OPTIONS WITH RESPECT TO STAFFING FOR THE ARCHITECTURAL There are presently under consideration three options for staffing of the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. The options include: 1. Each member agency would detail staff from their respective agencies to the lead agency which will serve as permanent chairman. In addition to headquarters staff, details would be assigned to each regional office of the lead agency to serve as hearing examiners and support staff. The detailees would work full time for the ATBCB. 2. A full-time core staff of about five would be assembled to handle the staff work of the ATBCB. Staff would be employees of the lead agency and would exclude all of the staff persons now serving in a liaison capacity for the agencies represented on the Board. The staff currently assigned in a liaison capacity would continue to function in this manner, allocating a certain percentage of their time to support and supplement the efforts of the full time staff. Additional liaison staff in the region could serve as hearing officers but would not be full time staff members of the Board. The new slots for this staff could be obtained by either a transfer to the lead agency of existing unincumbered slots by the Secretaries of the member agencies; a request to OMB that slots be allocated to the Board; or a request to Congress for new slots. 3. Continue to operate without permanent staff and request staff assistance from member agencies on an "as needed" basis. Until a permanent lead agency is designated, this procedure will be followed. The Board is currently reviewing these options and will determine the most desirable staffing pattern within the next two months. 43-192 O 75-7 8 Question: How many handicapped persons are being hired in HEW? (p. 66) Answer: There were 1,398 handicapped employees on DHEW rolls as of A copy of this Department's Affirmative Action Plan for Fiscal Also attached is a copy of the Secretary's memorandum of AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PROGRAM PLAN ON EMPLOYMENT OF THE HANDICAPPED: JULY 1, 1974 - JUNE 30, 1975 Policy Statement 1. Department policy in filling positions is to base selection solely on merit and ability with no discrimination against any candidate because of non-merit factors, including physical, mental, or emotional handicaps. In a memorandum dated March 22, 1974, the Secretary reaffirmed the Department's commitment to the requirements of Section 501 P.L. 93-112 (The Rehabilitation Act of 1973) concerning employment and full utilization of handicapped individuals. He expressed his strong support of an affirmative action program aimed at increasing the representation of handicapped persons in the work force. It will be the policy of this Department to carry out such a program in an aggressive and positive manner. Objectives 1. Affirmative action in employment of the handicapped is not a new program in the Department. Various agencies of the Department have exercised leadership in this field since 1957. The objective for the remainder of fiscal 1974 is for Agency Heads and Regional Directors to review exactly where we are at all levels, what we are doing and should be doing, and where we are falling short and to advise the Department of what needs to be done to augment our activities with new initiatives. The affirmative action program for fiscal 1975 should build on presently functioning programs, affirm support for initiatives where action has been insufficient in the past, and call for critical self-evaluation. 2. The Affirmative Action Program Plan defines responsibilities at the Department level, the agency and regional office levels, and in all of the Department's personnel offices. The main thrust of the 1974/1975 Affirmative Action Program will be to secure the commitment of program managers to the full consideration of handicapped applicants---especially where it means a degree of job restructuring or rearrangement of physical layout to accomodate the physical, mental, and emotional limitations of applicants. The "action points" -2 where initiatives will succeed if properly supported, or fail if management support is inadequate, are in the fifty-two servicing personnel offices of the Department where matching of qualified applicants with vacancies actually takes place. Responsibilities 1. The Under Secretary will give general direction for accomplishment of the Department's efforts under Section 501 of P.L. 93-112, will represent the Secretary at meetings of the new Interagency Committee on Handicapped Employees, and will fulfill the Secretary's duties as Co-chairman of the Interagency Committee as required. 2. The Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management will provide leadership and direction to assure that administrators and program management officials at all levels accord personal attention to accomplish the goals of the program and assure that sufficient resources are provided to meet the objectives of the Affirmative Action Program. 3. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Personnel and Training will designate a Department Coordinator for Selective Placement, allocate sufficient resources of the Office of Personnel and Training to support the Affirmative Action Program effectively, review progress reports quarterly, and initiate corrective steps to be taken where progress is inadequate, including training where appropriate. 4. The Department Coordinator for Selective Placement will: a. b. c. Serve as Chairman of the DHEW Committee on Selective Represent the Department at meetings of the Civil Compile, from data obtained through the personnel -3 d. Monitor, assess, and evaluate activities in the field of handicapped employment at agency headquarters and servicing personnel office levels. e. Monitor, assess, and evaluate data in the personnel data system to assure that handicapped hires and promotions are being properly coded from SF-50s and tabulated for reporting purposes. f. Draft proposals, as necessary, for changes in Department Personnel Instructions to incorporate new procedures to facilitate handicapped hiring. g. Maintain contact with organizations of and serving the handicapped. h. Develop and coordinate a Departmentwide reporting system. 5. The Assistant Secretary for Health for the health agencies, Agency Heads for agency components where hiring is under their direct control, Regional Directors for Department components under the jurisdiction of regional offices, and the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management for the Office of the Secretary will: a. Take whatever appropriate steps are necessary to insure the success of the affirmative action plan. b. C. Make known the Department's commitment to the program Allocate resources in personnel offices under their characteristics recommended for handicapped coordinators d. Support Coordinators for Selective Placement under their |