FAA pushing to hire more people with ‘severe intellectual’ and ‘psychiatric’ disabilities: report

The Federal Aviation Administration is attempting to hire people with "severe intellectual" disabilities, psychiatric problems and other conditions under a "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" initiative. 

"Targeted disabilities are those disabilities that the Federal government, as a matter of policy, has identified for special emphasis in recruitment and hiring," the FAA’s website reads.

"They include hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability and dwarfism."

The FAA employs about 45,000 people and is overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

According to the FAA, those with disabilities are some of the most underrepresented in the federal workforce. 

"Individuals with targeted or "severe" disabilities are the most under-represented segment of the Federal workforce," the FAA states. "The People with Disabilities Program (PWD) ensures that people with disabilities have equal Federal employment opportunities. The FAA actively recruits, hires, promotes, retains, develops and advances people with disabilities."