APS employees with disability

Increasing the employment of people with disability across the Australian Public Service to 7% by 2025 is an Australian Government commitment.

At 30 June 2023, employment data indicated that 5.1% of all APS employees reported they had a disability. Employment data for individual agencies showed that 13 agencies had reached more than 7% representation for people with disability, and 18 others had exceeded 5%.

Since the release of the APS Disability Employment Strategy 2020–25, the percentage of employees who reported they have a disability in their responses to the APS Employee Census increased from 8.5% in 2020 to 10.9% in 2023 (Figure 2.5). When completing the Census, participants are advised that no identifying information, such as an email address, will be attached to their response. The confidential nature of disclosure is different to reporting disability status within an agency’s human resource system which identifies the individual alongside their employment data.

Employees report disability more often in the APS Employee Census than is recorded in employment data. The Behavioural Economics Team of the Australian Government at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is working to understand and reduce barriers to APS employees sharing diversity information in human resource systems. The project aims to close the gap between disability figures obtained through Australian Public Service Employment Data and disability figures obtained through the APS Employee Census. Work will be completed towards the end of 2023. Project outcomes will help agencies improve their diversity data collection policies and practices and assist the Australian Public Service Commission’s diversity and inclusion activities.

Figure 2.5: Employees who have an ongoing disability (2020 to 2023)

Source: APS Employee Census

To expand employment opportunities for people with disability, it is critical that the APS exercises best practice in inclusive recruitment. This will provide all candidates with the opportunity to demonstrate their capability. It will also maximise the impact of the special provisions for people with disability included in the APS Commissioner’s Directions.

The APSC developed and launched the Affirmative Measures – Disability Recruitment Hub (AMDHub) in 2022–23, offering agencies guidance, tools and resources to improve how they attract and recruit people with disability.

The AMD Hub – available on the GovTEAMS portal – is used by more than 70 agencies, including 2 from outside the APS but within the Australian Government public sector. The hub was co-designed with people with disability, recruitment specialists and diversity and inclusion practitioners. It helps agencies shift their perceptions of the way recruitment can be done and build an inclusive recruitment culture.

Guidance is being developed to support agencies who want to advertise suitable positions on The Field. This disability-led platform connects job seekers with disability inclusive organisations. It was developed by the Get Skilled Access organisation and funded by the Department of Social Services.

In support of the development of a broader Employee Value Proposition for people with disability, significant progress has been made to identify accessibility issues across the APS property portfolio. Guidance to assist agencies to address accessibility barriers will be available later in 2023.

Since the launch of the APS Disability Employment Strategy 2020–25, some agencies have introduced targeted recruitment programs. An example is the Ability Apprenticeship program led by Social Services. This program provides an alternative entry pathway, on-the-job and formal training, and support from a disability employment provider. When the pilot for the program finished (April 2023), 16 positions had been filled. Another 10 positions will be funded in 2023–24.

See also

Agency benchmarking – APS employment of people with disability, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Appendix 1 – APS workforce trends, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Appendix 2 – State of the service additional data, State of the Service Report 2022–23.

Australian Government (n.d) APS Disability Employment Strategy 2020–25, APSC website, https://www.apsc.gov.au/publication/australian-public-service-disability-employment-strategy-2020-25, accessed 6 September 2023.

Australian Government (n.d) Ability Apprenticeship program, Department of Social Services website, https://www.dss.gov.au/careers/ability-apprenticeship-program, accessed 5 October 2023.