Federal Exchange on Employment & Disability (FEED)
This community of practice supports the employment of people with disabilities in the Federal Government.
Are you a Federal Government employee who works on issues related to employment of people with disabilities? Join FEED!
FEED is an interagency working group focused on information sharing, best practices and collaborative partnerships designed to make the Federal Government a model employer of people with disabilities. Members come from across all sectors of the Federal Government.
Who can join FEED?
Membership is open only to federal employees at any level whose job duties involve supporting the employment of people with disabilities, including:
- Recruitment
- Hiring
- Retention
- Advancement
FEED membership includes, but is not limited to:
- Disability Program Managers (DPMs)
- EO and HR Specialists
- Reasonable Accommodation Coordinators
- Selective Placement Program Coordinators (SPPCs)
- 508 Coordinators
- Anyone else with a defined role/responsibility related to federal employment of people with disabilities
When does FEED meet, and what can I expect from the meetings?
FEED hosts virtual meetings on a variety of topics related to disability employment in the Federal Government. Meetings occur four times a year. Check back here as meeting dates are finalized.
The meetings include presentations and discussions by federal agency representatives and others on topics related to disability employment in the federal workforce, including:
- Use of the Schedule A hiring authority
- Best practices for self-identification as a way to reach agency recruitment and hiring goals
- Reasonable accommodations
- Personal assistance services (PAS)
- Regulatory updates
- Other workplace supports that ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the federal workforce
How can members contribute to FEED?
It is important to note that FEED is about more than just the exchange of ideas. Central to FEED’s mission is the development of a series of best practices for federal employment of people with disabilities. Further, FEED aims at developing easy-to-use products such as factsheets, checklists, and guides that contain practical advice and real-life examples of how federal agencies are strengthening their disability-related employment policies, programs, and practices. By being active FEED participants, members help their agencies satisfy the requirements under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Who manages FEED?
FEED is managed by representatives from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and supported by the Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN). For additional resources on federal disability employment efforts, please visit EARN’s Section 501 Info Center.
How can I join FEED?
If you are a Federal Government employee, please fill out the form below to become a member of FEED and to receive information about upcoming quarterly meetings and other important updates.* For questions about FEED or if you are unable to register using the form below, please email earn@askearn.org.
*You must be an employee of the U.S. Federal Government with a .gov, .mil, .us or .edu email address to join FEED. If you are not an employee of the U.S. Federal Government, please DO NOT fill out the form below.
FEED Membership Form
NOTE: You must have a .gov, .mil, .us, or .edu (federal agencies only) email address to join FEED.
* required