Persons with Disabilities special emphasis program seeks members

  • Published
  • By Kendahl Johnson
  • 75th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Hill Air Force Base’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office of Strategy and Integration is inviting individuals interested in helping identify policies, procedures and practices that affect recruitment, representation, retention, and advancement to join the People with Disabilities Program.

The affinity group is managed by Greg Boykin, EEO’s Disability Program Manager and Special Emphasis Program Manager.  He is responsible for the concerns of disabled employees in the areas of hiring, training, mentoring, career development and retention. He serves as an advisor to both the workforce and to management officials, ensuring that all persons can participate in the full range of employment opportunities.

“Recruitment efforts are a significant part of the program,” Boykin said. “There are opportunities for MERG members to be a part of all dimensions of the Disability Program.”

Volunteers for the program become part of a Member Employee Resource Group (MERG), meeting together monthly to analyze issues facing employees with disabilities. They then help develop solutions to removing barriers and overcoming challenges.

The group interfaces with the Workforce Recruitment Program, one of the primary pipelines for bringing new talent into the government to fill mission-critical jobs. This program also tackles the unique issues involved in assisting candidates with disabilities with finding employment.

The special emphasis program is open to anyone, regardless of age, race or gender, and is integral in enhancing employment, career development and advancement opportunities.

To become a member of a Special Emphasis Program committee, which serves as a working group to assist and support the SEPMs, volunteers must be designated through their supervisory chain of command. They are appointed for a period of two years, where they serve as liaisons, providing information about concerns and needs of the workers represented by the program, and aid in the identification and removal of barriers to advancement and career development.

The group meets once a month via Teams.

For more information or to join the Persons with Disabilities MERG, contact Boykin at gregory.boykin@us.af.mil or the Hill AFB EEO office at 75ABW.DEIA.Workflow@us.af.mil.