How to Hire 

Using the 

Schedule A 

Appointing 

Authority

The ABCs of 

SCHEDULE A

For the Human Resources Professional
INTRODUCTION

Human Resources / Human Capital (HR) 

professionals know first hand how lengthy 

and somewhat tedious the federal hiring 

process can be. Diligent efforts by HR to 

assist a ‘customer’ – whether that customer 

is a federal manager with a vacancy or an 

applicant looking for a position – are not 

always enough to get things done quickly. 

As noted by the Merit Systems Protection 

Board in its report entitled Reforming 

Federal Hiring -- Beyond Faster and Cheaper

(September 2006), it takes an average of 

102 days to complete all of the steps in the 

competitive hiring process, from making 

the request to making the appointment. 

No one delights in the prospect of spending 

three plus months trying to fill a position. 

Further, HR professionals know that plenty 

of promising candidates are lost because 

they can not wait months for a hiring 

decision. 

Over the years, the Office of Personnel 

Management (OPM) has introduced 

different hiring authorities to assist in 

streamlining the hiring process. One such 

hiring authority is Schedule A. Schedule A 

is an Excepted Service appointing authority 

which may be used to hire individuals with 

disabilities. 
INTRODUCTION

Schedule A hiring can be quick and efficient, 

as long as all parties know what is required. 

This quick reference guide seeks to provide 

HR professionals with the tools needed to 

process Schedule A appointments. Using 

the Schedule A appointing authority, found at 

5 CFR § 213.3102(u), qualified candidates 

who meet OPM’s guidelines can be hired 

non-competitively – 

v without the typical recruitment 

headaches;

v without posting and publicizing the 

position; and

v without going through the certificate 

process.

How? By following the Easy How To Steps 

detailed in the next section.
EASY HOW TO STEPS

Typically, once a prospective candidate has been 

identified, HR will be approached by a hiring 

manager, a Selective Placement Coordinator 

(SPC), or a Disability Program Manager (DPM), 

for help in getting the candidate on board. The 

SPC/DPM and hiring manager should have 

already worked together to identify the essential 

functions of the position in question. Doing 

so ensures that prospective candidates have 

the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities 

to successfully perform in the position. HR 

professionals should inquire as to whether this 

step has occurred. 

Occasionally HR will initially be approached by 

an applicant directly. Prospective employees 

might, for example, identify a desired position 

within the agency from a vacancy announcement. 

Where this occurs, HR personnel should put the 

applicant in touch with the DPM and/or SPC. 

In either situation, you, as the HR professional, 

should verify the determination that the proposed 

candidate has the requisite knowledge, skills and 

abilities to perform the essential functions of the 

position in question.

Next, HR professionals will consult with the 

manager and/or the SPC/DPM to decide what 

type of appointment is to be offered. The types 

of appointments available under Schedule A 

include: 

a. temporary appointments (Refer to 5 CFR 

§ 213.104 for the definition and restrictions 

1

2
EASY HOW TO STEPS

____________________________________________

1 Under the new 5 CFR § 213.3102(u) appointing authority, a 

hiring agency may, in addition to the temporary appointments 

identified in the question above, make:

1) A time-limited appointment of an individual who 

provides proof of disability and certification of job 

readiness, when the duties of the position do not 

require it to be filled on a permanent basis. 

2) A permanent appointment of an individual who 

provides proof of disability and certification of job 

readiness. 

on temporary appointments in the excepted 

service);1 

b. time-limited appointments (Refer to 5 CFR 

§ 213.104 for the definition of time-limited 

appointment), when the duties of the position 

do not require it to be filled on a permanent 

basis; and

c. permanent appointments. 

Although the appointment will be in the 

excepted service, the intent underlying 

Schedule A is to permit individuals with 

disabilities to obtain competitive status in 

the civil service. This is obtained through 

conversion to the competitive service rather 

than remaining in the excepted service.

Once an appointment type is determined, a 

conditional offer of employment should be extended 

to the candidate. Agencies should make clear that 

the offer is contingent upon receipt of Schedule A 

qualifying documentation from the candidate, 

3
EASY HOW TO STEPS

____________________________________________

2 Proof of a disability(ies) is required for appointments under 5 CFR 

§ 213.3102(u). Proof of disability is the term used to define any number 

of documents which attest to the fact that the candidate does indeed 

have a disability. The documentation can take many acceptable forms, 

so agencies should be flexible. Agencies may accept as proof of disability 

simple documentation from a licensed medical professional (e.g., a 

physician or other medical professional duly certified by a State, the 

District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory, to practice medicine); a licensed 

vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., State or private); or any Federal 

agency, State agency, or an agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. 

territory that issues or provides disability benefits. Documentation need 

only certify that the applicant has a disability which is long-term and/or 

permanent in nature.

i.e., proof of disability.2 Often, the SPC/DPM will 

have already collected this documentation, so as 

to speed the process along. Importantly, the hiring 

manager should not be involved in the disability 

documentation process, as medical documentation 

must be kept strictly confidential.

At this point in the process, the SPC/DPM should 

already be engaged in discussions with the candidate 

about possible reasonable accommodations that 

might be needed on the job. (Further information 

on the role of the SPC/DPM is covered in a separate 

quick-reference guide.) Nonetheless, once an offer 

has been accepted, and prior to the entry-on-duty 

date being finalized, HR should contact the selectee 

to verify whether accommodation needs have been 

addressed. Where the need has not been addressed, 

you should follow your agency’s approved policy 

for handling reasonable accommodation requests. 

Further, you should work with the SPC/DPM and the 

new employee’s manager, where necessary, to ensure 

that the accommodation is in place when the new 

employee comes on board.

4
EASY HOW TO STEPS

5 In coding the Standard Form 52, Request for 

Personnel Action, and/or the Standard Form 50, 

Notification of Personnel Action, review Chapter 

11 of the Guide to Processing Personnel Actions. 

In most situations, you will utilize Nature of Action 

Codes 170, 171, 190, 570, 571, or 590. For 

additional information, the Guide is available online 

at http://www.opm.gov/feddata/gppa/gppa.asp.

That’s it!

Seem easy? It is! No more three, six, or nine month 

wait! And Schedule A is always an option, even when the 

competitive process has already begun / been used first. 

HR professionals are constantly called on to provide advice 

and hiring options to managers. So, when a manager 

is not pleased with the candidates on a certificate they 

receive, recommend Schedule A as an alternative option. 

Provide the hiring manager with resumes, etc., of Schedule 

A candidates received from your agency’s SPC/DPM or 

other resources (inculding those that come in with other 

applicants under a current vacancy announcement). 

When utilized properly, Schedule A offers federal agencies 

maximum flexibility and efficiency in meeting critical 

hiring needs. Moreover, hiring talented applicants with 

disabilities helps your agency, and the federal government 

overall, to meet the requirements of the Rehabilitation 

Act to hire and advance people with disabilities. 

The Federal Government – Opportunities for All!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What is Schedule A?

A. Schedule A is an appointing authority, or hiring

authority. It is an Excepted Service appointment 

for persons with disabilities. The regulations 

guiding the Excepted Service -- Appointment of 

Persons with Disabilities and Career and CareerConditional Appointment are found in the Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR). The citation is 5 CFR § 

213.3102(u).

Q. Why should agencies consider using this hiring 

authority?

A. Agencies should use this hiring authority for a number 

of good reasons:

• Individuals with disabilities are an untapped 

source of excellent applicants; 

• No public notice is required. In fact, many of the 

usual HR-related stumbling blocks are avoided, 

which will result in significantly reducing the time 

necessary to hire a well-qualified candidate;

• Doing so can support an agency’s Career Patterns 

initiative. Technological advances and growing 

emphasis on tele-work may dovetail with the needs 

of many applicants with disabilities; and

• Agencies don’t have to clear ‘surplus employee’ 

lists prior to using Schedule A.

Q. What about accommodations? Aren’t they expensive 

and a hassle?

A. No! More often than not, providing accommodations 

is simple and usually free! Moreover, agencies are 

not alone in trying to work through accommodation 

requests. There are several resources available, some 

of which are listed herein – just check the Resources 

page!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

And remember, just as we all need assistance at some 

point in the work place, accommodations may be needed 

by an individual with a disability. You want all employees 

to be at their best at work, and accommodations play a 

role in reaching that goal. Providing accommodations 

does not have to be a difficult, expensive or time 

consuming process. 

 

Q. Is this appointment to a permanent position?

A. It can be. Agencies may self-determine what type of 

placement to make, based on the needs of the position, 

as well as the qualification level of the candidate. 

Under the Schedule A appointing authority, a hiring 

agency may make a temporary appointment, a timelimited appointment, when the duties of the position 

do not require it to be filled on a permanent basis, 

or a permanent appointment. Agencies are strongly 

encouraged to make permanent appointments unless 

there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.

Q. What about a probationary period?

A. Depending on the type of appointment, probationary 

periods typically last up to two years. Schedule A 

candidates should be held to the same performance 

standards as all other employees. Once the employee’s 

accommodation needs have been met, if any exist, then 

the agency should feel free to expect no more or less 

from a Schedule A employee than it would from any 

other employee. Further, once the probationary period 

has been successfully completed, employees should be 

converted to permanent competitive status.
RESOURCES

RECRUITMENT / HIRING

EARN – The Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN) is a 

free service that connects employers looking for quality employees with 

skilled job candidates. Moreover, if you need to make the business 

case for hiring people with disabilities, EARN can provide you with the 

information you need! Further information can be found at 

http://earnworks.com. 

WRP – The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment 

and referral program that connects federal sector employers nationwide 

with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates 

with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace 

through summer or permanent jobs. Students represent all majors, and 

range from college freshmen to graduate students and law students. 

A searchable database is available through the WRP website. Further 

information about WRP can be found at http://wrp.gov. 

Veterans with Disabilities – There are numerous organizations and 

agencies that exist to assist veterans with disabilities find and maintain 

employment, far too many to list here. The following is a small sample 

of the many websites that are useful resources to keep handy: 

v The Department of Labor’s (DOL) Veterans Employment & 

Training Service http://www.dol.gov/vets/welcome.html

v Hire Heroes http://www.hireheroesusa.org

v Wounded Warriors Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org

Advocacy Groups – There are several different advocacy groups that also 

serve as excellent resources for recruiting and hiring individuals with 

disabilities. The following is a sampling of those resources:

v American Association of People with Disabilities 

http://www.aapd-dc.org/

v National Council on Independent Living http://www.ncil.org/

v Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation 

http://www.rehabnetwork.org/

v Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Government http://dhhig.org/

v American Council of the Blind http://www.acb.org/ 
RESOURCES

Federal Resources – There are numerous federal programs designed to 

meet the needs of people with disabilities in finding employment. The 

following is a non-exhaustive list of programs/resources:

v The Office of Personnel Management’s “Disability Site” 

http://www.opm.gov/disability/

v DOL’s Office of Disability Employment Policy 

http://www.dol.gov/odep/

v Also check out the federal government’s one-stop web site for 

people with disabilities, their families, employers, veterans and 

service members, workforce professionals and many others. 

www.DisabilityInfo.gov

ACCOMMODATIONS

CAP – Within the federal government there is a wonderful program 

housed within the Department of Defense. The Computer/Electronic 

Accommodations Program (CAP) provides assistive technology and 

services to people with disabilities throughout the federal government 

FREE OF CHARGE! That means you, as a HR professional, can tap this 

resource for help in accommodating an employee with a disability. CAP will 

do the needs assessment, buy the needed technology, train the employee 

on how to use it, and follow up with updates. All you have to do is ask! 

(Note: Before contacting CAP directly yourself, check with the SPC/DPM, 

as they may already have a relationship with CAP.) Further information 

about CAP can be found at http://www.tricare.mil/cap/. 

JAN – The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) represents the most 

comprehensive resource for job accommodations available, and is a 

terrific and easy-to-use resource. This free consulting service is designed 

to increase the employability of people with disabilities. JAN provides 

individualized worksite accommodation solutions, as well as information 

on job accommodations and related subjects for employers and people 

with disabilities. Additional information can be found at 

http://www.jan.wvu.edu/. 
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

1-800-669-4000 / TTY 1-800-669-6820

www.eeoc.gov

Rev. 2/08