Specialist and Disability Employment Program Manager within the Policy and Programs Branch of RD’s Human Resources Office. She self-identifies as a person with a disability.

·???? Darryll Woodson (right), an Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist within the Equal Employment Opportunity Branch of RD’s Civil Rights Office. He is the Disability Program Manager for RD’s Civil Rights Office and also is a retired U.S. Air Force disabled veteran.

To learn more during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we asked them to share their expertise and reflections.

Question 1: The theme for National Disability Employment Awareness Month this year is “Advancing Access and Equity.” What does that theme mean to you?

Darryll Woodson: To me, this year’s theme means continuing to break down those barriers and perceptions of access and equity. I have always believed that it is about providing equitable access and not just helping. In developing the theme, Anupa Iyer Geevarghese with the Department of Labor said it best, in stating , “[W]e honor the promise of the Rehab Act and the ADA and pledge to deliver on it in a way that is equitable in reach and impact and considers the lived experiences of all workers with disabilities, including those who may also belong to other marginalized groups. Again, it’s about advancing access and equity, for all workers, for the next 50 years and beyond.”

Allison Savage: For me, this year’s theme serves as another reminder of the ongoing efforts to raise awareness and make changes regarding the barriers and prejudices that people with disabilities experience in the job market and in society. It’s about educating the masses, be it federal employers, private employers, advocacy groups, or the public; and celebrating the valuable contributions those with disabilities have made to our society and will continue to make when given a fair and equitable opportunity to do so.??

Deborah Oliver-Sutton: For me, this year’s theme shows me that the agency is really putting in the work to make the necessary changes in making USDA a great place to work for all employees. The magic word is “communication.” Good communication brings understanding, and the better understanding we have, the more it brings on all types of positive changes. To move forward, we must first understand why change is necessary. The agency is bringing more and more information and awareness about people with disabilities to the forefront. I am a living witness to someone living and working with a disability. You see, I am the face of a Schedule A appointee from October 13, 1982, who was given a fair and equal opportunity to become a federal employee, and I now have 41 years and 1 month of service in the federal government. Since then, many things have gotten better, but we still have a lot more work to do.

Question 2:? How has Rural Development made its virtual, physical and social environments more accessible for people with disabilities?

Darryll Woodson: In RD’s Civil Rights Office, we make sure being Section 508-compliant is a part of our processes in special-emphasis events and activities, documents (to include memorandums), and compliance reviews. Also, the Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce focused on creating inclusive workplace environments that included individuals with disabilities and targeted disabilities.

Also, we are continuously looking at ways to improve our outreach and retention based on our workforce data.

Question 3:? What misconceptions do people have about disabilities in the workplace?

Darryll Woodson: I think one misconception is that individuals with disabilities need additional assistance in performing their duties. However, that is not the case. Individuals with disabilities are asking that workplace environments have equitable access to workspaces, to include virtual workspaces.

Allison Savage: A big misconception about people with disabilities in the workplace is that they are less productive than non-disabled employees. Studies have shown that people with disabilities are more productive, are more punctual, and have lower rates of absenteeism in the workplace. Derogatory notions about disability and productivity create unnecessary barriers for people with disabilities in the workplace, and organizations that don’t embrace inclusivity miss out on the many skills and talents that those with a disability bring to the table.

Question 4: What are some things employees should know about reasonable accommodations?

Deborah Oliver-Sutton: I want our employees and job applicants to know that reasonable accommodations are available to anyone who needs assistance to help perform their job or needs some type of assistance going through the job hiring process. Anyone at any given time may need some type of accommodation, and the list is endless. I want employees and managers to know that the agency has many resources when it comes to reasonable accommodations. When in doubt, please check the USDA website’s search box and enter the words “Reasonable Accommodation.” The department has done an outstanding job of creating a user-friendly website that contains a wealth of information about reasonable accommodations. The website also lists each agency’s reasonable accommodation program manager, along with their contact information. Our agency reasonable accommodation coordinators are dedicated to the reasonable accommodation program to make sure that all our employees and job applicants have the resources and opportunities needed to become successful employees.

Question 5: What have you learned by working with people with disabilities or through your own experiences having a disability?

Darryll Woodson: I have learned that we are a resilient group of people that cannot and will not stop moving forward in our quest for equity and accessibility.

Allison Savage: Being a person with a disability and working with others who have disabilities has taught me to understand and appreciate the perseverance in overcoming the challenges we face and the importance of supporting one another. It underscores the need to value and honor the differences we have and create work environments that allow everyone to contribute and thrive.

Deborah Oliver-Sutton: Believe it or not, there is not one single person in this world that doesn’t have some type of disability. Some disabilities are more severe than others, and some are so transparent that they literally go unnoticed or unaddressed, but, whatever the case, maybe we all have one or two and sometimes more. Because my disability was noticeable, there was no way of looking over it. Working in this reasonable accommodation area has made me super sensitive and aware of people in need, and it has made me take the extra steps to assist someone when I get an email or phone call from an employee or job applicant who needs some help. So, I want to encourage everyone to contact our disability community, because we are here to help you and to make life a little easier for you.

Question 6:? What are some insights you’ve learned from the data RD keeps about participation rates for people with disabilities in the workplace?

Darryll Woodson: I have learned that we have come a long way and we still have a long way to go.

Allison Savage: The data that RD keeps on the participation rates among people with disabilities indicates that the agency continues to exceed the established workforce goals of 12% for persons with disabilities and 2% for persons with targeted disabilities. This is a positive achievement that the agency can build on by continuing its good work and investing the resources necessary for breaking down barriers and fulfilling the USDA RD goals for creating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible work environment.