Special Emphasis Program

The Department of Army requires establishing a Special Emphasis Program (SEP) to ensure equal opportunity in hiring, training, advancement and treatment of women and minority employees.  The program was established to assist agencies in assuring that equal opportunity is present in all aspects of employment and that affirmative action addresses under-representation.

The goals for the program is to eliminate discriminatory practices, to ensure targeted groups are appropriately represented throughout the workforce, and to sponsor special activities designed to enhance diversity awareness. The SEP managers implement Presidential Executive Orders and Federal personnel programs established by the Office of Personnel Management to work towards eliminating demographic group imbalances in targeted occupations and to help achieve workforce diversity

Honolulu District Special Emphasis Programs Committee along with District staff were honored to have U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Kawaiola Nahale as the guest speaker for Women's History Month. Nahale spoke about competing in the 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games held at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Based on her swim times at the trials there, she qualified to compete in both the Warrior Games and Invictus Games. Nahale is a Financial Analyst with the U.S. Army Reserve's 311th Signal Command based at Fort Shafter, Hawaii
Honolulu District Deputy Commander Maj. Thomas Piazze stands with U.S. Army Reserve Sgt. Kawaiola Nahale as the guest speaker for Women's History Month. Nahale spoke about competing in the 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games held at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Based on her swim times at the trials there, she qualified to compete in both the Warrior Games and Invictus Games. Nahale is a Financial Analyst with the U.S. Army Reserve's 311th Signal Command based at Fort Shafter, Hawaii
There wasn't a seat left in the room as staff were honored to have Honolulu District USACE District Council Shivaun White introduce District Commander Lt. Col. Kathryn P. Sanborn during the Aug. 29, District’s Women’s Equality Event.
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month District staff got hands on learning during an Origami Class May 15. The class was part of Spirit Week focusing on different cultures each day.
There wasn't a seat left in the room as staff were honored to have Honolulu District USACE District Council Shivaun White introduce District Commander Lt. Col. Kathryn P. Sanborn during the Aug. 29, District’s Women’s Equality Event.
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Honolulu District Deputy Commander Tom Piazze joined some of the District staff May 15 in an Origami class. The class was part of Spirit Week focusing on different cultures each day.

Legal Authorities
The Rehabilitation Act (Act), as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) allows the courts to use the same standards for litigation established under the ADA. Therefore, we need to be familiar with case decisions under both acts.

Hiring, Placement, and Advancement of Individuals With Disabilities
Commands with 101 or more employees are required to develop and maintain continuing comprehensive affirmative action programs that enable and supplement actions taken to comply with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission directives concerning time-limited program plans, plan updates, and reports of accomplishment. Specific instructions concerning planning and reporting are contained in Management Directives(MD). MD prescribes instructions, procedures, and guidance for comprehensive programs that are to be maintained by Army and which provide a framework for implementation of law and executive branch policy concerning the hiring, placement and advancement of individuals with disabilities.

Making Reasonable Accommodations
OPM recently issued a directive requiring all federal job announcements in the competitive service to contain a message stating that 'reasonable accommodation will be made for applicants with disabilities.' OPM stated that reasonable accommodation could include such action as modifying job duties, obtaining accessible technology or other workplace equipment, providing interpreters, or restructuring work sites. The goal is to ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities know they are welcome in government. Requiring job announcements to contain this information and making reasonable accommodations are minor adjustments" for the federal government to make to "ensure that...individuals can apply for jobs with the federal government and enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.