The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is actively seeking individuals with specific disabilities as part of its diversity and inclusion initiatives to achieve woke DEI goals.
Acceptable disabilities include people with ‘severe intellectual’ problems, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions.
The FAA, which includes jobs such as air traffic controllers, is keen to hire people with hearing and vision impairments, missing limbs, partial and complete paralysis, epilepsy and dwarfism.
Such broad recruitment is all part of what the FAA calls its “Diversity and Inclusion” recruitment plan.
John P. Benison, the deputy administrator of the Office of Civil Rights, is charged with implementing the FAA’s DEI plan
An air traffic controller is seen at Los Angeles International Airport (file photo)
The FAA, overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation, is responsible for regulating civil aviation and currently employs approximately 47,000 people, while John P. Benison is charged with implementing the agency’s DEI plan .
Benison, whose official title is Assistant Administrator, Office of Civil Rights, “is responsible for ensuring equal opportunity and diversity regulations within the FAA,” with his officer overseeing all “civil rights, equal opportunity and diversity issues.”
The The FAA reports this on its website how individuals with “severe” mental and physical disabilities represent an underrepresented segment of the federal workforce.
The agency “actively supports diversity through various associations, programs, coalitions and initiatives, emphasizing the importance of the diverse workforce.”
“Diversity is an integral part of achieving the FAA’s mission to ensure safe and efficient travel throughout our country and beyond,” the FAA said.
The FAA, overseen by Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s Department of Transportation, is responsible for regulating civil aviation and currently employs approximately 47,000 people.
However, it has been updated attention to the FAA and the airline industry as a whole following an incident earlier this month when a plug door on a Boeing 737 Max 9 malfunctioned during an Alaska Airlines flight.
The FAA responded by grounding all 737 MAX 9 aircraft, conducting extensive inspections and increasing oversight of Boeing’s production line.
Following the shocking incident, some public figures, including Elon Musk, suggested that diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives could be responsible for jeopardizing safety in the aviation industry.
“It’s going to take a plane crashing and killing hundreds of people before they can change this crazy policy of DIE,” Musk wrote on his X platform on Tuesday, rearranging the acronym for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
Elon Musk has become an outspoken critic of DEI policies
Following the incident, some public figures, including Elon Musk, suggested that diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives may be responsible for jeopardizing safety in the aviation sector.
The FAA says it thoroughly sources and vets qualified candidates from a variety of sources for a range of positions.
The agency employs tens of thousands of people in a variety of positions, with strict qualifications that vary by position.
“Because diversity is so critical, FAA actively supports and participates in a variety of associations, programs, coalitions and initiatives to support and accommodate employees from diverse communities and backgrounds. Our people are our strength, and we take great care to invest in and value them as such,” the FAA said.
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, president of Do No Harm, a group that advocates for health care protections, expressed the belief that both the aviation and health care industries share a shared responsibility for safety.
But he warned against lowering standards for entry into these fields, arguing that people with disabilities who can successfully perform tasks should not face discrimination.
An air traffic controller ensures the safe and efficient movement of aircraft to the arrival and departure gates, seen here at LAX airport
‘The airline industry has a responsibility for the safety of travelers, just as the healthcare industry has a responsibility for patient safety. These responsibilities outweigh other factors when considering applicants to work in those areas. People with disabilities who can successfully complete the task should never face discrimination,” Goldfarb said Fox news.
The FAA’s website outlines the “On-the-Spot Hiring Process,” which allows some managers to hire disabled individuals and veterans, provided the necessary documentation is submitted.
“The FAA employs tens of thousands of people in a wide range of positions, from administrative functions to oversight and performance of critical safety functions. “Like many large employers, the agency proactively seeks qualified candidates from as many sources as possible, all of whom must meet stringent qualifications that will of course vary by position,” the FAA said.