APSC Disability action plan 2016-19
Published
The Australian Public Service Commission (the Commission) aims to improve the working life of people with disability by expanding employment opportunities, developing the capability of employees with disability, increasing the representation rates and fostering an inclusive culture for people with disability. The Commission aims to create a safe environment in which employees and potential employees feel safe to share information about their disability status.1
| Action | Description | Responsible | Implementation timeframe | Measure success | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | All vacancies in the Commission to be advertised as being available under the RecruitAbility Scheme. | RecruitAbility is a scheme which encourages the employment of people with disability. | Corporate | By end September 2016. | All vacancies are advertised under the RecruitAbility scheme. |
| B | Continue to partner with Disability Employment Service providers or other approved providers to develop and redesign jobs and employment opportunities for people with disability. | Ensure people with disability are appropriately utilised and challenged to perform at their best and be highly productive. | Corporate, Group managers | Continuing. | Numbers of people with disability employed and jobs redesigned in consultation with providers each year. |
| C | Continue to implement Stepping Into Summer and Winter Internships through the Australian Network on Disability (AND). | Provide university students with disability a career enhancing opportunity to experience working in the Commission. | Corporate, Group managers | Continuing. | Two Stepping Into interns employed each year. |
| D | All members of selection panels to have completed the disability awareness and disability confidence eLearning modules (Learnhub modules). | Reduce unconscious bias and increase disability confidence so candidates with disability are given an equal chance during recruitment. | Corporate, Group managers | At least one member in every panel has completed by end June 2016. All members have completed by end December 2016. | Every employee on a selection panel has completed Disability Awareness and Disability Confidence modules. Appropriate adjustments are provided to applicants during the recruitment process. |
| Action | Description | Responsible | Implementation timeframe | Measure success | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Implement the Reasonable Adjustment Passport policy. Collect data on what reasonable adjustments are requested and implemented within the Commission. | A mechanism for employees with disability to communicate and not have to renegotiate reasonable adjustments and flexible working arrangements/timeframes, and an escalation point for unresolved requests. | Corporate | Policy is complete and implemented by end September 2016. Data collection is continuous. | Number of employees who make use of the Reasonable Adjustment Passport. Timeframe for reasonable adjustments to be implemented. |
| B | Continue to improve the provision of flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments for employees. | Ensure people with disability are able to perform at their best. Ensure flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments are implemented in a timely manner. | Corporate, Line managers | Continuing. | Waiting times for implementation of reasonable adjustments as soon as possible but no more than 10 working days, subject to provision of equipment from third party suppliers. |
| C | Establish new role of a contact person who can assist with advice on how to access reasonable adjustments. | Establish Disability and Carer Contact Person role to assist with information and advice. | Corporate, Disability and Carer Support Network | Establish contact role by end June 2016. | Role established and found useful by employees seeking information and assistance. |
| D | Disability Champion to continue to hold One plus One drop in sessions. | Opportunity for employees with disability and those with caring responsibilities to meet and discuss issues affecting them directly with the Disability Champion. | Commission Disability Champion | Continuing. | Disability Champion holds monthly sessions. |
| E | Commission employees provide career advice to job seekers and students through the Australian Network on Disability's Positive Action towards Career Engagement (PACE) mentoring program. | Commission employees share career knowledge and experiences with people with disability. | Disability and Carers Support Network to coordinate | Continuing. | Interested employees registered with Australian Network on Disability as mentors for the PACE program. |
| F | Implement reverse mentoring program (one plus one relationship program) connecting managers and employees with disability. | Help managers understand what it is like to be an employee with disability and what accommodations might be needed. Employees with disability are provided with exposure to other areas of the Commission. | Corporate, Disability and Carers Support Network. | By end June 2017 | Managers have increased understanding of experiences of people with disability, increased manager capability and increased disability awareness. |
Increase the representation of employees with disability in senior roles
| Action | Description | Responsible | Implementation timeframe | Measure success | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Continue to monitor the percentage of Commission employees with disability. | Monitor how the Commission is performing towards inclusion of people with disability. | Corporate | Continuing. | Monitor changes in representation of people with disability in the Commission. |
| B | Provide opportunities for employees with disability to be involved in training and development relevant to both their role and their personal professional development which could help lead to promotion. | Employees with disability are provided with fair access to career and professional development opportunities and reasonable adjustments are provided if needed. | Corporate, Group managers, Line managers | Continuing. | Numbers of employees with disability offered career and professional development opportunities is on par with other employees. Measure through annual Pulse survey. Monitor number of employees with disability applying for and gaining promotions or higher duties. |
| C | Continue to put in place measures to ensure the Commission is an environment where employees, including senior employees, feel safe to share information about their disability status. | Improvements in the rates of sharing information about disability states should flow from several other initiatives in this action plan, especially disability awareness and confidence training. The Disability and Carers Support Network will develop/ consolidate information about having conversations about disability. | Corporate, Group managers, Line managers, Disability and Carer Support Network | Continuing | Continued monitoring of disclosure rates in HR systems compared to alternative benchmarks such as the employee census and ABS figures. |
| Action | Description | Responsible | Implementation timeframe | Measure success | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Implementation of the SES Changing Mindsets initiative is continued. | All Commission SES undertake activities that provide exposure to people with disability. | Corporate | Continuing. | All Commission SES undertake the initiative and find the experience a useful learning experience. |
| B | Training for all employees, especially managers, to be more disability aware and confident. | Reduce unconscious bias and increase disability confidence so people with disability are given an equal chance in day to day operations. | Corporate, Group managers | At least 50% of managers to have completed by June 2017. | All employees complete eLearning Disability Awareness and Confidence online modules, and other training which becomes available (e.g. Mental Health First Aid and Indigenous Mental Health First Aid). |
| C | Teams create action plan using Heads Up and review it biannually. | Teams create action plan to ensure they are and they remain mentally healthy. | Group managers, Line managers | December 2017 | Number of teams with action plan and number of six monthly reviews. |
| D | Disability and Carers Support Network continues to hold regular meetings and reviews and supports Commission disability initiatives. | Provides employees with disability and caring responsibilities with a supportive community and opportunity to influence Commission policy and practice. | Disability and Carers Support Network members | Continuing. | Promote membership, attendance at monthly meetings and active involvement in network activities. |
| E | Communicate and acknowledge successes in disability inclusion within the Commission. | Publish successes in Disability Matters newsletter; annual awards celebrating people's contribution to disability improvements in the Commission. | Corporate, Disability and Carers Support Network. | Continuing. Awards implemented by October 2016. | Newsletters regularly issued and person(s) nominated for awards as part of International Day of People with Disability each year. |
| F | Commission celebrates International Day of People with Disability and World Mental Health Day / Week. | These days operate to build awareness and celebrate achievements of people with disability, by celebrating these events the Commission demonstrates support and inclusion. | Corporate, Disability and Carers Support Network. | Continuing. | Events held on 10 Oct and 3 Dec to celebrate people with disability each year. |
1 Note: Out of all APS agencies at end December 2015, the Commission has the third highest proportion of people who have shared the presence of their disability at 9.8 per cent.