Protecting America's Pensions 

PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY 

CORPORATION 

Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action 

Program (DV AAP) 

FY 2019 Accomplishment Report 

10/01/2018 - 09/30/2019 
Table of Contents 

• DV AAP Executive Summary . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2 

• Organizational Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............ .. ... ........ Pages 2-3 

o Agency Mission Overview 

o HQs DV AAP Program Office and Point of Contact (POC) 

o Component I Field Office POCs 

• FY Accomplishment Report.. ..... ...... ... .... ... ... .... .... ....... ....... .. ... ... .. Pages 3-9 

o Recruit and Employ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 3-7 

Summarize the methods used to recruit and employ qualified disabled 

veterans, especially those who are 30 percent or more disabled. Illustrate 

agency strategies and results to include items such as recruitment, hiring, 

and Veteran Employment Program Office (VEPO) involvement. 

o Promote and Develop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 7-8 

Summarize the methods used to provide or improve internal advancement 

opportunities for disabled veterans. Demonstrate agency-provided 

opportunities for career development, promotion, and reasonable 

accommodations. 

o Agency Oversight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 8-9 

Provide a description of how the activities of major operating components 

and field installations were monitored, reviewed, and evaluated. Describe 

the agency's communication strategy to component/field offices and 

integration with Diversity & Inclusion. 

o Program Execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 

Clarify the agency's progress in implementing its affirmative action plan 

during the previous fiscal year. Identify areas where progress has been 

made. Where progress has not been shown, cite reasons for lack of 

progress. 

• Agency Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9 

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DV AAP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

As a result of the strategies implemented in its FY2019-2021 Disabled Veterans Affirmative 

Action Program (DV AAP) Plan, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) hired four fulltime equivalent (FTEs) disabled veterans and one Pathways Intern for a total of five accessions. 

PBGC employed 26 disabled veterans out of 905 FTEs as of the 30th of Sep 2019 which 

represents nearly 2.9% as compared to 3.3% in FY2018, with 30 disabled veterans and 911 

FTEs. In FY2019, PBGC experienced more attrition than the previous year, with eight 

disabled veterans leaving PBGC: five transfers to other Federal agencies, one death, and two 

resignations. PBGC hired one Pathways Intern in the Spring of 2019, due in part to the 

increased recruitment strategies as indicated in PBGC's Pathway Disabled Veterans Hiring 

and Retention Plan-FY2017-FY2019. There will be continued emphasis by upper 

management to recruit and hire disabled veterans into the Pathways Programs as well as the 

FTE workforce in FY2020 

In accordance with Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 720, subpatt C, the FY2019-

FY2021 plan continues to be implemented. This plan complements PBGC's Strategic Plan as well as 

the strategic goals stated in mission critical repo1ts such as PBGC's Diversity and Inclusion Strategic 

Plan, the MD-715 Repo11, and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Recruitment Program 

(FEORP) Plan. PBGC established the goal of increasing PBGC's disabled veteran representation by 

.5% each year for fiscal years 2019-2021 , while also retaining its current disabled veterans. 

There were three minor revisions to the FY2019- FY2021 DV AAP plan: First, Instead of the focus 

groups for disabled veterans objective as identified in the Internal Advancement Opportunities section, 

a new objective of accomplishing a comprehensive survey was approved by PBGC's SL DV AAP 

Officer, in order to obtain the voluntary input of all PBGC military veterans including disabled veterans 

who are self-identified. Second, the Learning and Development Division (LDD) of the Quality 

Management Department (QMD), added a new objective where in FY2020 they will send out 

individual emails to disabled veterans in addition to the regular PBGC-wide emails encouraging PBGC 

employees to take training courses throughout the fiscal year. Third, OEEO made one minor change in 

the Monitor, Review, and Evaluate section and removed the verbiage associated with HRD 

collaborating with OEEO to remove barriers and alternate language was provided. These changes have 

been updated in the revised PBGC's FY20 l 9-FY202 l DV AAP Plan, as of 11/22/2019. 

Since the FY2017-FY2017 Pathways Disabled Veterans Hiring and Retention Plan originally created in 

FY2017 expired on the 30th of Sep 2019, an updated plan was developed, reviewed, and approved by 

PBGC' s SL DV AAP Officer in mid Sep 2019 and is effective, 10/01 /2019-09/3 0/2021. This enhanced 

plan is dedicated to increasing the focus on recruiting and retaining disabled veterans in PBGC 

Pathways Programs. 

PBGC is committed to increasing the number of disabled veterans while retaining its current disabled 

veterans. PBGC's current DV AAP Plan has established the hiring goal of achieving a .5% increase in 

percentage of disabled veterans in its workforce each year from FY 2019-2021. The Plan also includes 

targeted goals beyond hiring efforts, including strategies to retain PBGC's disabled veterans. Overall, 

PBGC implemented its Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Plan in FY 2019 successfully, either 

achieving the specific goal set, exceeding the specific goal set, or making good progress toward the 

goal set. PBGC's total disabled veteran population was at 26 disabled veterans verses 30 disabled 

veterans in FY2018. PBGC will strive to increase representation of disabled veterans from 2.9% to 

3.4% in FY2020. 

PBGC'S ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE 

PBGC protects the retirement incomes of more than 44 million American workers in more than 27,500 

private sector defined benefit pension plans. PBGC was created by the Employee Retirement Income 

Security Act of 197 4 to encourage the continuation and maintenance of private sector defined benefit 

pension plans, provide timely and uninterrupted payment of pension benefits, and keep pension 

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insurance premiums at a minimum. PBGC is headed by a Director who is appointed by the President 

and confirmed by the Senate. The Board of Directors consists of the Secretaries of Labor, Commerce 

and Treasury, with the Secretary of Labor as Chair. 

PBGC's Human Resources Department (HRD), in partnership with PBGC's Office of Equal 

Employment Opportunity (OEEO), is responsible for the development and implementation of the 

DV AAP. The Director, HRD (Ms. Arrie Etheridge) continues to be the designated senior level (SL) 

DV AAP official for PBGC. Ms. Etheridge's contact information is as follows: Pension Benefit 

Guaranty Corporation, 1200 K. Street, N.W. Washington DC 20005; Tel. (202) 229-3728 Fax. (202) 

326-4114; Etheridge.Arrie@pbgc.gov. 

PBGC FY 2019 DV AAP ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT 

As of the end of FY 2019, PBGC employed 26 veterans out of 905 FTEs, representing 

approximately 2.9% of PBGC's FTE workforce, which is slightly lower than in FY2018, with 

30 disabled veterans and 3.3% of the total FTE count. In FY 2019, PBGC experienced more 

attrition than the previous year as eight disabled veterans left PBGC: two resignations, five 

transfers, and one death. PBGC hired five disabled veterans in FY2019, of which four were 

four time equivalent and one was a Pathways Intern. PBGC will strive to increased disabled 

veterans from 2.9% to 3.4% in FY2020. 

RECRUIT AND EMPLOY 

During FY 2019, PBGC utilized the followin g methods to recruit and employ qualified 

disabled veterans: 

• PBGC recruited disabled veterans through USAJOBS. PBGC's vacancy announcements 

included statements about veterans' preference and special authorities available to certain 

veterans and disabled veterans. Vacancy announcements also included a statement that 

PBGC provides reasonable accommodations to candidates with disabilities and information 

on PBGC's flexible workplace polices (e.g., telework, alternative work schedules, etc.). 

o All PBGC employees including disabled veterans are apprised of all open 

vacancy announcements through a PBGC-wide email on the date the 

announcement opens. 

o PBGC shared vacancy announcements, networked, and collaborated with 

vocational rehabilitation office in FY 2019 in Maryland, Virginia, and 

DC and with the Director of Veterans Services at OPM, the Veteran 

Services Division at DOD, and the Veteran Listserv, an agency that 

assists disabled veterans find employment within the Federal 

Government. 

• PBGC enhanced its media campaign encouraging the hiring of disabled veterans 

by sponsoring the "Why Hire a Disabled Veteran" initiative which continued in 

FY2019. 

o The Manager of HRD's Staffing and Classification Division (SCD) partnered 

with PBGC's Selective Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC), and a 

disabled veteran who is also a HR Specialist, to create the disabled veteran 

media campaign entitled, "Why Hire a Disabled Veteran?" Additionally, 

they partnered with PBGC's Communications Outreach and Legislative 

Affairs Department (COLAD) to create innovative ways to communicate 

the media campaign resulting in a new flyer distributed agency-wide that 

promotes the hiring of disabled veterans. The campaign was approved by 

the Director, Human Resources Department (HRD) in late September 2014 

and officially launched on November 10, 2014, in connection with 

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Veteran's Day, when PBGC's Acting Director sent an email to all 

Supervisors/Hiring Managers encouraging them to consider disabled 

veterans as an important recruitment source. The increased media 

campaign to encourage Hiring Managers to consider hiring disabled 

veterans was started in FY 2015 and continued in FY 2016, 

FY2017/FY2018 and FY2019. The email was strategically sent out before 

Veteran's Day and a "Why Hire a Disabled Veteran?" flyer was also posted 

on the PBGC's Managers Only intranet site for easy access. 

• The internal media campaign objective was accomplished as a new internal media campaign 

designed to advertise special hiring authorities was created in FY2019, 4th quarter, emphasizing 

"Special Hiring Authorities" entitled: "Human Resources Department-Manager's Fact Sheet, 

September 2019, "Hiring Persons with Disabilities-What Every Supervisor Needs to Know." 

This Manager's Fact Sheet is posted on the Manager's Only website as a handy reference for use 

by supervisors/managers. 

• Each HR Specialist (Recruitment and Placement) of the Staffing Branch within the Staffing 

and Classification Division (SCD) provides additional emphasis on the benefits of hiring 

disabled veterans during an initial consultation with the Hiring Manager that includes a 

consultation folder with the "Why Hire a Disabled Veteran?" flyer. Additionally, PBGC's 

HR Specialists (Recruitment & Placement) discuss the benefits ofrecruiting disabled 

veterans emphasizing the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) and the Veterans 

Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) authorities during the initial consultation with 

hiring officials and at various stages throughout the hiring process. These consultations 

highlight the training, work ethic, and skill sets of disabled veterans/Schedule A hires that 

may immediately add value to an organization. 

• The Pathways Manager attended many career fairs and far exceeded the measure of two 

career fairs during FY2019 targeting disabled veterans and adding many on-campuses 

recruiting events and outreach events with local universities and colleges including: 

o (10/2018) Military Recruit, Baltimore, MD 

o (12/2018) Reliant Hiring Solutions/Military Recruit Event, Quantico, VA 

o (02/2019) Bowie State University, Bowie, MD 

o (03/2019) Univ of Maryland, University College Career Fair, Adelphi, MD 

o (04/2019) Washington Adventist University Career Fair, Takoma Park, MD 

o Additionally, PBGC continued to partner with Military/Recruit, Wounded Warriors, 

the Disabled Veterans of America, and area colleges/universities to share the agency's 

efforts to hire disabled veterans into the Corporation. 

o Additionally, PBGC HR staff partnered with End Dependence Center of 

Northern Virginia to assist disabled veterans with their resumes and tips for 

mastering the application process. 

o The "Handshake" college recruiting tool was utilized by PBGC in an effort to hire 

veterans including disabled veterans. Handshake is a social platform where talent 

meets opportunity. Its services 14 million plus students and alumni and works with 

over 700 Colleges and Universities. The platform helps thousands of students find 

meaningful careers. PBGC Pathways postings are posted with a link to USA jobs for 

applying. 

o As the FYI 7 - FY19 Pathways Disabled Veterans Hiring and Retention Plan expired 

on 30 Sep 2019, a new plan FY2020 - FY2021 was developed by the Pathways 

Manager, in the 4th quarter and was reviewed and approved by PBGC's Senior Level 

DV AAP Officer in mid Sep 2019. The plan is effective the 1st of Oct 2019 - 30 

September 2021 . 

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All PBGC recruiters were provided with necessary training, tools and 

recruitment materials to function effectively at these career fairs. A "Veterans' 

Preference Fact Sheet" was given to all candidates along with general recruitment 

information spotlighting PBGC opportunities. 

PBGC actively operated and promoted a Selective Placement Program and 

Workforce Recruitment Program to enhance the recruitment and hiring of people with 

disabilities, including disabled veterans. As part of those efforts, PBGC' s Selective 

Placement Program Coordinator (SPPC) referred disabled veterans to HR from 

OPM's shared register of candidates prior to posting vacancy announcements. 

o In FY2019, PBGC's HRD issued 17 Schedule A certificates for Persons with 

Disabilities. Five disabled veterans were hired in FY2019, one was 

through a Schedule A appointment, one was through the Delegated 

Examining Unit (DEU), one was a Pathways appointment, one was a 

non-competitive transfer, and one was a Merit promotion transfer. 

o In FY 2018, PBGC's Human Resources Department issued 17 Schedule A 

certificates for Persons with Disabilities. No disabled veterans were hired 

through Schedule A method. Two disabled veterans were hired through 

DEU and Merit Promotion and one disabled veteran was hired through 

VRA. No disabled veterans were hired in the FY2018 Pathways programs. 

The Diversity Recruitment feature on Monster Hiring Management (PBGC's electronic 

application system) to automatically send PBGC's vacancies to specific organizations 

targeting veterans including disabled veterans was fully operational and 100% of the 

vacancy announcements in FY2019 were linked to three military service organizations: 

The Veterans Administration (VA), Operation Warfighters, and the Office of 

Accessibility and Accommodations (HR/OAA) now automatically receive PBGC 

vacancy announcements along with the regular posting of the vacancy on USAJOBS. 

The Linked-In option was available in FY 2019 and was used with the Pathways 

Programs. Other social media options such as Facebook and Twitter were not utilized in 

FY2019 due to other priorities. In FY2020, options such as Facebook and Twitter will 

be discussed with agency stakeholders. 

During FY19, 151 and 2nd quarters and continuing in the 3rd and 4th quarters, there were only a 

small number of new supervisors; therefore, it was not practical to offer the same cohort 

program for new supervisors, Leaders Building Community, previously offered in FY 

2017/18. As an alternative, HRD established a 2019 supervisory course schedule, with 

different date/time options, so supervisors could register for the courses needed to meet their 

mandatory OPM requirement. In addition, they are offered executive coaching, assessment and 

IDP support. 

o The SPPC held a separate Schedule A class on 06/19/2019 and this presentation 

educated many Hiring Managers/Supervisors in utilizing the Schedule A 

recruitment method, Workforce Recruitment Program, and the Selective 

Placement Program and other recruitment methods. 

Training on veteran hiring was made available to HR Specialists on-line and 

discussed during regular Staff meetings. 

PBGC highlighted disabled veterans during a seminar held as part of its Disability 

Awareness Series on 07/23/2019. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV), 

Representative gave presentations on how veterans and their families can apply for 

disability benefits, including medical care, educational benefits, insurance benefits, 

and death benefits. This was the fifth time a veteran service organization presented 

as part of PBGC's Disability Awareness Series. This idea for this event, which has 

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become an annual event, was initiated in FY 2014 by a PBGC disabled veteran as 

result of participation in a veteran recruitment conference designed to spotlight 

veteran's recruitment best practices to include disabled veterans. 

• PBGC continued using an enhanced HRD intranet webpage, which includes 

information about the Workforce Recruitment Program, HRD Strategies for 

Managers/Supervisors, including recruitment of disabled veterans, Diversity and 

Inclusion, the Special Emphasis Program and the Reasonable Accommodation 

Program, which is available to all PBGC employees, including disabled veterans. 

• PBGC effectively operated a Reasonable Accommodations Program for qualified 

applicants and employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans, and 

accommodations for all eligible applicants and employees were timely implemented. 

100% of all RA requests were reviewed and processed in accordance with the time 

requirements as identified in PBGC's RA policy. 

o PBGC hosted and delivered three mandatory reasonable accommodations 

training sessions in FY2019 and 47 out of 164 managers/supervisors 

attended at least one RA training for a 28% attendance rate. Additionally, 

there was continuous access to agency-sponsored on-line RA courses 

through the year. 

• In FY 2018, 70 out of 164 managers/supervisors attended at least one 

Reasonable Accommodations Training, for a 42% attendance rate. 

Additionally, there was continuous access to the on-line RA 

training throughout the year. 

• PBGC actively collaborated with the Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program 

(CAP) in FY 2019 to ensure that PBGC could provide assistive technologies to 

applicants and employees with disabilities, including disabled veterans. 

• PBGC sponsored a new educational event in FY2019 entitled: "PBGC Tech U: 

Where Tech Meets Usability." This event provided hands-on instruction on making 

PBGC technology (phones, Skype, SharePoint, etc.) usable to employees of all ability 

levels and highlighted accessibility features for people with disabilities, including 

disabled veterans, CAP attended the event and showcased a variety of technology 

specifically designed to make electronic information more accessible. 

• PBGC ensured easy access and availability of interpreter services for applicants and 

employees who are deaf or hard of hearing by requests through the Reasonable 

Accommodations Coordinator. No disabled veterans requested the use of interpreter 

services in FY 2020. 

• PBGC continued its successful recognition program, implemented in FY 20 13, and 

continued through 2019 for management officials who made significant contributions 

toward the hiring and retention of disabled veterans at PBGC. A PBGC Senior Level 

C-Executive was recognized with a plaque and certificate of recognition for efforts in 

hiring the most disabled veterans during FY2019. 

• PBGC continued to implement special emphasis communications and events in FY 

2019 highlighting disabled veterans. A letter from the Director, PBGC was sent out 

prior to Veteran's Day in November 2018, thanking all veterans for their past and 

continuing service to the United States of America. 

• PBGC displayed a Veteran's banner the week of Veteran's Day on the intranet site 

and created a veterans-related quiz which was well received. 

• PBGC recognized all veterans including disabled veterans during Veteran's Day 

week in November 2018, by displaying a thank you message thanking all veterans 

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for their past military service and their continuing service in the civilian side of the 

Federal government, in the elevator screen at 1200K Street. Also, displaying a 

thank you message on a large screen in PBGC's lobby. Some type ofrecognition 

or appreciation campaign will continue in FY2020. 

• In FY 2019, PBGC implemented and made available to all PBGC employees the Veteran's 

Integration Program (VIP). The VIP initiative was created by the Learning and 

Development Division (LDD) of PBGC's Human Resources Department in FY 2013, 

tested in FY 2014/2015, and made available for all PBGC employees in 

FY20I6/FY2017 /FY20 l8/FY2019. This initiative encourages employees who are new to 

the Federal government and are veterans, including disabled veterans, to take the course to 

assist in their transition from active duty military to civilian Federal service. There also is a 

course for Managers to help them manage the transition of veterans from military service 

to civilian Federal service. LDD, in collaboration with the Employee Services and HR 

Systems Division (ESSD), continued their effort in identifying new PBGC veterans 

through new employee orientation and offering the on-line version of the VIP course to 

them. 

• PBGC continued efforts to partner with other Federal agencies to offer a 

collective classroom version of the VIP course. As soon as enough first-time 

veterans to the Federal government are identified, including PBGC's first time 

veterans, LDD will schedule the classroom version of the course. The VIP 

program was available in FY2019, and two disabled veterans took the VIP 

course. 

• PBGC will continue offering the online VIP program to employees in FY2020 

along with implementing an enhanced media plan that was updated in FY2019. 

• The enhanced communication plan will be updated and accomplished in FY2020. 

• Another innovation which was discussed in FY2019 and will be implemented in 

FY2020, is to send out tailored emails to disabled veterans encouraging them to 

sign up for training in addition to the regular PBGC wide emails. 

• In an effort to conduct outreach with our disabled veterans, a decision was made to 

go out with a short survey asking PBGC self-identified veterans including disabled 

veterans a number of questions regarding the hiring and retaining of all veterans 

instead of doing the focus groups DV AAP objective since arranging focus groups 

would be labor intensive. The survey was done in May 2019 and approximately 

25% of all veterans including disabled veterans responded with comments including 

volunteering to help with various career fairs, suggestions on which recruitment 

events to go to and a recommendation to have a Veteran's Appreciation Day. The 

results of the survey will be communicated to all PBGC, including all veterans in 

FY2020, 2nd quarter and some of the recommendations will be implemented. 

PROMOTE AND DEVELOP 

PBGC promoted two disabled veteran in FY2019, which represents about 7% of the 26 disabled 

veterans on board as of the last pay period in FY2019. In FY2018, PBGC promoted three disabled 

veterans, representing about 10% of the 30 disabled veterans. Additionally, in FY 2019, 13 of26 

disabled veterans (50%) received WIGis as compared to FY 2018, when 17 of the 30 disabled 

veterans (about 56%) received Wage In-Grade Increases (WIGI)s. Other areas of promotion and 

developing disabled veterans included: 

• 24 of 26 disabled veterans (92%) received two or more awards during FY2019, in comparison to 

FY2018, when 28 of the 30 disabled veterans (93%) received two or more awards, (e.g. individual 

time off, group, Corporate Awards, individual cash award-rating based). 

• PBGC continued to offer the Project Management Certification Training Program, a professional 

development program available to PBGC employees who manage projects. In FY2019, 2 of 26 

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disabled veterans (7.6%) took the course, in comparison to FY2018, when 2 of30 disabled veterans 

(6.6%) attended. 

• The Contract Officer Representative (COR) course which teaches Federal employees how to be a 

COR was attended by 4 of26 disabled veterans (15%) in FY 2019 and by four of30 disabled 

veterans (13%) in FY 2018. 

• PBGC offered the Leadership/Executive Coaching Program to eligible employees. Two of 26 

disabled veterans (6.5%) participated in FY2019 in comparison to FY2018 and FY2017, when no 

disabled veterans participated. This results-oriented program designed to increase leadership 

capacity of coaching clients is open to all eligible employees at the SL, GS-14, and GS-15 grade 

levels and will continue to be emphasized in FY 2020 to all PBGC employees including disabled 

veterans. 

• Since the 4th quarter of FY 2015, PBGC has offered the Conflict Coaching program, which 

focuses on developing and enhancing the important leadership competency of conflict management. 

The program is open to all SLs and GS-15s-14s. While the number of participating coaching clients 

in this program is increasing, no disabled veterans have yet participated. Continued emphasis on the 

benefits of this program will be made to all PBGC employees including disabled veterans in 

FY2020. 

• PBGC offered a training series on management and leadership to all managers and supervisors. 

Nine of26 (35%) disabled veterans participated in FY 2019, which is slightly higher than the 

participation rate in FY 2018, when 10 of30 disabled veterans (30%) attended. 

• PBGC also offered a wide variety of both technical and common needs training courses during 

FY2019. All 26 disabled veterans (100%) attended all the mandatory on-line training courses and 

15 of 26 (57%) attended two or more general training courses; 5 of 26 (19%) attended one general 

training course in addition to the mandatory courses. In FY2018, all 30 disabled veterans (100%) 

attended all mandatory on-line training courses and 100% attended at least two general training 

courses. 

•• A new initiative will be started in FY2020, to encourage disabled veterans to take various 

training courses. As part of this initiative, an individualized email in addition to the standard PBGCwide email announcing training will be sent to veterans. 

• PBGC offers specialized training as requested and in FY2019, 9 of26 (34%) disabled veterans 

attended specialized training for Accountants, Actuaries, Attorneys, Information Technology, 

Procurement, and Auditors. This is the first time this data point has been collected so will serve as 

the benchmark for future years. 

• All 26 disabled veterans were contacted in FY2019 and asked whether they were interested in 

accomplishing a voluntary Individual Development Plan as specified in PBGC's DV AAP plan. Ten 

out of 26 (38%) opted to do the voluntary IDP. Staff from our Leaming and Development Division 

(LDD) and our Management and Leadership Development Program assisted those disabled veterans 

in creating the voluntary IDP and worked with the disabled veterans' immediate supervisors to 

accomplish the final IDP. 

AGENCY OVERSIGHT 

The program efforts by PBGC's Human Resources Department's (HRD) Staffing and Classification 

Division and Reasonable Accommodations staff, relating to the recruitment and employment of 

disabled veterans, were consistently and closely monitored by the Director, HRD who is also 

PBGC's DV AAP Senior Level Officer during FY 2019 through quarterly reviews with key 

stakeholders. Periodic program statistics were reviewed in comparison with stated objectives and 

more emphasis was placed on stated objectives in order to meet the objectives. Each program area 

provided regular updates on progress and their efforts were monitored, reviewed, and evaluated 

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regularly. The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (OEEO) provides oversight of PBGC's 

DV AAP program through the MD-715 report on a semi-annual basis. 

An in-person meeting with primary stakeholders, PBGC's Senior Level DV AAP Officer, and 

OEEO, was held on 06/25/2019. PBGC's Senior Level DV AAP Officer thanked the key 

stakeholders and their staff for help in accomplishing the various DV AAP objectives. Additionally, 

the meeting was held to review the progress of the FY2019 DV AAP plan and the full FY 20 l 9-

FY202 l three-year plan. As a result of this meeting, stakeholders were able to provide additional 

input which facilitated the accomplishments of several objectives prior to the end of FY 2019. 

Emphasis was made to continue hiring disabled veterans for the remainder of the fiscal year. 

Workforce data on applicants hired and reasonable accommodations granted were reviewed semiannually to track and gauge areas for improvement during FY 2019. One hundred percent of all 

reasonable accommodation's requests, including those of disabled veterans, were accomplished 

within the time frame as established by PBGC. HRD collaborated with PBGC's OEEO to review 

and discuss ways to improve all affirmative employment activities, including the hiring and 

employment of persons with disabilities (including disabled veterans). 

PROGRAM EXECUTION 

As described above, PBGC implemented its Disabled Veterans Affirmative Action Plan, FY 2019 -

FY202 l, successfully, either achieving the specific goal set, exceeding the specific goal set, or 

making good progress toward the goal set. Two programs, the Agency-wide Leadership 

Development Program for all grade levels including disabled veterans and the Voluntary Veteran 

Buddy Program for newly hired veterans were not accomplished in FY2019 due to other priorities, 

budget constraints and the lack of staff in order to accomplish the given programs. Depending on 

resources, these two programs will be reviewed again in FY2020 or FY202 l . As of the end of 

FY2019, PBGC employed 26 disabled veterans out of 905 FTEs (nearly 2.9%), in comparison to 

FY 2018, when PBGC employed 30 veterans out of 911 FTEs, representing approximately 3.3% of 

PBGC's FTE workforce. PBGC hired five disabled veterans. Of these, four were hired for full-timeequivalent (FTE) positions and one disabled veteran was hired into the Pathways Program. 

PBGC experienced more attrition than the previous year (in FY2018, six disabled veterans left) as 

eight disabled veterans left PBGC in FY2019: one death, five transfers, and two resignations. A 

robust Pathways Disabled Veterans Hiring and Retention Plan was implemented in late FY 2017 

and in part helped to hire the disabled veteran into the Pathways Program in FY2019. These 

statistics have been discussed with PBGC's Senior Level DV AAP Officer and other key 

stakeholders and meetings have been scheduled to discuss strategies in the first quarter of FY2020. 

As PBGC's Pathways Disabled Veterans Hiring and Retention Plan for FY2017-FY2019 was due to 

expire on the 30th of Sep 2019, an updated plan was created by the Pathways Manager and 

approved by PBGC Senior Level DV AAP Officer in mid Sep 2019. PBGC's Disabled Veterans 

Hiring and Retention Plan for FY2020-FY202 l , effective 10/01 /2019 - 09/3 0/2021/ 

PBGC will strive to increase representation of disabled veterans from 2.9 percent to 3.4 percent in 

FY 2020. Additionally, PBGC continued to utilize Linked-In in FY 2019 for the Pathways Program. 

PBGC did not use other social media such as Facebook or Twitter or other intranet options in 

FY2019 and plans to in FY2020 in collaboration with its Communications Outreach and Legislative 

Affairs Department (COLAD). 

AGENCY CHALLENGES 

PBGC's main challenge results from its size and resources. Because it is a small agency, PBGC 

does not have the resources to dedicate one full-time employee to veterans' initiatives. Although 

PBGC is making substantial progress toward its goals and achieving success with the DV AAP, the 

consistent attention and focus that a fully dedicated employee could provide might lead to even 

greater success overall in recruitment, employment, and retention of disabled veterans at PBGC. 

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