Disability Etiquette Video


The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program’s (CAP) disability etiquette training video is targeted to supervisors and coworkers of individuals with disabilities. This training is intended to provide basic tips that can serve as a guideline when interacting with an individual who has a disability. Proper disability etiquette creates a comfortable work environment and supports equal access and advancement for all.

CAP (http://www.cap.mil/) provides assistive technology and services free of charge to DoD and civil service customers with hearing, visual, dexterity, cognitive, and communication impairments to make their work environments more accessible.

Access the CAP video: (http://www.cap.mil/NewsEvents/TrainingVideo.aspx?enc=e/kValfIEwJOlyfR5ciqmg== )

For questions about NASA Reasonable Accommodations process, please contact the NASA Disability Program Manager Rebecca Doroshenk at 202-358-0038 or Rebecca.D.Doroshenk@nasa.gov.

Resources for Disability Self-Identification Efforts

The “ant nebula” (Menzel 3, or Mz 3), NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) have issued a joint memo containing resources for disability self-identification efforts. A 508-conformant version of this joint memorandum is available online for the benefit of readers with disabilities at: https://chcoc.gov/content/resources-disability-self-identification-efforts.

If you have any questions, please email diversityandinclusion@opm.gov or ofo.eeoc@eeoc.gov.

Resources for Disability Self-Identification Efforts
Tuesday, October 23, 2018

MEMORANDUM FOR:
CHCOs EEO DIRECTORS AND DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION DIRECTORS
From:
MARGARET M. WEICHERT, OPM ACTING DIRECTOR
VICTORIA A. LIPNIC, EEOC ACTING CHAIR
Subject:
Resources for Disability Self-Identification Efforts
The Federal government continues to develop new strategies to attract, develop, and retain a world class, high quality workforce that can deliver results for the American people. We are committed to identifying strategies that foster fairness and inclusion for people with disabilities within the workforce. Through this memorandum, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are providing information on the updated form for self-identification of disability, which can assist agencies in their efforts to monitor the hiring, development and retention of Federal employees with disabilities, including targeted disabilities. An individual’s disability status can change during the employee’s tenure in the Federal government and these changes, in turn, affect the number of employees with disabilities in the Federal workforce.

In October 2016, OPM modified the SF-256, Self-Identification of Disability Form, to reflect changes to terms used to describe targeted disabilities, serious health conditions, and other disabilities; simplifying the descriptions of conditions; and providing respondents with the option of identifying that they have a medical condition without specifying a diagnosis. While completion of this form remains voluntary, the collection and/or update of this information will assist agencies in gaining a broader understanding of their diverse workforce.

On January 3, 2017, the EEOC issued a final rule to amend the regulations implementing Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which became effective on January 1, 2018. Under the Section 501 regulation, agencies are required to take steps designed to move toward a target workforce participation rate for employees with disabilities of 12 percent, both above and below the GS-11 grade, as well as a target rate of 2 percent for employees with targeted disabilities, both above and below the GS-11 grade. Agencies have been determining their baseline participation rates of individuals with disabilities and individuals with targeted disabilities at those grade levels as part of this year’s reporting requirements.

The updated SF-256 is an excellent tool for measuring workforce participation of people with disabilities within your agency. We are pleased to remind agencies that resource is available for your use. Both of our agencies are available to assist you in efforts within your agency to help employees to self-identify as people with disabilities and people with targeted disabilities, as appropriate. The Federal Employee Exchange on Employment & Disability (FEED) that brings together staff from equal employment and human capital offices also is a valuable resource. For resources to promote self-identification, please visit https://community.max.gov/x/lQtpT for materials designed for your use by OPM, in collaboration with Federal disability employment managers.

If you have any questions, please contact diversityandinclusion@opm.gov at OPM or ofo.eeoc@eeoc.govat the EEOC.

NASA Engages with Indigenous Students at AISES Conference


The 2018 American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES) Conference was held October 3-6 in Oklahoma City. The NASA Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity (ODEO) and Minority University Research and Education Project (MUREP) were conference sponsors, seeking to increase American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN) students in STEM through career and resume workshops, as well as a career fair for more than 2,000 students.

The NASA team, with participants from six NASA Centers, engaged with indigenous students at the Riverside Bureau of Indian Education School at an outreach event in Anadarko, Oklahoma. The NASA team directly connected with 160 students through STEM engagement activities promoting science and engineering.

STEM Girls Night In on November 2-3


From Friday to Saturday, November 2-3, about 50 high- and middle-school girls and their chaperones from local public high schools will participate in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Girls Night In, to be hosted by various Centers across NASA.

At Goddard Space Flight Center, each girl will have at least one woman as their mentor throughout the event who is a NASA employee plus a university engineering/science student, as a near-to-peer mentor.

The purpose of this event is to invigorate, inspire, and engage high school girls who may be struggling with, or are not fully engaged in, STEM education. STEM Girls Night In will provide the girls an opportunity to completely immerse themselves in NASA activities that challenge and promote knowledge and discovery, such as by designing and testing a Mars rover.

STEM Girls Nigh In allows NASA women to share and demonstrate the STEM work they do and to connect all participating Centers through an inspiring interactive activity.

For more information, contact Amy Grigg, amy.grigg@nasa.gov.

Let’s Break Boundaries! Society of Women Engineers 2018 Conference


The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) 2018 Conference’s theme, “Let’s Break Boundaries,” is based on the idea that women engineers are breaking personal and professional boundaries across the globe. SWE is the largest annual conference of women engineers.

NASA attended SWE again this year, with about 40 employees representing the Agency from various Centers. Attendees participated in panel discussions (with standing room only!) and a very large career fair – communicating NASA’s mission and commitment to STEM education and internship and employment possibilities to countless women.

Thank you – to the NASA employees who made this year’s event a tremendous success!

Panel Discussion for National Disability Employment Awareness Month Hosted by Stennis Space Center and NASA Shared Services Center


The Stennis Space Center (SSE) and the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) are hosting several events in October to celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

The first event is a lunch-and-learn to educate NASA employees about disability etiquette. Secondly, SSC and NSSC have planned a panel event on October 25 at 11 a.m. CST, to educate the NASA community on disability awareness. Scott Howell, NASA OCHCO, will be speaking along with other individuals with disabilities. Participants plan to talk about the work they perform at NASA and why they like working for NASA.

NASA is Represented at the Out and Equal Workplace Summit


Ten NASA employees, representing various Centers, attended the Out and Equal Workplace Summit for LGBTQ+ in Seattle on October 1-3.

The 2018 Summit (20th annual!) featured 3 days of educational opportunities including over 135 workshops, featured panels, community advisory roundtables, special networking mixers, receptions and events, and inspirational plenaries featuring prominent LGBTQ/ally leaders.

In addition to NASA folks, there were 6000 attendees from 48 states and 32 countries, with 700 of the Fortune 100 companies represented.

Kennedy Space Center Celebrates National Disability Employment Awareness Month

NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope

In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) for 2018, the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Disability Awareness and Action Working Group (DAA WG) Employee Resource Group is sponsoring an informational fair with the theme “Talent Has No Boundaries.” It will be held on Wednesday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the Headquarters Building front lobby, elevator area, and cafeteria. Twenty different vendors from both on- and off-Center will showcase resources and services they have available to KSC employees and family members. This fair is open for everyone to attend.

The DAA WG will also be sponsoring Disability Mentoring Day for area students and job seekers with disabilities on Thursday, November 8. If you are interested in being a mentor for the day, please reach Nicole Delvesco, 321-222-9307, or Annie Williams, telephone 321-867-8720.

NASA is Well-Represented at the Women of Color STEM Conference


The Women of Color (WOC) National Conference and STEM Career Fair is a premier conference and career fair for women of color in the United States. This year is the 23rd WOC Conference and Fair.

Women of Color is a three-day national conference with students and professionals – with representation from more than 3,000 thought leaders in engineering, computer science, and business.
WOC features a variety of educational and professional opportunities including workshops, expert panels, networking mixers, and prominent keynote speakers.

NASA was a sponsor at the Women of Color STEM Conference again this year, and participated in a pre-college seminar for secondary students. Students worked with NASA representatives on hands-on, competitive activities that engage and challenge them to consider STEM careers as real options. NASA employees also held a seminar where participants learned about a broad range of career opportunities at the Agency.

NASA was well-represented, with participants from Ames Research Center, Glenn Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, Langley Research Center, and Headquarters. Eleven NASA employees won awards this year at WOC for their spectacular career accomplishments.