ML23221A308
| ML23221A308 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/09/2023 |
| From: | Lamary M Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer |
| To: | |
| References | |
| 200500366 | |
| Download: ML23221A308 (1) | |
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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 1
Fiscal Year Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program Plan Accomplishments and Successful/Promising Practices The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce to achieve the NRCs mission. To demonstrate our commitment, the agency has developed an Inclusive Diversity Strategic Plan (IDSP). Below are fiscal year (FY) 2022 examples of best practices that support several plan goals.
Goal: Diversify the Federal Workforce through Active Engagement of Leadership Action: The Chair and Commissioners issued policies, approved cultural celebrations, supported Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) activities, and reaffirmed their commitment during Human Capital and EEO briefings.
Accomplishments: NRC employees started a grassroots campaign to promote agencywide use of inclusive language to encourage all employees to use expressions, words, and terms that are likely to be perceived as neutral, understandable, and welcoming by everyone regardless of their gender, race, religion, age, culture, ability, social status, or other social marker (e.g., LGBTQIA+ community).
Outcome: The Chair sent an announcement commending employees for starting a grassroots campaign to promote agencywide use of bias-free language. The Chair stated that it was incumbent upon senior leadership to model inclusive behavior and referred to his decision to be called Chair. To hold himself accountable to actions that further DEIA efforts, he signed a panel parity pledge to, whenever possible, avoid appearing on single gender panels. The Chair also committed to (1) championing the use of inclusive language in the NRCs written work products and correspondence, (2) supporting the NRCs outreach and recruitment activities focused on increasing diversity in the candidate pool for new hires, and (3) championing special emphasis group activities.
Goal: Include and Engage Everyone in the Workplace Action: The NRCs Executive Director for Operations (EDO) implemented EEO and DEIA related change management strategies and initiatives, met with NRCs Office of Small Business and Civil Rights (SBCR) and EEO Advisory Committees, and supported execution of NRCs Strategic Plan, IDSP, and Human Capital Strategies.
Accomplishment: The EDO issued NRCs Strategic Plan for FYs 2022-2026, and the FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan. Both plans integrate EEO and DEIA principles into the agencys mission objectives. The EDO communicated NRCs organizational health goals and efforts to ensure that senior leadership decisions and actions build trust, so employees feel welcomed, valued, respected, and heard, consistent with our leadership model and organizational values.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 2
Outcome: The EDO launched the Ask the EDO IdeaScale Challenge Campaign to improve the way NRC employees can communicate directly with the EDO, raise questions and concerns, and provide feedback to help influence decision-making, hosted Ask the EDO Town Hall meetings, and launched video EDO updates as a new way of connecting with staff.
The EDO also created a Telework Policy and Implementation Working Group (TPIWG). The TPIWG reviewed NRCs telework policy, hosted listening sessions, and provided recommendations for the future Telework Policy.
The EDO created the Hybrid Environment Assessment and Review Team (HEART). The HEART provided recommendations to the EDO on how to optimize organizational health in a hybrid work environment and identified best practices.
Goal: Optimize Inclusive Diversity Efforts Using Data-Driven Approaches Action: SBCR provided training sessions utilizing data analytics to influence decision-making and how to incorporate data analysis into action planning by using Federal Employees Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) and the NRCs Safety Culture and Climate Survey results, along with other sources of feedback (e.g., trends). Emphasis is placed on the analysis of the five inclusive habits (fairness, openness, cooperativeness, supportiveness, and empowerment) and recognizing and addressing implicit and unconscious bias.
Accomplishments: Incorporating insights from data sources helped to identify common themes and develop a unified improvement planning approach to target change efforts going forward.
Outcome: In 2019, the EDO created an Agency Desired Culture Initiative to align NRCs culture with its transformation vision of being a modern, risk-informed regulator where mission excellence is achieved in a diverse, inclusive, and innovative environment. The EDO asked the Culture Team to analyze information and data from NRCs FEVS and Organizational Culture Inventory to inform the EDO about the behaviors that define NRCs culture, how effective employees are at communicating, and how well employees are doing with collaboration and teamwork in the current work environment. The Culture Team was also asked to evaluate the results of the Presidents Management Councils Pulse Survey to help the EDO understand successes, as well as areas for improvement. According to the Partnership for Public Service 2022 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government results, NRC is recognized for its high DEIA ranking scores.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 1
Fiscal Year 2022 Report on Strategic Activities Related to Hispanic Employment in the Federal Government The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) utilizes multiple strategies and activities to recruit, develop, and retain Hispanics. The following actions were taken to improve the number of Hispanics hired and retained:
During fiscal year (FY) 2022, 66% (23 out of 35) of our recruitment activities focused on diversity which includes minority serving institutions/organizations, including veterans, veterans with disabilities, or people with disabilities of which one was cosponsored by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers and four are Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
The NRC FY 2022 Summer Internship Program included two participants that were enrolled in HSIs (Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and University of North Texas). There were 51 Co-Ops at the end of August one of which was enrolled in an HSI (University of Texas -El Paso).
The NRCs Hispanic Employment Program Advisory Committee works with the Office of Small Business and Civil Rights to identify issues of concern to Hispanics at the NRC, implemented initiatives to increase Hispanic representation at all levels in the agency.
NRCs Honor Law Graduate Program for graduating law students, or judicial law clerks, is our primary mechanism for hiring entry-level attorneys. The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer conducted recruitment outreach (via Handshake) to Santa Clara University (emerging HSI), Florida International University, Oklahoma City University, University of New Mexico, and University of Puerto Rico.
The NRC broadened the scope of its University Nuclear Leadership Program (UNLP) funding opportunity eligibility criteria for scholarships to include community colleges legislatively authorized to award 4-year bachelors degrees as a strategy to meet workforce demands, increase access to educational and career advancement opportunities, address affordability, and raise attainment rates. The NRCs changes to the UNLP eligibility criteria will positively impact students access to affordable education and future employment opportunities. The agency also reinstituted NRCs Minority Serving Institutions Grant Program (MSIGP). The restart of the MSIGP will help the NRC address challenges institutions face in applying for grant funding needed to transfer knowledge, build skills, and produce a diverse skilled workforce.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 2
- NRCs Office of Research awarded a total of $1.5M to fund three Research and Development Grants at the following HSIs/emerging HSIs: University of New Mexico
($500K), University of California Los Angeles ($500K) (emerging HSI), and University of Nevada, Reno ($500K) (emerging HSI).
- The NRCs Minority Serving Institutions Program staff serve on the Inter-Agency Working Group for the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics.
- The NRC has had in-place a MSIP/HSI partnership program since 2006 to help educational institutions in their efforts to achieve academic excellence and establish viable NRC partnerships. In 2023 the NRC plans to fund an Adjunct Professor at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez (UPRM), via the Intergovernmental Personnel Act.
The UPRMs Department of Mechanical Engineering has a vibrant undergraduate program with the highest demand and highest potential for growth. Through the Adjunct position, the NRC and UPRM are partnering to develop curricula to build a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics pipeline in Nuclear Engineering--a field garnering growing student interest.
- Our FY 2022 applicant flow data indicated that, of the 2473 applicants who provided their Race and National Origin information, 10.9% (269) self-identified as Hispanic. Out of the 269 self-identified Hispanic applicants, 97.4% (262) were deemed qualified, and 2.3% (6) of those 262 were selected. Hispanics represented 5.7% (6) of new permanent hires, internal promotions, and those who converted into permanent positions in FY 2022.
Point of Contact for the NRCs applicant flow data analysis:
Karen Cobbs, Chief, Workforce Management & Benefits Branch, NRC/OCHCO
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 1
Fiscal Year 2022 Report on Strategic Activities Related to the Employment of Individuals with Disabilities To fulfill Executive Order 13548, Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) continued to implement activities to improve recruitment and retention of people with disabilities (PWD), including people with targeted disabilities (PWTD).
Outreach and Recruitment - The following actions were taken to increase the number of applications from PWD and PWTD:
- During fiscal year (FY) 2022, 66% (23 out of 35) of our recruitment activities focused on diversity of which one event (Equal Opportunity Publications Careers and the disABLED) focused on PWD/PWTD and three events were focused on veterans and included veterans with disabilities. NRC vacancies were posted on the Ability Corps/Ability Magazine, GettingHired.com, and Corporate Gray job boards.
- Shared 10 vacancies with contacts at Maryland Department of Rehabilitative Services.
- Partnered with the Department of Defense Operation Warfighter Program, which provides Federal internship opportunities in a supportive work setting to recovering service members.
- Partnered with the Workforce Recruitment Program by accessing their resume database to search for candidates for Summer Interns and Administrative Assistants.
- Utilized the USAJobs Agency Talent Portal (ATP) to search for candidates eligible for Schedule A hiring authority.
As a result of these actions the following outcomes were achieved:
- Referred 25 resumes to Human Resource Specialists for various jobs from our internal Schedule A database, intern Veterans resume database or the USAJobs ATP.
Hiring -- The following actions were taken to increase the number of PWD and PWTD hired:
- The NRC continued to implement its Affirmative Action Plan, which includes a 12%
representation rate goal for people with disabilities, both at the GG-11 level and above (including Senior Executive Service (SES), and at the GG-10 level and below). The Plan also includes a 2% representation rate goal for people with targeted/severe disabilities, both at the GG-11 level and above (including SES), and at the GG-10 level and below.
The numerical goals are communicated to hiring managers and recruiters through 1) the Annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Diversity Management training for managers, supervisors, and team leaders; 2) Lunch and Learns; (3) NRC's Disability Program Strategic Project Plan (FY2019-FY 2024); (4) the Agency's Disability Affirmative Action Plan for the Recruitment, Hiring, Advancement, and Retention of Persons with Disabilities, which is posted on the NRC/Office of the Human Capital Officer/EEO office Web page; and (5) EEO and Human Capital Briefings.
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program 2
- Promoted the use of our Schedule A equivalent hiring authority by providing training for supervisors on special hiring authorities and forwarding resumes of eligible applicants to hiring managers.
- To improve career advancement opportunities for PWD and PWTD, the NRC offered training, internship, and mentoring programs.
As a result of these activities, the NRC hired 36 people with disabilities (13.3% of all new hires),
and 3 of the 36 had a targeted disability. This represents an increase of 3.6% when compared to the 21 hires (including 3 hires with a targeted disability) in FY 2021.