Special Emphasis Programs are an integral part of Equal Employment Opportunity. The purpose of these programs is to ensure that agencies take affirmative steps to provide equal opportunity to minorities, women and people with disabilities in all areas of employment. Special Emphasis Programs receive their authority from Federal statues, regulations, and Presidential Executive Orders which include, but are not limited to, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Rehabilitation Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Act. The term, "Special Emphasis Programs," refers to employment related programs which focus special attention on groups that are underrepresented in a specific occupational category or grade level within work force. These programs serve as a channel to management officials. By utilizing Special Emphasis Program and engaging with affinity groups, commands and activities can raise awareness of the importance of diversity and inclusion and demonstrate USARCENT's commitment to a model EEO program.
Federal Women's Program:
USARCENT fully supports the Army’s Federal Women’s Program. The Federal Women’s Program (FWP) is a Special Emphasis Program which was established in 1963 to enhance employment and advancement of women. Executive Order 11478, signed in 1969 by President Nixon, placed overall responsibility for managing the FWP under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and ultimately includes the EEO Directors and Officers. As one of the Special Emphasis Programs, it helps place emphasis on achieving equal employment opportunity within the workplace for women. In USARCENT, where both diversity, inclusion and equity are paramount, we are working to improve the participation rate of women in the senior grades including the senior executive service.
Federal Employed Women (FEW): https://www.few.org/about-us/what-is-few/
Executive Order 11375: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-11375-amending-executive-order-no-11246-relating-equal-employment
Executive Order 11478: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/11478.html
Hispanic Employment Program:
USARCENT fully supports diversity and inclusion. The Hispanic Employment Program is part of the Special Emphasis Program and seeks to increase the number and advancement of Hispanics in the workforce and in senior grades. Within the Army and USARCENT there has been persistent low participation of Hispanics within the workforce.
Executive Order 11478: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/11478.html
Black/African American Employment Program:
The Black/African American Employment Program purpose is to help identify and eliminate barriers to their full participation in the Federal workforce. This is done by reviewing and analyzing employment data to determine if there are any barriers to hiring, development, and advancement of Black/African Americans and if any are identified, to eliminate them. The program also encourages awareness of contributions of Black/African Americans to DoD and America at large and recommends ways to overcome them. In USARCENT, where both diversity, inclusion and equity are paramount, we are working to improve the participation rate of women in the senior grades including the senior executive service.
Executive Order 11478: https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/11478.html
Asian American and Pacific Islander Employment Program:
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are the fastest growing racial group in the United States based on information from the U.S. Census. The purpose of this Special Emphasis Program is to advocate for the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of Asian American and Pacific Islanders. Additionally, it is to identify and eliminate barriers and encourage profession development. On 14 October 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13515 – Increasing Participation of Asian American and Pacific Islander in Federal Program.
Executive Order 13515: https://www.federalregister.gov/doc-in-federal programs
American Indian and Alaska Native Employment Program:
The purpose of the American Indian and Alaska Native Employment Program is to advocate for recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Additionally, it is to identify and eliminate barriers and encourage profession development. Executive Orders 13583 and 13593 aim to improve their participation in the Federal workforce and improve educational opportunities.
Executive Order 13592: Improving “American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/12/02/executive-order-13592-improving-american-indian-and-alaska-native-educat
Executive Order 13583: Establishing a Coordinated Government-wide Initiative to Promote Diver Diversity and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/08/23/2011-21704/establishing-a-coordinated-government-wide-initiative-to-promote-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the
Persons with Disabilities Employment Program:
USARCENT is committed to fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion and persons with disabilities are included in that goal. Persons with disabilities and especially those with targeted disabilities are an untapped resource and have the knowledge, skills, and abilities that USARCENT needs to continually improve the Army.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination based on disability and encourages employment in the Federal government. There has also been a number of Executive Orders issued by several Presidents. Two of the more recent ones include President Clinton issued Executive Order 13163, in July 2000, with a goal of hiring 100,000 people with disabilities, including people with targeted disabilities in the Federal Government over 5 years.
Then in July 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order 13548 which emphasized the Government’s role as being a model employer of people with disabilities to include recruitment, hiring, and retention. As such, USARCENT like the Army, uses many tools available such as Schedule A Hiring Authority, Workforce Recruitment Program for Students and Graduates with Disabilities, Pathways, Wounded Warriors, etc., to increase its number of persons with disabilities, particularly those with targeted disabilities. USARCENT has a very viable disability program that is fully committed to improving its organizational culture and climate be a model employer within the Federal government.
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973: https://www.askearn.org/topics/laws-regulations/rehabilitation-act/
Executive Order 13163: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2000-07-28/pdf/00-19322.pdf
Executive Order 13548: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2010-07-30/pdf/2010-18988.pdf
Disabled Veteran's Affirmative Action Program:
It is the policy of USARCENT to continually seek opportunities to hire, train, retain, and advance qualified disabled veterans, particularly those who are 30 percent or more disabled. USARCENT uses variety of methods to recruit and employ disabled veterans, especially those who are 30 percent or more disabled. Methods include Schedule A Hiring Authority, the Veterans’ Recruitment Appointment (VRA), the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA), Wounded Warrior, Pathways, Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students and Recent Graduates, the Non-Paid Work Experience Program, and job fairs.
USARCENT is required to submit a Disabled Veteran Affirmative Action Plan report to HQDA on an annual basis.
VA for VETS: https://www.vaforvets.va.gov/